Author Topic: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart  (Read 1804 times)

Offline Joco

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Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« on: November 21, 2021, 09:27:52 PM »
Quite some time ago I picked up a gas torch kit from BOC.  One of their cheaper sub brands but one a neighbour in the trade said as great value for money for anyone needing occastional use.  In fact the same kit he had used and abused for years.  So now I finally have a shed I have a place to put something like this that is NOT in the garage so off to Bunnings (big box store) to get some bottles.  No need for the big monsters, I'm not going to use THAT much gas.

The next problem was where do I put them so they will be movable yet safely upright.   Some kind of welding cart. Bought options were large (designed for commercial sized bottles) and expensive (~$180NZD plus shipping). Ok, I'm cheap and that just seemed OTT.  I have steel, maybe I can build one.  Priced it up and it was starting to push well over $100 once wheels and a LOT of time and other bits got factored in.  Can I do better ...

Looked at the hand trucks they use for moving and $40 with a 20min trip to the store gets me a brand new one rated for 200kg.  A cheap 2.4m length of 6mm round mild steel, a wall water hose hanger and some paint I already had.
Here are the results.  Super simple and possibly of use for anyone else wanting to solve this cheaply.
Pic 1 & 2:  Use a cheap roller to make some rings.  Two sizes as the bottles have slighlt different dimensions and keeping them reasonably close fits stops excessive rattle and slipping about.  Then used a 250mm long straight to act as a spacer and alignment tool. You can see the bigish home made welding square/fixture in the background between them that was used to keep the vertical in place and square to the table while tacking things up.

Pic 3: The parts all fixed on and the rings with undercoat on.  Looks a bit patchy but this is a functional setup.

Pic 4: All done.  Bottom painted black to for some consistency and to protect the metal.  All fixed up with gas over pressure valves facing away from each other. I might yet get some 90 degree elbouw joints to go between the flashback arrestors and the pressure guages.  This would have those joints facing up which would be a bit tidier and less prone to being bumped.
Anyway, easy to move around, super stable and keeps it all in a single spot.

Other refinements to be considered:
1 - the above mentioned 90deg angle connectors
2 - a hook/keeper system for the torch so it is not just resting where it is
3 - a little toolbox to hold the other parts: cutting head, striker, goggles, welding tips, spanner, tip cleaner

Cheers - J.
James
Wellington - NZ

Online Kim

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #1 on: November 21, 2021, 10:46:15 PM »
Nice little welding cart!  Great idea to make it out of a dolly.  Cheaper than rolling the whole thing from scratch.  Very nice!

Kim

Offline propforward

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2021, 11:54:50 PM »
Really good approach to that - nicely done too. That's a heck of a sturdy welding table you have. I'd like to get an Oxy Acetylene rig at some point.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline bent

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2021, 11:36:48 PM »
Just needs a clip or a saddle to clamp the torch body to one of the rails...but pretty darn good job as it sits.   :ThumbsUp:

Offline Joco

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2021, 06:27:10 PM »
Bent - yup agree.  Working on options.  Once I land a solution will post update.  Also trying to find a toolbox solution to house the cutting torch and other bits and pieces.
James
Wellington - NZ

Offline Joco

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2021, 06:32:25 PM »
Stuart - 25mm (1”) thick top. Total weight is circa 350kg (770lbs).  She’s a beast but so useful. Made it myself. Probably the most fun parts were using a neighbours forklift to move/position things for welding.
James
Wellington - NZ

Offline propforward

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2021, 07:33:07 PM »
You can't beat a heavy duty table like that. I considered getting a 1" plate waterjet at work, but it would have been pricey. In the end I stuck with a light duty table for welding, and have a smaller, but 1/2" thick table for beating things on, and setting up a brazing station when I need it. Plenty good for what I do, but I must admit to being more than a little jealous of your table.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Online Twizseven

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2021, 08:33:50 PM »
You have one  nice job on that.

I've just done something very similar for my TIG welder.  My starting point was an ex hospital (or similar) oxygen trolley from Ebay.  A few mods to fix an angled tray for the TIG welder itself, a couple of hooks for the leads, location points for welding rods and a further shelf for the consumables case.  It looked to work very well but I had not quite got the balance point right and it toppled over a couple of times, luckily without damage.  So further mod of a sprung set of legs which lock into place for stability but which can be unlocked and moved up out of the way when want to wheel the trolley about.  Now works well, just need to learn to TIG weld now. :Lol:

Your welding table looks very similar to one I have just sourced from a friend who was closing down his business.  800mmx800mmx800mm cube made of 50mm thick wall tubing braced in every way possible, fitted with a 22mm thick steel plate on the top.  It has a 10mm dia tapped holes in a 5 x 5 matrix.  I stripped it and painted it, fitted large casters so as to be able to move it around, and some 10mm coachbolts fitted upside down to be able to level it if required.  I think it would need 4 people to pick it up, needs two to just turn it on its side.

Colin

Offline bent

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2021, 07:32:28 PM »
"just need to learn to TIG weld now"

Me too, Twiz.  Had some tooling for work that needed welding and the usual welder (my colleague) was out of town on holiday, so...took the parts home (stopping by the weld shop Weds for more argon) and fired up my Tig welder...yikes.  It is definitely a perishable skill.

Offline propforward

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2021, 08:29:40 PM »
fired up my Tig welder...yikes.  It is definitely a perishable skill.

It's great fun though isn't it? I've been having a blast with it. Sometimes a bit too literally. I tried my MIG welder recently too. That thing is a hoot.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline bent

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Re: Oxy Acetylene Welding Cart
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2021, 06:10:59 PM »
Yes, it is fun.  I need to be a bit better at picking my materials - can't just grab whatever from the scrap bin, especially since a lot of stuff we build (and toss into the scrap bin when damaged) uses machinable steels with added lead and phosphorous...neither of which contribute to making nice welds.  My other problem is not remembering to think about how the parts will be grounded during welding...as I said, perishable skills. :ShakeHead: :Lol:

edit:  I brought the tooling into work today, and test fitted it to the assemblies it is intended for...and it all fits and appears to work...hopefully the welds hold up for the production run.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2021, 06:15:34 PM by bent »

 

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