Time to decide...

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I'm have been a hobby welder for years and this year have turned it into a business. The results have been amazing and I have more work than I could have hoped for. I have been slowly re-investing the earnings into tools, and trying to build the business without big up front costs. This process is frustrating sometimes but I've just had a huge break through, I just got a contract to do all of the metal siding and some metal finish work on a huge 8000+ square foot house that will probably take me the better part of the rest of the year!  This is by far my largest job ever and I'm stressing about it to say the least. I want to make sure I'm not getting in over my head with the tools I have now and what I plan on doing. At this point I'm ready to invest some money if I decide its what I need to do. Problem is up until now I've been 100% in shop, and this project requires me to have everything on site. The tools I've invested in are not meant to go in the back of a truck. However more and more I see my business going towards mobile welding. I'm loosing my rental house/shop soon so I want to make my operation more mobile anyway. This job has power on site. I'm trimming windows and doors with 2x2x1/8th inch angle. It needs to be cut on 90's and 45's and welded together, some if it can be welded and then installed but other parts need to be welded in place, some of it 30 feet off the ground. Another part of the project requires 5x10 foot sheets of 16 and 20 gauge metal to be cut for the siding on all of the house. This will be a LOT of sheet to cut.I was thinking I would cut the angle trim with my 4x6 inch bandsaw and weld it with my Miller 175 mig machine. I have access to a gradeall and have enough extension cords to reach everywhere even with my short leads on the miller. I was thinking I'll buy a hypertherm powermax30 to cut the sheeting. I already have a big compressor and again power is on site. I was thinking I would build a table and some sort of jig to speed up the cutting. I am also thinking about buying an enclosed cargo trailer and moving all of my tools into that. This would set me back about $3500 so its a large investment for me right now, but I don't know how else to deal with all of the required tools on site. I was also considering a friends '95 F250 with 80k miles for just $1000 more than the trailer, but I think the trailer will just be more practical because it will be like a mobile shop. How does this sound to everyone? Do you have any other advice or would you do anything differently?
Reply:Chop sawthe 4x6 bandsaw will slow you down too much.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Good point, chop saw it is.
Reply:Chop saw, hire a cherry picker for the high stuff (on charge)  Truck not trailer as a trailer can walk very easily and the last thing you need starting out is all the gear gone.I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Chop sawthe 4x6 bandsaw will slow you down too much.
Reply:i'd one up the chop saw and go with a dry cut saw.  more pricey, but once you use one you'll never look at a chop saw (abrasive chop saw anyway) the same again.  in the same vein a metal devil circular saw(milwaukee makes one too) might be cheaper than getting a plasma cutter.  it won't replace the plasma cutter for lots of things, but it might be easier to make long cuts in sheet on site. then again i don't know what these cuts need to look like.
Reply:Originally Posted by wirehuntChop saw, hire a cherry picker for the high stuff (on charge)  Truck not trailer as a trailer can walk very easily and the last thing you need starting out is all the gear gone.
Reply:Originally Posted by rusty ripplei'd one up the chop saw and go with a dry cut saw.  more pricey, but once you use one you'll never look at a chop saw (abrasive chop saw anyway) the same again.  in the same vein a metal devil circular saw(milwaukee makes one too) might be cheaper than getting a plasma cutter.  it won't replace the plasma cutter for lots of things, but it might be easier to make long cuts in sheet on site. then again i don't know what these cuts need to look like.
Reply:What about using the plasma to cut the angle using a jig like this thread:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ght=plasma+jigThe advantages are it would be less noisy than a chop saw (maybe less noise than a dry cut saw too?). I'm already buying a plasma for the sheet so it would save me buying more tools, and it would be very mobile. The disadvantage is it might be slower than the chop saw method? I'll be making about 300 45 degree cuts in 2x2x1/8th angle, and about 200 90 degree cuts. What do you think?
Reply:Originally Posted by slagmaticWhat about using the plasma to cut the angle using a jig like this thread:http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ght=plasma+jigThe advantages are it would be less noisy than a chop saw (maybe less noise than a dry cut saw too?). I'm already buying a plasma for the sheet so it would save me buying more tools, and it would be very mobile. The disadvantage is it might be slower than the chop saw method? I'll be making about 300 45 degree cuts in 2x2x1/8th angle, and about 200 90 degree cuts. What do you think?
Reply:What is the longest distance I can run extension cords to power the plasma cutter and welder? I'll probably buy a powermax45 and have a miller 175 mig, and I'll be using this for the 1/8th inch stuff. I have 100 feet of 10 gauge that I have used for years without problems. But this job will require work 200+ feet away from a power source. Can I get away with another 100 feet of 10 gauge for 200 total?
Reply:I recently had to extend the reach of my stick welder. 10 gauge copper is expensive! Since I only needed it to work on 1 project anyway I decided to go cheap. I used a piece of 6 gauge aluminum that I got for free. It works fine except it is not flexible and coiling it up is more like piling it up. Insulated aluminum wire is not worth stealing. The same can't be said about copper.I have used a 250 foot length of buried 10 gauge copper wire for many years with a 40 amp breaker. I have had no problems at all. My begining voltage at the panel is 250 and at the far end it is always above 240 with a continuous 35 amp load. I use 2 conductor UF wire and drive a ground rod at the far end. At the time I installed this I could not afford 3 conductor 8 guage UF. My suggestion, since there really are more ways than one to skin a cat, is to find out your starting voltage at your panel. If it is 240 or above you will almost certainly be able to use 10 guage. The important voltage is what you have at the machine. The powermax30 uses 120 or 230 volts at 26 or 13.5 amps. I would only use 230 for this application to reduce amps draw. Amps are what make the wire hot. Too hot and the insulation melts. Melted insulation equals short which equals fire!I'd get the powermax45 and run it at 25amps...byeJohnP.S.If possible drive a ground rod at the machine. A long extension cord on a construction site is always at risk for damage.
Reply:Originally Posted by slagmaticWhat is the longest distance I can run extension cords to power the plasma cutter and welder? I'll probably buy a powermax45 and have a miller 175 mig, and I'll be using this for the 1/8th inch stuff. I have 100 feet of 10 gauge that I have used for years without problems. But this job will require work 200+ feet away from a power source. Can I get away with another 100 feet of 10 gauge for 200 total?