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Welding cart build
- Thread starter DavidR8
- Start date
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- Jun 17, 2016
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- 348
Very nice work. I tried to learn sketchup, but I just found it time-consuming since CAD isn't my strongsuit. One day......
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I played with it yesterday and had good success following a tutorial.
I failed miserably at Fusion 360 but I think I can become functional at SketchUp.
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The one thing I absolutely hate about Sketchup is that I can't pan/rotate without going to the little icon menu to select such options. I'm used to using right/left click buttons to do so, the few times I have used CAD.
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I have been using cad system, mostly Autocad but some others. One of the key things I have found to keep my sanity is a mouse with programmable buttons, the more the better. These are often sold as Gaming Mouses. I keep one programed for PAN another for Zoom and sometimes other key functions or variations like Zoom Extents. Usually the mouse wheel works well for Zoom. I can also get good at zooming out wide, then pointing to where I want to move to and zoom back in. with a little practice, this can be done very quickly. Autocad has a great function called 3d-Orbit that is awesome for moving around in 3d space. Not sure if F360 or sketchup has this.
Another thing to consider and I believe this to be true of pretty much all types of software. The capability of a software application is inversely proportional to the ease of learning the application. In other words, Software that is easy to learn will likely present limits on function or speed at some point and Software that is very capable and efficient to use, will take much longer to learn. Not saying one is better than the other, just a relationship that I see over and over with software applications and frankly many other things in life.
Another thing to consider and I believe this to be true of pretty much all types of software. The capability of a software application is inversely proportional to the ease of learning the application. In other words, Software that is easy to learn will likely present limits on function or speed at some point and Software that is very capable and efficient to use, will take much longer to learn. Not saying one is better than the other, just a relationship that I see over and over with software applications and frankly many other things in life.
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- Oct 31, 2016
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I spend maybe about 90 minutes on the drawing I posted. Could have done it much quicker if I hadn't made everything .060 thick. The trays and the drawer I drew as if I was starting with a flat sheet of .060 steel and thinking how it would get bend to form the tray or drawer. The framework is 1x1x.060 wall. Also everything is divided into groups. The casters are a group. The bottom and top trays are separate groups. The frame is a group. The drawer is a group. Using lots of groups makes it really easy to fix errors. For example. I made the drawer slightly too wide. Took seconds to narrower because it was its own group. If I hadn't made it in its own group I would have had to make changes to the frame.
I don't like using a mouse. I am an excellent typist and any time my fingers leave the keyboard things really slow down. I use a laptop with both a touch pad and a small joystick to move the courser. I mostly use the touch pad. Here is a screen shot of how I have sketchup set up with the buttons I use the most. The only buttons I would like to add that I haven't been able to figure out how to add them are the "delete guides", "dimensions", "hide", and "unhide". I'll have to research how to make a custom toolbar someday.
I don't like using a mouse. I am an excellent typist and any time my fingers leave the keyboard things really slow down. I use a laptop with both a touch pad and a small joystick to move the courser. I mostly use the touch pad. Here is a screen shot of how I have sketchup set up with the buttons I use the most. The only buttons I would like to add that I haven't been able to figure out how to add them are the "delete guides", "dimensions", "hide", and "unhide". I'll have to research how to make a custom toolbar someday.
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- Jun 20, 2020
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I would consider having the MIG on top, simply because you have to change the spool occasionally. I've never opened my TIG...Here’s one sketch, tanks at the back. TIG on top, drawer under that, then MIG and a space underneath for the foot pedal and other flotsam.
(It should be completely obvious that I failed out of art school)
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hmm that's not the web-based version. Is that a downloadable executable?
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You can download sketchup for free. Here is a link to what I have. https://download.cnet.com/SketchUp-Make-2017/3000-6677_4-10257337.html
Although it is still referred to as Google Sketchup it is actually a program by Trimble. Trimble will push you to use the web browser. But you can only use that when you are online. Sketchup Make 2017 is a stand alone program that can be used offline.
Although it is still referred to as Google Sketchup it is actually a program by Trimble. Trimble will push you to use the web browser. But you can only use that when you are online. Sketchup Make 2017 is a stand alone program that can be used offline.
All of the welding carts I see have small wheels in the 3-5" diameter range, suitable for rolling on concrete or asphalt although a pebble or nut can easily jam a wheel. I would like to see some designs with larger diameter pneumatic wheels suitable for wheeling across rough surfaces and yards.