What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Red Turtle (my welding cart build)

scouthead

scouthead

1/2 ton status
 Premium
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Posts
3,466
Reaction score
4,548
Location
Long Beach / Joshua Tree
found a lot of old pictures. thought i would post some up here:

first thing i built with my tubing bender was a perfect donut made out of 1.5 inch DOM

second thing i built was my welding cart....
 
I bought a hose reel wagon thing and thought maybe i could put my welder on it- quickly found out it was too small and next to useless.

P5050092.JPG
 
so i bent a larger frame up and planned to reuse the axles or "trucks" or whatever you want to call them, and the steering.

Picture2 020.jpg

P5060003.JPG
 
the post on the handle was hitting the front of the body and kept it from turning sharp, so the wire got scalloped and made clearance so it could turn.

Picture2 021.jpg

Picture2 022.jpg
 
also the axles were a little wobbly when you started weighing the thing down, so something bracing the two together was going to be needed...

P5060001.JPG
 
I added some anchors for straps, and made a choke chain (like for your dog) to hang my extension cord. this pretty much skips ahead to the finished un painted product...

2.jpg
 
I added the square tubing base to keep my welder secure. The feet are captured, and it holds it high enough to open the side panel to change wire and polarity without having to pick it up or remove it.
 
as for bracing the axles on the bottom- that got a little out of control...

"well, it needs a skidplate if im going to be dragging it up and down steps and through the dirt..."
 
So I used the same perforated metal and made a lower skip plate across the bottom of the 2 axles. And i made it removeable in case the tire size ever changes or i want to revise something...
and made some body/sides coming down to support the skid pate from the sides -I kicked the support inward after the point where it bolts together... with the cart upright on its wheels, you cant see the lower connecting part, and since i was thinking about painting it - had hopes for the way it would look

Picture45654 015.jpg
 
I bent a rod around all cut edges and tacked it down to support the edges of the perforated metal, and not have any sharp edges.

Then i found out the lower shelf was hitting the tires, and had to unbolt everything and cut some wheel wells into it. -bent rod around the new edges... had to give up a little storage space down there, but it turns again, and it looks cool!

Got some paint on it

Picture45654trtr 006.jpg

Picture45654trtr 019.jpg

Copy of Picture45654trtr 017.jpg
 
The skid plate makes a nice lower shelf- i usually have a box with an extra 10lb spool and liner for the gun down there, along with some adapter cords for various dryer and range outlets.
 
Last edited:
Its not perfect, but cost me less than buying a commercially offered welding cart... is kinda off-road friendly if it needs to leave the garage or warehouse...

-and it was a fun project that im kinda proud of... got to use the new tubing bender, and as far as i know It's the only one out there!
 
That is actually really cool. Seems like excessive work for what it is, but I am not against that either. Is the cylinder upright enough?

Martin
 
i think so. i could be wrong, but i don't think there is any liquid in typical MiG shielding gas? just high pressure gas.

haven't ever frosted the regulator with it tipped at that angle
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom