My mig cart from scrap and recycled bits

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I started with a grocery cart chassis and went from there.  I made the welder shelf extra wide so I have a place to put stuff, besides the floor.  I'm too old to be bending down all the time.  The top shelf also works very well for this.  Total cost was for the FC wire I used.  Everything else was either repurposed or left over from other projects.There are no close ups of my welds for a reason.  They ain't pretty, but they'll do.  I believe that both wellds and women should be viewed from a far.  A coat of paint covers many of the flaws in both cases.At least I am finally able to use my C25 and get some better looking welds (hopefully). Attached Images
Reply:Looks great except one thing, whats that around the cylinder a piece of plastic, I would at least use a chain.great job.wbolden
Reply:Originally Posted by wboldenLooks great except one thing, whats that around the cylinder a piece of plastic, I would at least use a chain.great job.wbolden
Reply:Originally Posted by wboldenLooks great except one thing, whats that around the cylinder a piece of plastic, I would at least use a chain.great job.wbolden
Reply:Definately like the use of the rod over chain, personally. does the bottle still rattle in the rod? or is it tightened down enough to prevent all movement?I like the used of materials, and was disappoined when I couldn't get through the link on my thread. As I don't do sheet mental work, whad did you do to make the finish patern on the two shelves?There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Hi TH,I had too much trouble with the pics over on your thread so I thought I'd start a new one.  It worked.The bottle has no rattle or movement at all.  I used the tank as a mandrel to bend the rod so it's a nice fit.  I drew up the nuts snug. The shelves are finished in what I call Polish engine turning.  The bottom shelf is a new hiway sign, with a misspelled word, so I got it for free from a friend.  It's 24x24x 1/8 aluminum.  The top shelf is a piece of an old construction zone sign that had seen better days.  It too is 1/8 alum.  I sanded the top shelf first to eliminate some stains and a few dings.  It still didn't look very good so I chucked a 2 inch surface prep disk from HF in my drill press and had at it after a bit of practice on some scrap alum.  The disk is covered with industrial strength Scotch Brite.  I drew a 1 inch grid on the material so I had a 50 percent overlap.  It looks good with the sun on it and at the angle in the pic, but up close it's not as nice.  Once again, much like a woman.  But it's plenty good enough for this project and it's light years ahead of what it was like before.  Yes, you can put lipstick on a pig. LOLAfter the top shelf was done, it made the lower shelf look dismall.  The lower shelf was made from a new sign and it had sort of a brushed finish on it.  You can see the contrast in the third pic.  I didn't have a drill press with a deep enough throat to do the center of this shelf so the welder is hiding the plain part.  Even though the front casters have a narrower track than the rear, the rig is very stable during transit.  I think it's because of the long wheelbase.  I also kept the CG as low as I could by slinging the cylinder holder below the frame of the cart.  The lower shelf that holds the welder is 22 inches off the floor at the front keeping that mass fairly low but positioning my controls at a comfortable height and angle.  Since these pics, I have added a gun holder on the front of the vertical brace for the top shelf.Last edited by optimizer999; 08-09-2011 at 07:01 PM.
Reply:Clever & simple - I like it.  You seem to have all the bases covered with a few unique design mods (brushed signs, 3/16" securing rod).  I would have used a blue shade of lipstick if I made the pig, but red dresses her up right nice for a saturday night. Miller Dynasty 200DXMillermatic 210 w/ Spoolmate 3035Hypertherm Powermax 380JD Squared Model 32Multiple fabrication tools & equipmentFull Powder Coating Setup
Reply:Pretty nice cart...I like using castaway things to re-purpose for something I need.At first glance I thought you used aluminum diamond plate... Thanks for the idea...I've got several road signs & a drill press..I might use some on the cart I built out of parts of store fixtures.... I used a commercial chair rack/dolly as an inspiration for it's design.... The store bought model was $200 Attached Images
Reply:I guess I can hijack my own thread.  I took some pics of the welding table I built after the cart was finished.  The table was my first true solid wire Mig project.  The top is 24x48 inches.  Like my welding cart, all materials are scrap/ repurposed. bits.  Total cost was for Mig wire and a couple snorts of C25.  A neighbor was moving and had this base for an industrial sewing machine that he was going to pitch.  He gladly let me take it,  along with the 1/4" plate for the top.  The machine base allows a 4" vertical adjustment.  The current height is 37" which is just over normal counter height.  I don't plan to lower it since it would take two men and a boy to raise it back up.  There is also a second set of bolt holes  two inches lower for a total of 6 inches of travel that won't be needed.   I don't fancy welding on my knees.  I spent too many years on them begging for sex.  They are about shot.  If I get a TIG setup someday, this adjustment would allow to work seated..  The tan C channel frame was from free standing vertical store shelf supports.  This keeps the top from sagging.  Hopefully.I added the 8" channel under the feet for stability and also to get a bit of extra height.  It still wanted to rack a bit side to side so I added the diagonal brace and a 1" angle stiffener, face down, on the horizontal spreader.  That did the trick.  I added two swivel casters (tack welded solid) to each end so I can easily move it by myself.  The casters just touch the floor so if I lift either end a couple inches it's mobile.  I don't plan on moving it much other than to sweep up, etc.  This table will be put to use for building some fence gates when the weather cools off a bit. Attached ImagesIf the women don't find you handsome,then they should at least find you handy.
