[Thatkid2diesel]

Nice setup there!

I need to get out to the garage, I'm gonna build a cart for mine.

I really thought about building one, but with the limited time I have and for what it cost, my wife got it for me from my boys for an early Father's day present. My main thing I need to do right now is build something to put all my metal on. Not sure it I want casters on it or not. That's what my next project will be I believe.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[DavidR8]

Nice @thatkid2diesel!
I’m waiting for my 225 to arrive.
I’ll likely build a cart as I also need to fit my Millermatic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DavidR8]

Nice @thatkid2diesel!
I’m waiting for my 225 to arrive.
I’ll likely build a cart as I also need to fit my Millermatic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thatkid2diesel]

Nice @thatkid2diesel!
I’m waiting for my 225 to arrive.
I’ll likely build a cart as I also need to fit my Millermatic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks David. Hard to beat a good welding cart setup. My main goal was to get my Tig welder, stick welder and cheapie plasma cutter all together and all the consumables handy as well. This should work well. Now just have to get time to try out the Tig welder. Hopefully your cart project goes well. Same to you traditional toolworks.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[TraditionalToolworks]

I really thought about building one, but with the limited time I have and for what it cost, my wife got it for me from my boys for an early Father's day present.

That's a good Father's day gift, I never get tools because I have so many of them and my wife and kids don't know what I want. Sometimes they give me a gift card, but I don't like gift cards I'd rather they bought something thoughtful.

Mostly the reason I haven't bought one is most of them are pretty pricey. I have some material that was going to be for another cart, so I can re-purpose most of it, but had to make a couple sacrifices. I'm going to make 2 frames, one on the bottom that is 12" x 28", and it will hold the tank on the rear. I have a couple 8" wheels from Harbor freight, and a couple casters for the front. The 2nd frame which I will put up about 12"-14" but want to keep the vents below the table height as the Primeweld blows air out the sides. I only want my Primeweld on it. I only want to visually see the controls on the welder. The bottom will be for a drawer to store stuff. But initially I won't add that. I have a 7" 125 cu.ft. tank that will go on the rear with the wheels centered on each side of the tank. I have a piece to weld in across the frame, so that the tank sits on the rear and cross member, then I can adjust the upper frame that holds the welder so the tank fits snugly against the upper frame. I can add another frame section for the top of the tank to rest against. I have other material that is 1-1/4" x 1-1/4". That stuff is not as clean, but I can clean it.

My main thing I need to do right now is build something to put all my metal on. Not sure it I want casters on it or not. That's what my next project will be I believe.

My $0.02, I would add caster if you can. That way you can move it around, could be convenient. Either way would work.

Search on ebay for 5" poly casters, you should be able to get some for about $75 w/shipping, 1000 lb. load would give you 4,000 lb. capacity.

[Thatkid2diesel]

If you get around to making the cart, post some pics. I am thinking I do want to put casters on it when I decide to build something. The main issue I am facing is the limited space in the garage. It is my mom and dad's garage. I put a house on the family farm, and we have used dad's garage because it is the most space we have. Dad does have a 30x50 concrete slab outside of his house that was a basketball court when I was a kid that we hope to put the shop on one day soon. If I build the metal rack the size I would like i'm afraid it will take up to much room in our current garage. Idk, just things I am thinking through.

[TraditionalToolworks]

If you get around to making the cart, post some pics. I am thinking I do want to put casters on it when I decide to build something. The main issue I am facing is the limited space in the garage. It is my mom and dad's garage. I put a house on the family farm, and we have used dad's garage because it is the most space we have. Dad does have a 30x50 concrete slab outside of his house that was a basketball court when I was a kid that we hope to put the shop on one day soon. If I build the metal rack the size I would like i'm afraid it will take up to much room in our current garage. Idk, just things I am thinking through.

Yeah, I will post some pics, but just getting started on it. I have a couple projects I need to take care of also, like fixing my garage door so I can open it...I do stick welding in front of the door in the driveway, so that's been putting a crimp on that.

The cart will be pretty small, will only hold the Primeweld and a 125 cu.ft. bottle with the Primeweld raised up so that the controls can be seen over the table, but low enough to keep the vents under the table. Hope that makes sense.

[Thatkid2diesel]

Yes that sounds like a good plan. I'd be interested to see how it turns out. Do you pay rental on your 125 tank? Biggest I could purchase from my LWS out right was an 80. I'd be interested in a bigger c25 tank and 100% argon tank. I also purchased my oxy acetylene tanks from my local LWS as well. Not sure size on those. I believe one is an 80 the other seems a little smaller.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[TraditionalToolworks]

Do you pay rental on your 125 tank?

No, I own it. I bought a tank off craigslist for $100 or $125, and took it to my LWS. They charged me about $25 to certify, and exchanged it for a freshly filled, painted, inspected tank. They then would do the same thing to the tank I took them. My tank didn't have a cap either, but when they give a tank it's all inspected, painted with a cap and has 10 years from the date you pick it up I believe. I just take the tank to them and exchange for another one.

Price wise, the 125 cu.ft. was the best compromise for price/size. I could get gas just a tad cheaper buying the 330 cu.ft. size, but not too much. Smaller tanks in 20/40/80 cost more for the gas per cu.ft.

Biggest I could purchase from my LWS out right was an 80.

I've heard that some places here will only fill owner tanks up to 125 cu.ft., but that's not true of my LWS, I could upgrade to a 330 cu.ft. and they would let me own it the same. And anytime you want you can pay to upgrade to a bigger size. I could take my 125 cu.ft. tank in for an exchange and pay an upgrade and get a 330 cu.ft. tank.

