Welding Tips and Tricks

Several years ago I invested in 100' of 1/0 cable for my stinger & ground leads. I split them in half to run 50' to each and this has served me well. However, cables of this size are pretty heavy duty and well - just plain heavy. I love 'em, don't get me wrong but their weight makes them difficult to hang up on just anything when I'm not using them.

I'm hoping for some feedback on how the rest of you store your cables when not in use. That said, I've used camel backs [for garden hoses] but they can't really take the weight and before long are either cracked or falling off the wall. My latest solution was to use bicycle hooks [like the kind used to hang a bike from a ceiling joist] but those thing really stick out a ways and my shop isn't very large. Coiling them up in a pile on the floor really isn't an option either for several reasons, mainly safety.

How about it folks, got any suggestions? Any of you want to post snaps of how you've got your leads stored?

sections cut off 30 gal grease barrels hung high on wall
cut so a rib is left on it

Build one like the garden hose type from steel or aluminum?

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Wheel rims lagged to the wall....

Get a golf cart wheel

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AKweldshop wrote:Wheel rims lagged to the wall....

Second that. Works great. Holds hundreds of feet.

Steve S

Yup, wheel rims. I'll third that.

Those empty spools from 33 pound roll of might wire works good too. Have about 100 ft of cable wound up on one?

Thanks for the replies one and all. I like the idea of using a small'ish wheel rim; either a golf cart or similar; I can tweak something like that to my needs, mebbe weld it to a decent piece of 11ga plate and lag bolt it between studs.

Nice job folks, keep up the good work!

Two lawn mower rims.
Piece of 3/16" by 3" flat bar----about 2' long.
welded on, two 3/8" holes drilled, and lagged into studs.

I need to make some more of them.

~John

I'd recommend having the plate stick out on the sides of the rim, and screwing to the wall there, instead of in between.

Guess I'll be the idiot who asks. What is "1/0 cable"?

1/0 refers to the gauge, or size of the cable. This chart gives you an idea of the various sizes available...

http://www.directwireusa.com/resources/ ... -chart.pdf

Here's another design for lead holders with wheel rims....

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?45 ... ds-holders

Well, this is what I ended up doing; after scrounging around the shop a bit, I came up with a couple of lawn tractor wheels. My drops bin yielded a bit of 3/4" tubing and an old wheel hub.. the rest should be self evident by the photos. It can be placed here and there or used as a dead-man in a pinch.

To leave things on a high note (eeeeeeeeee) I've included a shot of my 'tennessee tig switch' - while awaiting replacement parts, I rigged up this I/O (on/off only) switch from salvaged junk. Even though my parts finally arrived, I think this works well enough that I'll keep it till it craps out.

Thanks again everyone, I appreciate your time & ideas.

P.S. Now that I've plopped down on the Forum's sofa, I am looking forward to showing y'all some of my inventions..

Here's another one for you.

33lb spools of mig wire.
Weld washers to the rim, and screw it to the wall.

Brilliant.

And it just so happens I have an empty spool, and I have some washers, and I know how to weld, and take pictures....and post them random places on the interweb....

So....Stay tuned....