Removable rig setup

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Here is a project I have been working on, off and on, for a while now.  Where I work, we don't have a dedicated welding rig.  So when I have to work out in the field, a lot of time is spent gearing up the truck for the job.  And quite often I get to the job, find out its not exactly what we were told, and don't have the right equipment.  Plus the truck usually looks something like so, except worse with everything on.One of the biggest issues has always been with the leads.  They usually are thrown in and crap gets piled on top, then the leads get nicked up and need repaired.  This project started out with me making a set of live reels using trailer axles.  It has now morphed into a complete setup where welder, lead reals, suitcase welder, and 3 bottles ( oxygen, acetylene, and 75/25 or argon ) will be mounted on a steel pallet that can be loaded And unloaded within minutes with the fork lift.  About 90% of the materials being used is stuff we had on the racks already, to keep costs to a minimum.  I started out making a frame out of some 2 1/2" square tube. Then built an inner frame structure to support the welder.  The 4 mounting slugs were made of some 1" solid bar, drilled and tapped, then burned in.  Then a piece of 14g was cut and plug welded to the frame. The large open holes are the mounts for the welder. That's as far as I got this evening.  Will work on it more as I have some free time. If I can find the pictures I took of the reels, as I built them I'll post them up.
Reply:Got a few pictures of the reels in the making.  As stated prior, I used some trailer parts from northern tool.  Here I took some 3" pipe, drilled a hole and welded the trailer spindles to it.  Then some flanges were made on the lathe and mill from some 1/2 plate cutoffsBackside weldI made 2 of these, this one is the ground side. Another weld shotThe same 3" pipe happened to be a perfect fit over the spindle hub.  So more of that was used. And apparently that's where I stopped taking pictures. I'll snap a few tomorrow morning at work of them completed
Reply:What you are making is generally reffered to as a welding skid. Make sure you make it with room for everything you will need to take with you to the job, so you have what you need even though you didn't think you were going to need it when you left the shop.
Reply:Here is your text in a readable format.Here is a project I have been working on, off and on, for a while now. Where I work, we don't have a dedicated welding rig. So when I have to work out in the field, a lot of time is spent gearing up the truck for the job. And quite often I get to the job, find out its not exactly what we were told, and don't have the right equipment. Plus the truck usually looks something like so, except worse with everything onOne of the biggest issues has always been with the leads. They usually are thrown in and crap gets piled on top, then the leads get nicked up and need repaired. This project started out with me making a set of live reels using trailer axles. It has now morphed into a complete setup where welder, lead reals, suitcase welder, and 3 bottles ( oxygen, acetylene, and 75/25 or argon ) will be mounted on a steel pallet that can be loaded And unloaded within minutes with the fork lift.About 90% of the materials being used is stuff we had on the racks already, to keep costs to a minimum. I started out making a frame out of some 2 1/2" square tube. Then built an inner frame structure to support the welder. The 4 mounting slugs were made of some 1" solid bar, drilled and tapped, then burned in.
Reply:That's the idea, have everything I could possibly need and then some.  I'm starting to think I might need to build this skid up some so I can add some storage space underneath.  Not sure just yet.  I did snap some pictures of the finished reels this evening.  Well, almost finished. Still need to make some spring loaded locks and some handles for themLast edited by JRwldr; 01-09-2013 at 11:16 PM.
Reply:I am not understanding something. Can you explain? The reels are on a perpendicular pipe? what is the flange for between the two halves?Is this an original design? If not, are there pics of a finished one I can look at to help understand?Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Originally Posted by Joker11I am not understanding something. Can you explain? The reels are on a perpendicular pipe? what is the flange for between the two halves?Is this an original design? If not, are there pics of a finished one I can look at to help understand?
Reply:The flanges are indeed for isolating the power from the ground.  That way they can be stacked together like pictured.  There will be a non conductive spacer between the flanges and some non conductive bushings around the bolts.   It's a copy of a design that others have used successfuly before but I don't have any  finished pictures or links to threads.  My research was done months ago.