Square Tubing for Welding Cart

[DaveJeep]

I'm going to be building myself a welding cart to hold my HH210, a 'M' sized bottle and some other supplies. It's going to be my second welding project. My first project was building a 2" x 2" 1/8" wall square tubing sign to hold a 8' x 4' billboard sign.

Is 1" x 1" square tubing a good choice? What wall thinness? Or am I better off building it with angle iron? I want it to be durable and am on a tight budget.

[dakkasnik]

Uhh...the 210, aint that a roll-around ? I has its own cart and bottle carrier built in? I know the 210 I was looking at today at TSC had a all-in-one system.


just saying!

[FabPeddler]

I'm going to be building myself a welding cart to hold my HH210, a 'M' sized bottle and some other supplies. It's going to be my second welding project. My first project was building a 2" x 2" 1/8" wall square tubing sign to hold a 8' x 4' billboard sign.

Is 1" x 1" square tubing a good choice? What wall thinness? Or am I better off building it with angle iron? I want it to be durable and am on a tight budget.

either one would be fine, I believe the angle iron would be stronger with less welding. most of the carts out there are just 16 guage. I wouldn't recommend anything heavier than 14 guage tube.

since your on a budget see if you can get some remnants at your local metal supplier.

there are a lot of good examples of carts here on the site, check the old posts, and post those pics

[DaveJeep]

Uhh...the 210, aint that a roll-around ? I has its own cart and bottle carrier built in? I know the 210 I was looking at today at TSC had a all-in-one system.


just saying!

It's the Handler 210, carry around

[whateg0]

I used 1" x 16ga square tubing for my first welding cart. In fact, it still has my MM180 sitting on it with a 200CF bottle. To test the strength, I jumped up and down on it after I built it and it didn't break - and that was one of my first projects. (I'm not going to post pics, because the welds really are bad!) It is basically 4 verticals and a rectangle on top, with a longer rectangle on the bottom to hold the bottle on the back.

Unless you use fairly thick angle, it tends to twist. Maybe not much of an issue on something this size, but I like things to stay the shape I make them. For the weight, the square tubing is torsionally stiffer and just as strong, IMHO.

Dave

[Hotfoot]

As a perpetual Scrounger/recycler, let me suggest old Bed Frames for this project. Look at the "free" category on Craigslist, and ask at the receiving areas of Thrift Stores..they get many that are broken at one end, so they scrap them.:)

[fjk]

1x1 tube will work
it'll be more expensive than if you use angle, which will also work.
unless you have the 1x1 tube laying around, i'd go with the angle.

frank

[Sberry]

I am with Hotfoot here, I probably wouldn't buy anything, I would look for salvage materials, its one of the benefits to having a welding machine, you can build with what others toss.

[Rocky D]

I think 1 x 1 is a bit over kill for a cart. You can go much lighter and with the proper joint configuration, and maybe a gusset or two, you can build it just as strong. Check out some of the stuff coming out of China, nowadays....it's thin, and light, but in most cases it's surprisingly strong, too.

[hankj]

Every cart I have built derived from 3/4" x 3/4" angle.

For reference, I built my neighbors ATV loader out of 1" square .120 wall tube.

Hank

[mike landrich]

Every cart I have built derived from 3/4" x 3/4" angle.

For reference, I built my neighbors ATV loader out of 1" square .120 wall tube.

Hank

I'm going to make plyometrics boxes for a powerlifter I know using the 1" x 1/8" square. The commercial ones I've seen were much lighter than 1/8" and were plenty strong, but 1/8" is still better.

To Dave
My opinion is different than others on here. It might be overkill, but so long as its not too heavy, it can't be too strong. It can be too light though. Make it good and solid and you'll be set for life.

[DaveJeep]

You guys are giving me lot to think about! That's why I love this forum

[Sberry]

I change them up every once in a while, went from this to this. Before it was the SP cart it was the plasma cart, didn't have to do a single thing to make it a cart for the cutter, I found it that way, made a bench for the welder.

[FabPeddler]

I change them up every once in a while, went from this to this. Before it was the SP cart it was the plasma cart, didn't have to do a single thing to make it a cart for the cutter, I found it that way, made a bench for the welder.

I like the 1st one, the homeless downtown welder cart, lol.

[Sberry]

The shop cart just worked so well I used it for long time as homely as it was. When I got the 210 I temp it on my engine stand and then build a real cart for it.

[Hotfoot]

The Lawnmower carts are way under-appreciated! They carry loads low and wide. Ones with the big wheels are especially good. The handles are well placed. Recycling/re-use in action!:)

[SmokinPRanch]

I just started building a cart from 1x1x.120 tube. Definitely strong enough and probably overkill for material but it was on hand so cost didn't figure in. It wiill be heavy but I won't have to load it in a truck or anything so that doesn't matter either. Just about anything really would work depending on size, design, gussets, etc.

I always liked working with square/rectangular tubing. Easy to fit up and welds nice. If cost isn't an issue the tubing works great.

Al

[FabPeddler]

The shop cart just worked so well I used it for long time as homely as it was. When I got the 210 I temp it on my engine stand and then build a real cart for it.

well waste not, want not,

ingenius use of skills and materials,,

hats off,,

[ronnielyons]

Took my MM210 to a new level: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronnielyons. I really enjoy it being up to standing height.

