welding carts

[WinterDeere]

I still haven't found much about what makes a cheap(er) power cord able to act as a temporary tent pole tho... Steve

PVC jacket and/or insulation, generally. Any thermoplastic (type SE) is going to get stiff when cold. This is why we prefer type S (eg. SOOW), which is all rubber construction, no thermoplastics.

Type S runs about 3x the cost of type SE, all else being equal.

 

[BukitCase]

Type S runs about 3x the cost of type SE, all else being equal.

Yeah, I figured PVC was probably the main culprit - personally I seem to be getting crankier with age (77 so far, fingers crossed) so I MUCH prefer tools/equipment that makes me SMILE when I use it, so I'm willing to PAY for smiles rather than having to invent new swear words

I've still got a couple of "replacement" power cords that're neoprene jackets, as the crappy cords on tools die they get replaced with good ones. Don't recall where I got 'em, but it's one of my "crappy weather" projects to do... Steve

 

[ArlyA]

I'm looking at this extension cord for my welder.

50 foot, 220 Volt Heavy Duty 8/3 Welder Extension Cord for $119

50 foot 220 Volt Heavy Duty 8/3 Welder Extension Cord for MIG TIG Plasma | eBay

Leisure Cords 8 gauge 50 Foot 220 Volt 50 Amp Heavy Duty Lighted 8/3AWG Extension Cable Free Shipping Ships Same Or Next Business Day ---This extension cord comes with molded on plugs and will handle 50 amps. ---It will fit most welder power supply sources including: ------Miller Millermatic...

www.ebay.com

 

[BukitCase]

Probably not horrible, but don't let the black cover fool you, it's still PVC so it's doubtful it'll be very flexible in the north - Still, the more desirable choice would likely be at about 3X the cost -

https://anaheimwire.online/content/Type%20STW.pdf

Possible work-around - if you have a shop heater, leaving the cord (coiled) in front of the heater for maybe 1/2 hour before unwinding should make it LESS stiff. Like most things in life, there's no such thing as an EASY choice... Steve

 

[jjeff]

Whats the length of the power cord hardwired into the welder? Cause if it's long enough that's where most of your bending and flexings going to take place in my experience and not on the actual extension cord. It looks like a ok cord made with annealed (heat treated to make it less brittle and more flexible) copper assuming it's stranded. Plus Im assuming your just going to run a fairly straight shot from power supply to welder and won't be wrapping it around and thru a lot of things? Probably wouldn't intentionally drive stuff over it though.

 

[2manyrocks]

One disadvantage of ebay is lack of buyer reviews for the specific product unless you are buying a name brand with a specific product model number that has reviews on other sites. The other disadvantage is not being to able to return items just because of dissatisfaction with the item if it is not what you expected.

 

[BukitCase]

Description says annealed 30 ga. copper, so that part shoudn't contribute to stiffness - and I agree, if there won't be a lot of coiling/uncoiling the pvc sheath wouldn't matter as much.

Ebay - my limited experience has run about 70% ok, so that's usually my LAST choice... Steve

 

[GeneV]

I'm looking at this extension cord for my welder.

50 foot, 220 Volt Heavy Duty 8/3 Welder Extension Cord for $119

50 foot 220 Volt Heavy Duty 8/3 Welder Extension Cord for MIG TIG Plasma | eBay

Leisure Cords 8 gauge 50 Foot 220 Volt 50 Amp Heavy Duty Lighted 8/3AWG Extension Cable Free Shipping Ships Same Or Next Business Day ---This extension cord comes with molded on plugs and will handle 50 amps. ---It will fit most welder power supply sources including: ------Miller Millermatic...

www.ebay.com

Yup, I bought same one off Ebay in 2021, same vendor. It was $109.99 at the time. I've only used it a few times, but it works just fine. I store it in a loose loop.