Reply:Mudbugone,I like your idea for your cart too.  At first I thought of those old canvas sling beach chairs when I saw it.  It sure beats lugging that heavy thing by hand.  You are the second person who thought I used diamond plate.  I'm too cheap to pop for a sheet so I use what is available.  Since I'm out in the sticks, I would have to drive over 80 miles one way to buy alum. DP.  Hiway signs are good enough.  Free is even better.Even though the sign is 1/8 alum, it's some tough az alloy that is darned strong.Last edited by optimizer999; 08-09-2011 at 08:47 PM.If the women don't find you handsome,then they should at least find you handy.
Reply:Millerfab,I almost posted this on the Miller Projects forum but I didn't want to start any wars.  lolThanks for the kind words.If the women don't find you handsome,then they should at least find you handy.
Reply:It's a small world... I got several of those sewing machine bases (with motors) for maybe $10 each at an auction... I've got two doing duty as bases for small welding tables..I had a couple of restaurant grills (3/4" thick) that no one wanted to pay me for...Soooo, I took the 2'x3' one and made a welding table out of it and still have the 30"x4' one to assemble when I get the room for it.I picked up the 2'x3' one at a scrap yard for $15 ...makes a real cheap heavy duty welding table. It has a lip on two sides about 4" high a grease tray in the front and open to the right side... works well for clamping things into the 90* corner when assembling things..I like yours with the 1/4" top and as soon as I find a suitable piece of flat plate I'll use another base to build another different style table like yours...It's good to see what sort of things we make from discarded items...Your machine turning on the sign backs was a great idea... One I'll definately be using soon.Hopefully others will chime in on this thread with other ideas we can all share.This is what gave me the idea for the mig cart above..http://yhst-130219943225268.stores.y...dolly-mfo.html  but at that price "No Way"This was a staircase landing from an oil rig that a friend gave me..The legs were porch posts from an old house cut in two... Attached ImagesLast edited by mudbugone; 08-10-2011 at 02:05 AM.
Reply:You seem to have all your t's dotted and your i's crossed. the only thing I could think to add would be a handle for pushing/pulling the cart. again, great job.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:TH,Yeah, I was wondering about a handle too.  As it turns out, the crossbar that holds the tank serves that purpose pretty well.  Turns are a bit difficult but thank God I'm not running it in a Gran Prix.  Slow and easy does it.If the women don't find you handsome,then they should at least find you handy.
Reply:I keep coming back and looking your mig cart over and it's well thought out....I'm sure it will serve you well...I picked up one of those grocery carts a while back but haven't decided what to make out of it quite yet... They are pretty stable platforms and roll real well.I've got a very large cart 1/2 built that's 3'x 41/2'  with things on all sides,but it never hurts to see new ideas...Thanks
Reply:Very nicely done.   Any who've seen any of my projects knows I'm a big fan of "recycle" projects. Originally Posted by optimizer999The bottom shelf is a new hiway sign, with a misspelled word,. . .
Reply:I have an old rolling tool chest that I set my little hobart on.  I am in the process of building a fram to set the chest with the welder on. It will have an area to hold a tank.  Right now I don't have any pictures.  It was scrap raid on this.  1" square for the frame.
Reply:I finally got the local grocery store manager to let me have some carts that were damaged when an elderly lady hit the gas & jumped the curb crushing a bunch of their unusual designed carts.. I got 6,but probably can't fix more than 3 which is fine for FREE...This was the only one that only had the front of the basket torn off...most of the others are bent and have at least one broken caster on each one. They are designed pretty good for a welder/plasma cutter cart once I strip those baskets off don't you think? Attached Images
Reply:MBO,I'm still workin  on that last pic you posted.  I can't see what you said it was.  I do see the porch supports, but that's it.  Good luck makin something from it.  Let me know what you come up with.NICE CART.  Wiith six of them you should  be able to cannablize enough to get 2 or maybe 3 good ones.  That design gives you all sorts of options.  go for it.If the women don't find you handsome,then they should at least find you handy.
Reply:I thought you'd get a kick out of it... It's almost the same shape as what you built from a standard grocery cart carrage.It won't take much effort to add shelves to carry a welder/plasma cutter/Tig  or similar machines... Too simple..The porch posts are the legs on the table that the sandrail is setting on.... Eventually the sandrail chassis will become a Reverse Trike with a Yamaha 920 motorcycle fitted into the rear for propulsion.Last edited by mudbugone; 08-24-2011 at 10:19 PM.