# Mig Welder Cart Made From 90% Recycled Materials



## Ulma Doctor (May 29, 2013)

I was out at the scrap yard a few month ago and came across a bunch of odd pieces of steel plate,angle,and channel.
Like the pack rat i am, i loaded approximately 200 lbs of scrap steel for future projects, with no plan whatsoever as to what i was going to make with said scrap.
about a month ago i started toying with the idea of buying a HF mig welder cart. 
Then i saw one and was not impressed. My dad has one. 
Sure, it's economical and probably sturdy enough for most, but it's not much of a challenge to erect one from the contents of a cardboard box. Plus i really didn't like the feel of the assembled cart, i felt it was lacking in rigidity.
 But i'm against anything under built, maybe i was born a century too late...:nuts:

Unfortunately, i can't leave well enough alone. 
I decided to make my own cart from the pile of scrap i purchased, to my specifications)
i would like to make it from 100% recycled materials, but i thought it best to purchase new wheels and casters.
i'll also be incorporating some new expanded metal for shelving, i guess the paint will be new too....

Act 1 The Frame:


this frame is constructed from some 1" T bar 3/16" thick,that was rendered from a garage door opener that failed last year.
 i kept the rail knowing it would come in handy sometime. i miter cut vee'd out and full penetration welded with the flux core rig with Innershield 211 wire. 
It was a lot of work for a small frame, but, the base is the most important part....

Act 2 :The Outer Columns 
I was going to weld the cart together with flux core entirely, as fate would have it i ran out of wire on Memorial day, the Welding supply was of course, closed.

Ironically the mig welder cart's columns were welded on with ancient 1/8" 6013, recycled from a welder gifted pack, when i bought my lincoln tombstone 225. the guy threw all kinds of stuff in, hammers, old clear face shield, brushes, rod, etc...

the rod was well in tact, the flux wasn't chalky as i expected to see.
 so, i said what the heck...i heated the shop oven to 350* and let the rod bake for an hour before i went to makin' stubs out of them.
surprisingly the rod welded very nicely for being 15 years old+. i ran the rod at 100 amps AC. 
i have a soft spot for AC stick welding, it's really fun for me. i also very much enjoy tig welding on AC as well.
 don't get me wrong i love welding period, no matter what process or polarity !!!!






I'm going with a 6 column design, i have 4 of the 6 welded on .
i'll get er' squared up and plumb, then add the last pair of columns.


thanks for looking!!!!!!

Coming Soon Act 3 : The Inner Columns


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## Old Iron (May 29, 2013)

Looking good Mike should be a nice cart, I cut cleaned and welded steel all day yesterday my self.

Paul


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## Tamper84 (May 29, 2013)

Looking good!!!!!

Chris


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## Ray C (May 29, 2013)

Looking good...  Gotta love sticking metal together!


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