 

[BukitCase]

Loose loops are always better, it's stress reversals that shorten the life of anything. Being a packrat with 10 acres to hide/hoard stuff, I have quite a few 25,50 and 100' extension cords, nearly all are 12 ga. - one of my "tuit" projects is a heavy powered slip roll (bought off CL, sorta working but needs TLC) - until that "tuit" comes around I started using these for hangers -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EOMCKJO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

That particular one is 12 ga. steel, so not as flimsy as some. I have just over 5' reach from hand to hand, so that's my normal loop size winding cords (makes about a 28" diameter loop.)

The fairly large radius of the garden hose hangers eliminates small radius loops from causing problems.

The dual tank running gear on my MM252 mig has ONE large radius hanger built in, but I got tired of having ground, torch and spool gun on the same hanger - my fix was one of those reels and a couple of scraps of square tube, mounted on the opposite side of the welder - the spool gun lives on the new hanger, so it's out of the way but always available.

Even the non-industrial long extensions like the relaxed storage; the stiffness is still a little noticeable, but not as much... Steve

 

[AnotherBueller]

PVC jacket and/or insulation, generally. Any thermoplastic (type SE) is going to get stiff when cold. This is why we prefer type S (eg. SOOW), which is all rubber construction, no thermoplastics.

Type S runs about 3x the cost of type SE, all else being equal.

Has other advantages.

 

[ArlyA]

I'll add a hook of sorts to hang it on the garage wall when not in use. Garage shop is only used in summer. Seem PVC coating should would fine in this application. I do use and love SOOW wire on my snow implements. Seen here is a box of it.

 

[2manyrocks]

Those wall mount things that are designed to hold garden hoses are inexpensive and allow for a more gentle bend.

 

[ArlyA]

Seemd I can get soow cable 50ft length for just $145. Just need to add ends

50 FT 8/3 SOOW SO SOO SOW BLACK RUBBER CORD EXTENSION WIRE/CABLE | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 50 FT 8/3 SOOW SO SOO SOW BLACK RUBBER CORD EXTENSION WIRE/CABLE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[GeneV]

I'll add a hook of sorts to hang it on the garage wall when not in use. Garage shop is only used in summer. Seem PVC coating should would fine in this application. I do use and love SOOW wire on my snow implements. Seen here is a box of it.
View attachment 798577

Hey Arly, I dint read this whole thread, so apologize if you already said it, but....what is that thing? I see dethatcher tines, but pretty sure that ain't a dethatcher.

 

[ArlyA]

Hey Arly, I dint read this whole thread, so apologize if you already said it, but....what is that thing? I see dethatcher tines, but pretty sure that ain't a dethatcher.

SOOW wire used on my snow implement.

 

[GeneV]

SOOW wire used on my snow implement.

Right, so is that for dethatching snow lol? What's the implement?

 

[1 of U]

guess you could cut it up !!! and make a welding cart out of that thing
then take some wires out if a mobile home from a trailer park and run
some 110/220 off of the cart with the mobile home wires ,, then you welding
cart could be complete

 

[Gordon Gould]

My welding cart is my old Lincoln Tombstone I keep as a spare

gg

 

[WinterDeere]

My welding cart is my old Lincoln Tombstone I keep as a spare

That's beauful, Gordon. Makes me regret not keeping mine. I hung onto dad's old full-copper 1960's Lincoln AC-225 buzz box (aka "tombstone") at least 15 years past my last use of it, and then finally sold it about ten years ago. Then of course I bought a separate cart to stick under my MIG.

Honestly, nothing has ever come up that I couldn't pound out with the MIG. But I'm sure that someday it will, and then I'll be missing that old Lincoln.

 

[ArlyA]

That's beauful, Gordon. Makes me regret not keeping mine. I hung onto dad's old full-copper 1960's Lincoln AC-225 buzz box (aka "tombstone") at least 15 years past my last use of it, and then finally sold it about ten years ago. Then of course I bought a separate cart to stick under my MIG.

Honestly, nothing has ever come up that I couldn't pound out with the MIG. But I'm sure that someday it will, and then I'll be missing that old Lincoln.

Thats why I got a wire welder. I welded stick in the field service and manufacturing for 20+ years. Now I avoid it like the plague.