Mostly Finished With Tool Chest Welding Cart

[NCjeeper]

I too was looking at the ZT Fab cart kit. Nice but over priced for what it is. I will be building something also once the shop gets done and I am up and running.

 

[Chips O'Toole]

Regarding hanging things, if you have a chest, you have a place for cables you're not using. I can keep my TIG and MIG torches on hangers and store my stick cable in a drawer.

 

[Papa Charlie]

That is a great point. I have never had a cart that had sufficient drawers to store everything. Would be nice to put the torches in the drawers instead of having them out where they can hook on things get smashed up against another bench, etc.

 

[C-Bag]

That is a great point. I have never had a cart that had sufficient drawers to store everything. Would be nice to put the torches in the drawers instead of having them out where they can hook on things get smashed up against another bench, etc.

I don’t have a TIG and it seems you have more paraphernalia than mig. But I’ve always hated drawers for any kind of cables or hoses because it just ends up a tangled mess. I got the idea of using a 3 drawer file cabinet from the YouTube “Make Something Cool” channel. It’s hard to find because most of what you see is just two drawer file cabs but they even made a 4drawer which I have under my Deckel clone cart. It’s smaller than even hman’s rig. I have mig, plasma and CO2 and OA bottles. I’m also scared of the height of welder/plasma and I had castors from an ancient floor jack I saved so made it low and wide. Compact as possible. I also dont like keeping clamps in drawers. But that’s just me.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I don’t have a TIG and it seems you have more paraphernalia than mig. But I’ve always hated drawers for any kind of cables or hoses because it just ends up a tangled mess. I got the idea of using a 3 drawer file cabinet from the YouTube “Make Something Cool” channel. It’s hard to find because most of what you see is just two drawer file cabs but they even made a 4drawer which I have under my Deckel clone cart. It’s smaller than even hman’s rig. I have mig, plasma and CO2 and OA bottles. I’m also scared of the height of welder/plasma and I had castors from an ancient floor jack I saved so made it low and wide. Compact as possible. I also dont like keeping clamps in drawers. But that’s just me.

If I had to put multiple cables into a single drawer that would be an issue with tangling. I do like to remove the leads when I am not using them. This prevents the plug from being hit by other carts going by or anything that could impact them. Looking at the second image, That plug is sticking out a long ways from the cart, maybe not an issue for you, but in previous home shops of mine, space was a premium and have caught that on a passing cart or work piece. For me, wrapping leads around the cabinets is as much a dislike as you putting them in the drawers. Most often I have hung them. I like that they are less likely to be kinked but they are also exposed to hooking on things as you pass by.

Great thing about it, there are more than one way to skin the cat. None are wrong as long as it works and protects the equipment.

 

[C-Bag]

You are right, that cable sticking out is a mess. I hadn’t even thought about disconnecting it. It would be much better to pull it and hang it. I can’t remember how hard it is to pull that thing but I’m going to be looking into fabbing some hangers so I’ll see what can be done about that. And yeah I’m trying to stuff way too much equipment into too small of a shop.

 

[NC Rick]

This is a great thread! One of the really wonderful things about the whole process of building a custom use item for me is that I am limited by my forward vision, imagination and capabilities. I have gotten better at reducing my rush to completion where the outcome suffers. Getting to share ideas with others who have similar needs and their own creative inputs is not only a huge amount of fun, it is educational and seeds ideas. No one should be disappointed because they see a better idea, I just try to retain it for future projects or just better awareness. If I keep "improving my ideas, I end up with a big mental experience with no usable product. Thanks to all for sharing, I love it.

my tank retention is a flat steel surface with pieces of angle iron welded with the pointed part of the "V" sticking out, forming a shallow sort of v-block to locate The gas cylinders. I welded on single chain links as attachments for the chain and hooks but also milled a notch for a nylon cinch strap to fit under the angle iron stubs and wrap around the cylinders so I could really positively position them.

i love @Chips O'Toole s approach because the additional room for rod storage is fantastic and was overlooked by me. ZT-fab was my solution for rod storage. This is the second holder, the first was a different manufacturer's bracket which held 3 Rod-Guard tubes which seemed plenty. I was unable to add a second bracket for more tubes because of the size. The z-Fab 6 position one is efficient and in no way too large. Tig is versatile so I have many kinds of filler.

 

[Chips O'Toole]

Someone recommended I use V-shaped recesses, but I insisted on difficult round ones because they're pretty.

 

[NC Rick]

I too was looking at the ZT Fab cart kit. Nice but over priced for what it is. I will be building something also once the shop gets done and I am up and running.

I'm not sure about the overpriced thing. Making a quality product in the USA, paying for our materials and shipping rates I feel like their stuff is kind of a bargain. i am sure that some countries could make the same thing using our crushed cars and ship it half way around the world for half the price but someone is paying. I was brought up with that "there ain't no free lunch" knowledge (or mentality)

 

[hman]

Someone recommended I use V-shaped recesses, but I insisted on difficult round ones because they're pretty.

Pretty is always a worthwhile "feature" to add. You'll like it every time you use the cart.

PS regarding unhooking and storing cables - I appreciate the comments about things sticking out and vulnerable to getting run into. I store as many cables as possible on the hangers. But the MIG cable, with the internal wire feed, is too much of a bother to keep disconnecting and re-connecting. Somewhat the same with the MIG ground (connected inside the welder case). So I keep both coiled in the cubbyhole below the tabletop.