[dakkasnik]

WOW !

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... I will soon be cutting steel to build my take on that cart....ITS GORGEOUS!!!

Good Job!

[old blue]

but it's the wrong color..

[ronnielyons]

Yeah, after my neighbor and I worked on this for 2 weeks, I was going to powder coat it Miller blue...only to find out he hates blue so i couldn't do that to him. The powdercoater had a red project going at the time and I ran it thru for $100, versus $200 if he changed powder to another color just for me.

[ronnielyons]

Also, if you guys copy this cart, DO NOT skimp on your casters. With machine, metal and two bottles, it's probably up to about 500 pounds set up like it is, plus I've now got a MM135 sitting on top. Fecal casters will be your death nell, as they won't roll good and they'll 'trip" over the smallest of stuff on your floor and try to skid. Buy the good 8 inch casters once and be done with it.

Ronnie

[DaveJeep]

So I can use 1/16" square tubing? Trying to do this on the cheap and want to use square tubing. Only needs to hold the HH210 and big bottle.

[DaveJeep]

Nevermind, my local metal supplier has 1/8" and .100 wall only

So .100 wall should be find?

[hankj]

The Handler 210 only weighs 70#. .100 wall square tube of any dimension will certainly hold that, any size cylinder you want, plus all your junk.

If cost is an issue, angle will certainly be cheaper.

Hank

[Ferntj]

.1 inch thick (probably 12 ga) is plenty strong enough for your cart.

[DaveJeep]

Perfect! I can get 24' of .100 wall 1" square for $20 so that sounds cheap enough for me!

[DaveJeep]

Hey guys, what gauge sheet metal should I use to weld on the floor of this welding cart? Not sure what will support the HH210.

[Ferntj]

20 ga will be strong enough, but it may sag if you don't put cross members to support the weight. You don't actually need any sheet metal if you have cross members strategically placed.

[DaveJeep]

20 ga will be strong enough, but it may sag if you don't put cross members to support the weight. You don't actually need any sheet metal if you have cross members strategically placed.

For the top where the welder will sit I think I will just use cross members like you said, but for the bottom rack I want it to hold some things.

Do you normally bolt the welder down?

[hankj]

The welder ain't goin' nowhere. You won't be runnin' down the street pushin' this thing.

For a bottom shelf, I'd use expanded metal. That way, no dust n' crap will accumulate. Throw a couple cross members in there to support the expanded metal and you can store anything that'll fit.

Hank

[Rocky D]

I vote for expanded metal, too. I have made lots of shelving with #13 x 3/4 which is like 16ga...if you want to go heavier use # 9 x 3/4

[mudbug]

Took my MM210 to a new level: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronnielyons. I really enjoy it being up to standing height.

Now that's as fine a cart as I could imagine! I've never seen one built to hold a welder that tall before,but since my Lincoln 255 has the spoolgun control panel across the bottom you have to almost lay on the floor to see it.

When I first looked at the machine the spoolgun wasn't on it and I didn't even see the control panel. Mine has separate gas lines to the torch and to the spoolgun so a dual bottle rack is a real plus over the single bottle factory rack(2 types of gas). Your design leaves room for the spoolgun storage so it can be left connected.

What's under the welder? is it storage or dead space?

I'm going to give this design some serious thought. I've been wanting to build some sort of cage to contain the welders to protect them from thieves. If it has enough mass and a lock on that side panel they can't just tote it off. I don't intend to push it around like a grocery cart anyway...just contain it and accessories,while still being able to move it around.

So do I need to use Blue paint to contrast with my Red machine? Actually I'm partial to a hammered grey finish.

Thanks for posting those pics.

[DaveJeep]

I have the frame of the cart built now, still have to put the wheels on it and do up the expanded metal.

Question, I found just enough expanded metal laying around here at work for the job. How do I tell what size it is? And I will be welding this to the .100 wall, will this be a problem? It will be on the bottom of the tube so it has to hold all the weight.

[Rocky D]

I have the frame of the cart built now, still have to put the wheels on it and do up the expanded metal.

Question, I found just enough expanded metal laying around here at work for the job. How do I tell what size it is? And I will be welding this to the .100 wall, will this be a problem? It will be on the bottom of the tube so it has to hold all the weight.
Tack the x-mtl in the center of the x where it is thickest. It takes practice to get it just right, without burning the thin parts off.
Click this link and you will know just as much about expanded metal as any of us here.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#expanded-metal/=5byf09

[DaveJeep]

The problem is the stuff I had laying here is JUST wide enough to fit on there. It's got about 1/2" on each side of welding area. So only one side has the Xs and the other side just has the thin parts. I don't know if that will still work?

[hankj]

Sure it will. Just get some small washers and weld a washer onto the x-pand at the same time!

Hank

[DaveJeep]

Sure it will. Just get some small washers and weld a washer onto the x-pand at the same time!

Hank

Can you explain it in a bit more detail? I kind of get ya but not quite.

[hankj]

Dave,

For the side that is cut short of the cross pattern, use a small washer as a stiffener. Just lay it up there and weld it in. Tack it to the x-pand on the side away from the edge, and weld the whole thing (x-p + washer) to the edge.

It works!

Hank

[DaveJeep]

Thanks for all the advice guys! The cart is finished and it looks pretty good. I will post pics when I get some.