I also purchased my oxy acetylene tanks from my local LWS as well. Not sure size on those. I believe one is an 80 the other seems a little smaller.

I have a small set of oxy/acet and I think my acet is 20 cu.ft. or 40 cu.ft., but the oxygen is 60 cu.ft. or 80 cu.ft. I didn't buy them from my LWS either, but they exchange them for me.

[Poland308]

125 is a good size for lots of things. On my work truck I Cary a 125 because it will give me a day or two worth of arc time in an emergency. But I won’t hesitate to get a 300 when I have a big job. The rental charge evens out if you finish the job and return the tank before the month is up. If you have a tank /relationship with a company then they will often rent you a bigger tank ( without changing your regular tank) for reduced rates, as long as your return The rental under a month. The cost of renting and returning a less than empty big tank is usually cheaper than using your small tank.

[Thatkid2diesel]

I need to check. My LWS is Arc3 formally Arcet. I would be interested in upgrading both my 80cf tanks to 125cf tanks if I didn't have to pay rental. Although, the rental I believe wasn't that bad yearly. I need to check with them and see if I get some money back if I turn in my 80cf tanks or if I need to try to sell them on craigslist or something. I have read that some places won't fill tanks even if you own them and they are new tanks. I looked at some prices on weldfabulous and they weren't unreasonable for a new tank. The other side of it is I get several months out of a 80cf C25 tank. We did rent a 125cf CO2 tank years ago when we played a lot of paintball, and the price for rental wasn't bad, but rental will add up over the years.

[TraditionalToolworks]

You can do the math fairly easy.

If you use a #5 cup and have your argon set for 12 cfh you have about 10 hours for a 125 cu.ft. tank or 6.5 hours for an 80 cu.ft. tank. (I believe! ) With a 40 cu.ft. tank you will get less than 3.5 hours of welding, and 20 cu.ft. about 1.5 hours.

[Thatkid2diesel]

You can do the math fairly easy.

If you use a #5 cup and have your argon set for 12 cfh you have about 10 hours for a 125 cu.ft. tank or 6.5 hours for an 80 cu.ft. tank. (I believe! ) With a 40 cu.ft. tank you will get less than 3.5 hours of welding, and 20 cu.ft. about 1.5 hours.

Sure I get that. I just think it would be handy to have a bigger tank that would make me feel better about being able to play around and not just use it for serious welding. Just a thought I'm bouncing around.

[DavidR8]

My parents grew up during the depression so scrimping and saving is part of my regular routine. I'm definitely conscious of wasting gas, wasting materials etc. It's both a blessing and a curse.

[Thatkid2diesel]

My parents grew up during the depression so scrimping and saving is part of my regular routine. I'm definitely conscious of wasting gas, wasting materials etc. It's both a blessing and a curse.

I get that too. I'm very similar in that fashion as well. However, I can rationalize using excess gas not only to learn my machine, but to also be well enough trained Tig wise when I am ready for a project that needs the Tig welder.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[TraditionalToolworks]

Sure I get that. I just think it would be handy to have a bigger tank that would make me feel better about being able to play around and not just use it for serious welding. Just a thought I'm bouncing around.

Yeah, I think any of us would like the biggest tank available. One problem is the cost of getting that much gas. It costs me just over twice to get a 330 cu.ft. tank as a 125 cu.ft., so the savings is fairly small, although the convenience of having more than twice the amount of gas is attractive. That's why I was saying that for me the 125 cu.ft. seems to be about the best based on cost vs. size. A 20 cu.ft. tank is about $40-$45 to exchange. So it would cost me more than 50% for only 1.5 hours. That's a rip.

The other thing is the 330 cu.ft. tank is a LOT heavier to move around. Something to consider.

[DavidR8]

I can buy a new, filled 110 cu ft argon tank for $319 with fills at $70
A new filled 250 cu ft tank is $450 with fills at $120
I may be able to buy a used tank at my LWS but it's hit and miss. Forget Craigslist etc. in my area.

The 110 cu ft tank fills are $0.63 cu ft
The 250 cu ft tank costs me $80 more initially and fills are $0.49 cu ft.

All things being equal, the $80 difference will be made up in two fills of the larger tank.

Then again one has to wrestle that beast around.

[Thatkid2diesel]

Yeah the sheer size of the 330cf would make it hard to maneuver around. Almost have to have it stationary. I am not sure the Vulcan welding cart I just purchased would hold a 330, but I know it would a 125. I may at least get some info from my LWS and see what they say about filling customer owned tanks, but the 80 has served me well. Doesn't hurt to at least get some more info.

[TraditionalToolworks]

Forget Craigslist etc. in my area.

Too bad, I got one for $100 or $125 for a 125 cu.ft. and had to pay about $25 to get it certified.

The difference for me is less than you also. You need to complain to Trudy!

All things being equal, the $80 difference will be made up in two fills of the larger tank.

Big hit on the up front fee though.

Do you own the tank for those prices? Not so bad considering it's filled I guess, providing you get a new tank.

I don't think you're saving as much as you think...you only save the difference in the amount of what the smaller size is, so in your case it's $0.14 at 110 cu.ft. which is about $15. At least from my view you pay $15 more to buy only 110 cu.ft. per cu.ft.

My head is hurting. Let's all weld and be happy. If the 250 cu.ft. tank makes sense you should get it.