rmchrgr
Well-Known Member
Been wanting a welder for a long time and recently pulled the trigger on a Hobart Handler 190 MIG welder. Seems like a really good machine for the money. Has 230V power so it can handle thicker material. Also comes with a spool gun for aluminum though I have not used it yet. Have to say it makes me look like I know what I am doing - good penetration, not burning through stuff, very little splatter. I have a lifetime of projects lined up already and have been using the thing a bunch already.
So my first project was to make a cart for the machine. If I had to grade myself, I'd give me a B- or maybe a C+. I screwed up the frame measurements in a few spots and the entire thing is crooked. You can't really tell from the pics but trust me, it's about 1/4" off. I went ahead with it anyway because I didn't want to cut it apart and start again. This was how it looked just after I started.
Frankly, it took way longer than I thought it would. All the measuring, cutting, fitting, do-overs and stepping back to look at it added up to what seemed like two weeks. Towards the end it was becoming tedious and I needed to be done with it. I had planned for a shelf for the spool gun case and a couple more storage features but decided to call it done as you see it now and paint it. Glad I didn't add anything more, it's really heavy with everything loaded on it. The cheapo HF casters are probably at their load limit. That's neoprene tool box drawer liner on the flat surfaces.
Spent a bunch of time and effort on the gas cylinder holder. Went through a few different ideas and wound up with what you see. The hoop is a piece of 3/8" steel tubing I had left over from making fuel lines on my Coronet. It was bent around the cylinder and covered with heat shrink tubing. There are two holes drilled through the ends to allow bolts to come up through the half-circle bracket thing which get tightened down with the plastic knobs. The little rounded cutout piece on the bottom helps keep the cylinder stable. Not perfect but it works and it's solid.
Loaded up and ready to work.
Learned a lot making this cart. I know it takes years to master welding but so far I feel pretty confident about my ability. Definitely need some better peripheral (measuring/cutting) tools and a dedicated area to do this type of project cause doing it while crouched or kneeling on the floor sucks. Not to sound corny but this is a big change for me, I can make stuff now, opens up a whole new world.
- Greg
So my first project was to make a cart for the machine. If I had to grade myself, I'd give me a B- or maybe a C+. I screwed up the frame measurements in a few spots and the entire thing is crooked. You can't really tell from the pics but trust me, it's about 1/4" off. I went ahead with it anyway because I didn't want to cut it apart and start again. This was how it looked just after I started.
Frankly, it took way longer than I thought it would. All the measuring, cutting, fitting, do-overs and stepping back to look at it added up to what seemed like two weeks. Towards the end it was becoming tedious and I needed to be done with it. I had planned for a shelf for the spool gun case and a couple more storage features but decided to call it done as you see it now and paint it. Glad I didn't add anything more, it's really heavy with everything loaded on it. The cheapo HF casters are probably at their load limit. That's neoprene tool box drawer liner on the flat surfaces.
Spent a bunch of time and effort on the gas cylinder holder. Went through a few different ideas and wound up with what you see. The hoop is a piece of 3/8" steel tubing I had left over from making fuel lines on my Coronet. It was bent around the cylinder and covered with heat shrink tubing. There are two holes drilled through the ends to allow bolts to come up through the half-circle bracket thing which get tightened down with the plastic knobs. The little rounded cutout piece on the bottom helps keep the cylinder stable. Not perfect but it works and it's solid.
Loaded up and ready to work.
Learned a lot making this cart. I know it takes years to master welding but so far I feel pretty confident about my ability. Definitely need some better peripheral (measuring/cutting) tools and a dedicated area to do this type of project cause doing it while crouched or kneeling on the floor sucks. Not to sound corny but this is a big change for me, I can make stuff now, opens up a whole new world.
- Greg