Anything welding

Or just cut the holes off one short edge to bring the pivot under both tubes.

 

I've used these under a steel base, they work great, only have to drill one hole and easy to replace.

 

Hmm, I'll gather all the ideas tomorrow and see what I end up doing.

I used the same style but in a leveling foot on my workbench, capped off the bottom corner and welded a nut to the underside so any force was transferred up and out the frame rails, also so the nut wouldn't break off inside the frame.

 

Just burn in the sides on the tube. All my casters have been like that for years with no issues.

 

Think that's what I'm gonna do, 3x 1.25" welds. The mounting plate is 1/8" so it shouldn't bend or sag.. If it does I'll tack in some gussets to the free hanging corner.

Need to make a Lowes run for some paint.

 

Good to see progress on the tablesaw setup. I will get you the CNC Plasma table plans. I still owe you those.

Curiosity got the best of me and I picked up some that Ultracore dual shielded FCAW-S wire. It really lays down like melting butter. I'm a little leery of the vapors since the smell is SO much different from steel core wire. It burns hot as well with the slag, but practically goes through just about anything. The slag chips off with one slight tap and leaves a chrome bead. However, I don't really prefer the bead in terms of cosmetic appearance. It provides better penetration than anything else I have ever used but pretty much just look like a flat turd of caulk laid down. I think I am gonna reserve it for frame welding and gap filling (CMCs, shock mount relocates, gusseting, tab gussets). However, I really have grown fond of pushing the puddle and the bead just looks so much better with solid core wire.

 

I would like to give a shout out to Walgreens and the homeless person who provided this buggy for me to turn into a ghetto ass welding cart.

 

I have a quick question about some aluminum welding I will be doing at remote field sites with no power:

What's the best way to weld 1/8" to 1/4" aluminum without plug-in-power? I really want to use GTAW (TIG) process but all the engine-powered-welders (diesel, gas, and Propane) seem to only do DC TIG. I have called Sunbelt Rentals, Red-D-Arc, and a few local spots (I'm in Central California, and will be headed into the Oregon woods near Eugene for the field work), but nobody seems to have a unit I can rent that will get the job done. Best option I have found is a big ass Miller Big Blue 400 Pro Diesel that will allow me to do GMAW (MIG), but I feel that towing a damn trailer with a giant welder to do light repairs (total of an hour of torch time) is insane. Plus, I would have to bring multiple gas cylinders with me (i'm not sure how much will be broken till I'm up there, but there are stainless, mild steel, and aluminum parts... mostly aluminum though).

I can't really bring the units (need to repair 8 of them, with a range of light damage on most) back to our AirBnB, but I could possibly bring broken pieces back and weld with their dryer outlet if I rent a little TIG unit, hahaha. Not the most professional option but i'm seriously considering.

Any advice on a mobile engine-powered-TIG unit?? Or any body run a normal generator (a newer style one with a clean sine-wave) and plug a MIG or TIG machine into it like they would at home? If so, what output would I need... initial guessed calculations are like 7,000 to 10,000 watt rated generator for an inverter style MIG or TIG machine.

 

Harbor Freight has those MAPP gas aluminum welding sticks what's the biggest generator you can rent? And TIG seperate?

 

I’d use a portable generator and an inverter based welder. Ideally with 250ish amps


My work went thru this same issue last year when they upgraded all our welding trucks. We use the trucks to weld aluminum ranging in 1/4-3/4”. We previously had ac/dc Miller generator welders with 400ish amps. It worked really well. When they went to order new trucks they found that they don’t offer an ac/dc model just like you did. We ended up with Miller dc welder/compressor/generator and a dynasty 280.

It took a little getting used to power wise, but with all the functions and everything it’s been working out really well so far. Only thing I’m unsure of is how well the dynasty will hold up strapped down in a bin, I really would of liked to see it come in a foam lined case. We built a cart for our water cooler and the welder, it can be mounted to the back of the truck if you’re working right off the truck. Or it can be pulled off and we’ve got 80 ft of extension cord and a 100’ air hose so we can take in a man lift or into a shop. We’ve also got 50’ of torch leads. That gives us 125+ feet of range without having to pull a bottle off the truck.

 

Biggest one so far is 5,000 watt (7k peak) and not sure of how clean of a sine wave... another shop had big ones, like the size of a shipping container something, way too big for my needs. I'e never fused or welded with MAPP gas... only oxy ace on thin mild steel.

 

Any recommended generator? I have a 5000 (7000 peak) Honda EM 7000is inverter generator but have only used it on water pumps... would that work with my shop MIG (250A rated machine) or a rental TIG setup?

 

I'd say maybe, but doubt your pulling all 250amps since household circuits 120v are rated 15-20amps and 240v are rated at 30-50amps

 

Thanks! My shop setup is a 240v welder with the 30/50amp plug (230v 3 prong thing?) if that helps. I know that at 1/4" aluminum, I have my Lincoln Power Mig 215 at the highest setting for power, and my spool gun set about as fast as possible (with no preheat) so I could probably squeak if most the repair is 3/16 or so...

 

Welders don't run at 240V volts either at the gun. It's probably like 250A at like 25V.

 

@kylehorvath Think HeliArc; Al can be welded with DC and shielding gas mix of Ar Helium, 25% He (that's a guess). You will probably have to do research on the mix proportions. Doubt that any gas suppliers have any one around that would be knowledgeable. Good Luck!

 

Yea, my estimate for most aluminum is 20v to 25v at the gun... never sure what the machine was actually drawing/delivering since it has A, B, C D, E, F power option settings and no real numbers. (I need to take physics and electrical classes!)

Maybe I will try to get our generator brought down for testing with my welder before renting anything.... I'm on a time.crunch too cuz I need to be burning metal by Monday morning... 800 miles from home!

 

You can use the formula p=iv. Power(watts) = amps x volts. Since ohms law is volts = amps x resistance, you can substitute ohms law into the power equation...

p = i^2 x r = v^2 / r = I x v

 

Math is hard, internet is easy

 

Just pointing out the rating that matters for his situation, the rating "at the plug".