My project today was making a little trailer to tow behind my lawn
tractor or golf cart. So far I am $10.60 in it for the wheels on sale
at Northern (4.99)
The metal is mostly from scavenged bed frames and stuff I had laying
around. I still need to score a hitch and some plywood for the deck.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/lil%20trailer.jpg

wrote:
My project today was making a little trailer to tow behind my lawn
tractor or golf cart. So far I am $10.60 in it for the wheels on sale
at Northern (4.99)
The metal is mostly from scavenged bed frames and stuff I had laying
around. I still need to score a hitch and some plywood for the deck.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/lil%20trailer.jpg


What welder(s) do you have/use?

On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 00:34:47 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

wrote:
My project today was making a little trailer to tow behind my lawn
tractor or golf cart. So far I am $10.60 in it for the wheels on sale
at Northern (4.99)
The metal is mostly from scavenged bed frames and stuff I had laying
around. I still need to score a hitch and some plywood for the deck.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/lil%20trailer.jpg


What welder(s) do you have/use?

I did that with my 45 year old buzz box. I have a MIG but I have a
problem with the wire feed and I did not feel like screwing with it
today. After looking at some of those welds, I really need to fix the
MIG ;-)
It is my normal pattern with that thing. I start out screwing them up
bad and by the time I get in the groove and making good beads, I am
done. I should have welded the bottom first. I was really designing as
I was going. I didn't even know how big it was going to be until I
started cutting up the frames and figuring out what was useful.
The caster mounts look like they will make great pins to go into
sockets in the frame for removable side boards. They are a perfect fit
in swaged steel 1/2" EMT connectors. I doubt I am going to try to weld
them on with a buzz box tho unless I get different rods.

Looks good. For myself I'd add an extra support through the frame (front to back) and would have moved the axle a leedle further aft for a tad bit more tongue weight. But otherwise. It's looking good!

wrote:
On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 00:34:47 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

wrote:
My project today was making a little trailer to tow behind my lawn
tractor or golf cart. So far I am $10.60 in it for the wheels on sale
at Northern (4.99)
The metal is mostly from scavenged bed frames and stuff I had laying
around. I still need to score a hitch and some plywood for the deck.

http://gfretwell.com/ftp/lil%20trailer.jpg


What welder(s) do you have/use?

I did that with my 45 year old buzz box. I have a MIG but I have a
problem with the wire feed and I did not feel like screwing with it
today. After looking at some of those welds, I really need to fix the
MIG ;-)
It is my normal pattern with that thing. I start out screwing them up
bad and by the time I get in the groove and making good beads, I am
done. I should have welded the bottom first. I was really designing as
I was going. I didn't even know how big it was going to be until I
started cutting up the frames and figuring out what was useful.
The caster mounts look like they will make great pins to go into
sockets in the frame for removable side boards. They are a perfect fit
in swaged steel 1/2" EMT connectors. I doubt I am going to try to weld
them on with a buzz box tho unless I get different rods.


Those old boxes still work. I have an Airco welder I bought in 1966.
Still works great. My stainless welding is always with the stick welder.
The Airco is nice as it is a transformer box, and infinitely variable on
the current as opposed to the Welders with taps. My MIG is a Lincoln 180C
which works well also. Also has a spool gun and can do aluminum with it.

On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 19:30:28 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

Looks good. For myself I'd add an extra support through the frame (front to back) and would have moved the axle a leedle further aft for a tad bit more tongue weight. But otherwise. It's looking good!

This is just something I am pulling around with the lawn mower so I am
not really too worried about tongue weight. I doubt it will start
swaying at 5 MPH. I may still end up moving the axle back a little
since I want to raise it up a bit for better ground clearance. I have
some 4x4 Azek I am thinking about putting in as a spacer.
Once I drop a piece of 3/4" plywood in there it will be plenty stiff
enough for anything I am likely to be hauling around.
I really do not want to make this thing too heavy because I plan to
hang it on the garage wall when I am not using it. I need to be able
to pick it up. Right now I doubt it is more than 30-40 pounds.

On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 03:01:52 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

wrote:


I did that with my 45 year old buzz box. I have a MIG but I have a
problem with the wire feed and I did not feel like screwing with it
today. After looking at some of those welds, I really need to fix the
MIG ;-)
It is my normal pattern with that thing. I start out screwing them up
bad and by the time I get in the groove and making good beads, I am
done. I should have welded the bottom first. I was really designing as
I was going. I didn't even know how big it was going to be until I
started cutting up the frames and figuring out what was useful.
The caster mounts look like they will make great pins to go into
sockets in the frame for removable side boards. They are a perfect fit
in swaged steel 1/2" EMT connectors. I doubt I am going to try to weld
them on with a buzz box tho unless I get different rods.


Those old boxes still work. I have an Airco welder I bought in 1966.
Still works great. My stainless welding is always with the stick welder.
The Airco is nice as it is a transformer box, and infinitely variable on
the current as opposed to the Welders with taps. My MIG is a Lincoln 180C
which works well also. Also has a spool gun and can do aluminum with it.

