Cheap Simple Welding Cart

So I just got a welder and I wanted to make a sort of upgrade to make it more mobile. I decided this would be a good first project for anyone who has just started welding and it also has a good amount of value so this is how to make a simple welding cart at around 15 dollars.

Step 1: Materials

- Welder

- Welding Saftey Equipment

- Angle Grinder/ Another way of cutting metal

- 1*1*1/16 Angled Steel 5ft

- 4 Caster wheels (Two of which should be rotating and locking.)

- Measuring Tape

Step 2: Cutting

For my welder, the pieces 14 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches which means cutting all of my parts will consume less than a five-foot bar of steel. Remember that one of your sides should be a bit longer on each side so that you can place the other sides within it. Then I just took my angle grinder and went to town.

Step 3: Welding the Frame

Start by making some spot welds to hold the frame together and to make sure that it is square and then fill it in with a bead. I would recommend welding it on the outside because you can clean it up from there rather than on the inside where you cant.

Step 4: Welding the Wheels

Do the same making spots at first with two nonrotating wheels at the front and two rotating locking wheels at the back. This combination lets the wheels be as cheap as possible while still offering directional movement and the ability to lock. You will want the locking wheels because the without them on the cart wants to roll down any neven surface.

Step 5: And Done

Congrats your welding cart is complete. If you would like to see more projects like these check out my youtube channel @ youtube.com/Garagebot. I have more new projects on the way including welding a bench and also a hydrogen generator. Make sure to subscribe to see those.

Comments

[Phil B]

It is really difficult to see well when welding flux core wire. A fan to blow away the smoke while welding is very helpful. Marking the weld bead path with chalk sometimes helps. So does extra light. A very easy thing that helps is to tack at both ends and then weld a short segment of a quarter inch or so toward the tack, After a short segment weld to the start of the last short segment. Enough light reflects from the end of each short segment to keep you bead on track. (Clean away slap between short segments to avoid slag inclusions.)

[GarageBot]

Thanks, after making this I realized my welds were pretty bad.

[Phil B]

If you look at my various Instructsbles, you will see some really bad welding, but it holds together to do what it needs to do. What I wrote are some things I wish I had learned earlier. I have a gas shielded MIG now and it is easier to use than the flux core welder, but flux core does a good job and has some benefits when needed. I saw something that said no one is a welder, but we are all learning to be a welder.

By the way, many people with your machine add a ten dollar bridge rectifier to it because your machine is AC output, but flux core works better with DC. There are videos about the conversion at YouTube. Amazon sells the bridge rectifier.

Thank you for your Instructable. Good job!

[taricp35]

I just got a welder, the Forney Easy Weld, and my welds are pretty terrible too so don't feel bad. I am going through the welding course here on Instructabels because my plan is to also make a welding cart, along with a few other things I have already designed, but if it holds - right now that is all that matters in my opinion. With practice and time I am sure your welds will improve. Good job on the cart!

[GarageBot]

Thanks, I'll have to check it out.