Aluminum welding cart (picture heavy)

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This is my first fabrication project with my Everlast PowerPro 256.  I needed a welding cart that would hold my welder, tank, water cooler, air dryer, and accessories.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  The top is not intended to be a welding table, but rather open work space for clamps and stuff.  I have another rolling steel welding table for actual welding.I started with some heavy aluminum C channel I had laying around for the base frame.  Then added 1.25x1.25x.120 6061 aluminum tube for the upper framework.  I cut it with my band saw, then milled the ends so they were perfectly square before fitting up and welding.  I used .125 aluminum diamond plate for the shelves.  The wheels/tires are Harbor Freight specials.  It rolls real easy and smooth over my cracked garage floor.The shelves were placed specifically to fit my equipment, and are not the same height.  There is enough space next to my PowerPro 256 to put a nice little Mig welder someday!  The 110v quad box outlet is placed low so the short cord on my air dryer would reach.  There is 1 1/2" of breathing space between the air dryer and water cooler so they can circulate air easily, but they draw primarily through the ends and not the sides.  The cable hooks on the sides are door bolt hooks (the kind you slide a 2x4 through to secure a door).If it looks like it leans back toward the tank a little bit, it's because it does.  The front wheels are just a little too tall.  It's not enough to cause any problems, and maybe someday I'll find some wheels that are 1/2" shorter, but for now it's fine.Hemi-T"Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid is forever."Hobart BetaMig 2510Everlast PowerPro 256 TigMiller Radiator-1 Tig cooler
Reply:Three more photos of the completed cart:Hemi-T"Ignorance can be fixed, but stupid is forever."Hobart BetaMig 2510Everlast PowerPro 256 TigMiller Radiator-1 Tig cooler
Reply:looks nice I'm sure it will see alot of work.
Reply:nice carttackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Very nice. Did you put a cross bar under the tank platform where the tank weight will sit?TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255Very nice. Did you put a cross bar under the tank platform where the tank weight will sit?
Reply:Excellent job on the cart ! That's one of the best designs I've seen. light weight and full featured. I like everything about it except the pneumatic tires. I prefer solid tires that can't go flat for my welding carts.Also...cute lathe you have there. Looking forward to seeing your future projects...welcome to the forum.
Reply:If you roll it around a lot you WILL end up replacing all four wheels with bigger diameter ones, and also non pneumatic ones. You can stave that off a wee while by sliming the rears. Nice job btw.
Reply:good job.  next thing you need to do is throw that tig torch in the garbage and go buy a wp20 or something like that.  I have a 250ex and it came with the same torch, they are hateful.
Reply:Originally Posted by cd19good job.  next thing you need to do is throw that tig torch in the garbage and go buy a wp20 or something like that.  I have a 250ex and it came with the same torch, they are hateful.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerIf you roll it around a lot you WILL end up replacing all four wheels with bigger diameter ones, and also non pneumatic ones. You can stave that off a wee while by sliming the rears. Nice job btw.
Reply:Originally Posted by BradTNExcellent job on the cart ! That's one of the best designs I've seen. light weight and full featured. I like everything about it except the pneumatic tires. I prefer solid tires that can't go flat for my welding carts.Also...cute lathe you have there. Looking forward to seeing your future projects...welcome to the forum.
Reply:Originally Posted by Hemi-TYou're right, I don't like the torch at all.  Very hard to handle.  I would still like to have a water cooled torch, but I'm sure there are better ones.  I just bought a Mig welder (1997 Hobart Beta Mig 2510), and need to buy a tank for it, so I don't have the cash to buy a better torch right now.  It's on the wish list though.  Thanks!
Reply:Originally Posted by cd19You can have nice small torches and still have water cooling.  I've not priced things in a while but I'd think you could have a wp20 size on there for $200 or less.  a 20 is a nice all around size for a machine like you have.
Reply:Originally Posted by Hemi-TWho is your favorite source?  I'll make a note of it and check with them when I'm ready to buy.  Thanks!
Reply:Originally Posted by Drf255eBay is a great place for torches.  If you take your time, good quality used ones with extras come up all the time.   I got my CK 20 series flexhead with 25' superflex lines and a bunch of extras for around $100.  It was nearly new.  There are countless threads on making your own water cooler.  You can use community water and just exhaust it down the drain or in your driveway.  You won't really need a heat exchanger if you have enough volume of coolant, like around 3-5 gallons.  It's too bad you didn't internally connect all of your aluminum tubing.  The coolest coolers are the ones where the aluminum frame of the cart is the coolant reservoir.  It radiates the heat quite well because of the large surface area.Ebays also a good place to pickup a used cooler if you're patient and shop around.  Miller made coolmates for other companies.  I picked one up unknowingly for $100 shipped.  It has all Chinese writing on it, but inside its all Miller.
Reply:Nice job! Very functional and well made.PlasmaCam CNC cutterLathe and Band SawClamps