I have a baby Lincoln (100) that someone pretty much gave me. The wire
is jammed in the gun and I never really tried to fix it. I keep saying
I am just going to buy the gun and lead that uses gas but that costs
as much as the welder is worth. I guess I should just try to figure
out why the wire is jammed in there.
I may just braze the EMT connectors on. They are so thin, I doubt I
can do it with the stick machine and definitely not with the big assed
rods I have right now. When I was working I used to be right near the
welding store a lot and it was easy to pick up stuff like that but I
seldom go up town these days. My supplies are running pretty low. ;-)

On Monday, March 27, 2017 at 10:55:55 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 19:30:28 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

Looks good. For myself I'd add an extra support through the frame (front to back) and would have moved the axle a leedle further aft for a tad bit more tongue weight. But otherwise. It's looking good!

This is just something I am pulling around with the lawn mower so I am
not really too worried about tongue weight. I doubt it will start
swaying at 5 MPH. I may still end up moving the axle back a little
since I want to raise it up a bit for better ground clearance. I have
some 4x4 Azek I am thinking about putting in as a spacer.
Once I drop a piece of 3/4" plywood in there it will be plenty stiff
enough for anything I am likely to be hauling around.
I really do not want to make this thing too heavy because I plan to
hang it on the garage wall when I am not using it. I need to be able
to peing made out of bed rails I kneswick it up. Right now I doubt it is more than 30-40 pounds.

Being made out of bed rails i knew it wasn't meant to be heavy hauler, but you might load it up much more than you intend.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with an old stick welder. My AC lincoln "buzz box" has served me well. DC is better but this does the job for me just fine.

wrote:
On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 03:01:52 -0000 (UTC), Bill
wrote:

wrote:


I did that with my 45 year old buzz box. I have a MIG but I have a
problem with the wire feed and I did not feel like screwing with it
today. After looking at some of those welds, I really need to fix the
MIG ;-)
It is my normal pattern with that thing. I start out screwing them up
bad and by the time I get in the groove and making good beads, I am
done. I should have welded the bottom first. I was really designing as
I was going. I didn't even know how big it was going to be until I
started cutting up the frames and figuring out what was useful.
The caster mounts look like they will make great pins to go into
sockets in the frame for removable side boards. They are a perfect fit
in swaged steel 1/2" EMT connectors. I doubt I am going to try to weld
them on with a buzz box tho unless I get different rods.


Those old boxes still work. I have an Airco welder I bought in 1966.
Still works great. My stainless welding is always with the stick welder.
The Airco is nice as it is a transformer box, and infinitely variable on
the current as opposed to the Welders with taps. My MIG is a Lincoln 180C
which works well also. Also has a spool gun and can do aluminum with it.

I have a baby Lincoln (100) that someone pretty much gave me. The wire
is jammed in the gun and I never really tried to fix it. I keep saying
I am just going to buy the gun and lead that uses gas but that costs
as much as the welder is worth. I guess I should just try to figure
out why the wire is jammed in there.
I may just braze the EMT connectors on. They are so thin, I doubt I
can do it with the stick machine and definitely not with the big assed
rods I have right now. When I was working I used to be right near the
welding store a lot and it was easy to pick up stuff like that but I
seldom go up town these days. My supplies are running pretty low. ;-)


Replace the copper nipple where the wire comes through. Is the normal jam
point at least on my welder. Gets slag or melted. They are cheap. Buck
or so.

On Tue, 28 Mar 2017 05:34:49 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

On Monday, March 27, 2017 at 10:55:55 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Mon, 27 Mar 2017 19:30:28 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

Looks good. For myself I'd add an extra support through the frame (front to back) and would have moved the axle a leedle further aft for a tad bit more tongue weight. But otherwise. It's looking good!

This is just something I am pulling around with the lawn mower so I am
not really too worried about tongue weight. I doubt it will start
swaying at 5 MPH. I may still end up moving the axle back a little
since I want to raise it up a bit for better ground clearance. I have
some 4x4 Azek I am thinking about putting in as a spacer.
Once I drop a piece of 3/4" plywood in there it will be plenty stiff
enough for anything I am likely to be hauling around.
I really do not want to make this thing too heavy because I plan to
hang it on the garage wall when I am not using it. I need to be able
to peing made out of bed rails I kneswick it up. Right now I doubt it is more than 30-40 pounds.

Being made out of bed rails i knew it wasn't meant to be heavy hauler, but you might load it up much more than you intend.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with an old stick welder. My AC lincoln "buzz box" has served me well. DC is better but this does the job for me just fine.

The tires are rated at 600# (300x2) but I doubt I will ever load it
that much unless I am moving concrete.
I can do good work with my buzz box but I need to warm up a little
since I don't weld that often. Even my union welder buddy struggled
with it the first time he borrowed it to make some fireplace doors for
another friend. He is a MIG and TIG guy. He said the only stick
welding he did was with a DC machine and that was rare. This machine
has been around tho. The first thing I did when I bought it was cut
the 6-50 plug off and put on a 3 prong dryer plug so it will work just
about anywhere. I also have 25' and a 50' 240/30a extension cords. The
25' is an RV cord. The 50' is 6ga SO cord (that black rubber stuff you
see at a carnival) scavenged from a computer room when the NEC
outlawed SO under the raised floor. I keep that one on a hose reel