Welding Tips and Tricks

Morning,

So I am in the market for a single tank runner cart for a Miller Dynasty 350 with a water cooler, cables, ect., that can be lifted either with or without the tank (preferably with) by a overhead crane in our shop.

Without going into details we have been forbidden to lift our 350's & 252's using the factory lifting eye (w/o tank) while its attached to the cart. We don't always have the sharpest tools at the controls if you know what I mean.

We have several pieces of equipment that need servicing often, they are on raised platforms and in enclosed areas that do not have ramps. Hose and lead extensions are not an option.

Anyone know of a manufacturer/supplier with an engineered solution?

TIA

Wouldn't think there would be one, lifting devices are risky with anything let alone something with a possible pressurize missile. If you're in the Houston, TX area I would be more than happy to come build one your safety department would love. Been in Maintenance most of my life and appeased many hardnosed safety people. As for engineered, I have some engineer friends that may be able to run designs threw a stress analysis add-on program on their CAD program. Since I have proved them (Auto CAD) wrong before, so I don't trust it much, but safety guys love it. I have a Dynasty 400 with the integrated cooler in my home shop, same dimensions.

You can always call Miller and ask they if they have such a thing. Seem like an item that would have decent demand so I would think they have one.

If not, I could see me getting some 4x1-1/2 steel channel for drive-in runners. Then build an enclosure that was welded right to those tracks so you drive the entire cart right into it and bolt on a "door" piece so the entire cart is captive in there. Obviously bring channel or angle up and around the entire thing with some design ideas for 2 lifting point (if not 4) so the thing is balanced and stays level. And obviously don't cover the control panel or work lead outlets with 4" channel. Doesn't seem like a huge project really. Make sure the sides are up about 24" off the floor so it looks real safe and has no way to get out of it. Should make even the most anal of safety nazis happy. The uprights would need to be raised higher than the top of the tank in order to make sure all the weight is below the lifting point. Might even want to put a separate holder for the tank.

If they're really worried about the tank, leave the tank on the ground and run a hose up from the regulator. Yes it's one more thing to drag along, but you need power as well so just run it along with that.

I've never seen one available and I know my factory cart has no lifting points other than the eye on the top of the welder, if you've never popped the top cover off you might be surprised at how dainty that lift eye is, I know I wasn't too impressed by it and wouldn't trust the machine hanging off it


I'm going to put a guess in that no one has a engineered certified cart due to the problem of variable load dispersement and uneveness of the load.

If they made it safe for 1 size of bottle and say 25' hose and 15' ground of a certain guage with a certain fill level on the cooler+bottle, with specific placement of cables etc if left wound up with the machine, Then as soon as any of those variables change the whole dynamic would change. I believe no one wants to take the chance really.

Best bet would be to get a liftable runner frame for the machine and a liftable dolly for the tank.