I started working in the steel industry when I was 19 – 20 years old. I never really had anyone to teach me the ways of life, so its been a slow but steady crawl. No complaints I suppose, some have it easier and some have it harder. I’m lucky to be where I’m at especially considering where I began. Anyway back to this slow crawl.
I mentioned I’ve been in the steel industry for awhile. Well, I’m finally at the point in my life where I’m starting my own business. Coming from nothing you typically start with nothing. I bought and modified an old truck, and built my own fabrication table. Paint racks, chemical tanks, wire feeder cart, and pipe bending cart. All things I needed to get going. Instead of explaining them all in too much detail, a few pictures.
The Welding Cart
It probably doesn’t look like much to you. To me, its the strongest cart money can buy. It is exactly the right height, width, and height. The tiny casters letting it roll around are rated at 300 lbs a piece. I am absolutely confident I could static load 1/2 ton of this tiny thing and it would be just fine. This thing keeps my wire feeder in line with my table top for easy adjustment and even easier wire feeding.
Rolling Cart
Now, i call this a rolling cart, and yes. It rolls. But that isn’t where the name comes from. It carries my pipe roller and makes it considerably easier to move this crazy contraption around my shop. Before the cart I was carrying all 90lbs of it out to the back of my truck. It sucked. Anyway this thing is BUILT tough. The base is extra wide to keep it from tipping over. When I roll material through the bender it sticks out 10 – 15 feet either side and goes side to side through the motorized center. That might be hard to understand without a video. Trust me, no part of this cart is accidental.
The truck
This thing is still a work in progress actually. When it is completely done I will probably galvanize the bed. Until then it rocks the rust look. There is enough hydraulic fluid and oil on it to keep it from getting too bad. Anyway this first picture is what I bought.
Now, I have a real problem of seeing potential instead of what is actually there. This thing had some issues but I’m a stubborn old man. The coolest part of the giant box on this is that it is/was a dump truck! Anyway the box didn’t work for me because I needed to haul materials. The flat bar and pipe I buy is 20′ to 21′ long. The following picture is the first version of the flat bed. I modified the box as it was.
Lots has happened since this last photo and I will update this eventually. Stay tuned if your into this sort of thing!
