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Castoring through Life: Added castors to large fan base

Bought a large (75cm Ironhorse brand) fan from Bunnings a few years back, very good, but very heavy and awkward to move about outside.

So I added castors to the base. Having a back injury - I'm loving it. Usually when I do something like this it's obvious cosmetically wise that it's an add-on, but with this little project - it sorta looks like they were always there (well - almost). 🙂

Castoring

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Comments

Noyade

Not too difficult.

Scrap 5mm X 20mm steel plate welded to the outsides of the base frame legs.

The plate was drilled and tapped to take the 8mm bolt castors from Bunnings (I forget the brand :-()

The inner part of the base frame has a plastic ballast that goes to the outter tips of the legs. This method avoided these.

Black spray paint.

Happy rolling!

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16895#Comment_16895

What a fantastic project, @Noyade. I'm sure that makes moving the unit easier on the back.

On a side note, what type of welder would you recommend to our members looking to complete small jobs like this?

Many thanks for sharing.

Mitchell

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/71024#Comment_71024

Hi Mitchell.

Self taught stick welder - by a very poor teacher. 🙂

There would be more knowledgeable members on this forum with welding experience who I'm sure would recommend the easier(?) MIG method but I've only known stick. A small inverter welder of 140 amps has more than enough power for DIY needs and drives up to 3.2 mm rods - with ease.

I would however highly recommend leads of around 3 to 4 metres in length. Any shorter - and the welding unit becomes too close to the operator.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98726#Comment_98726

Great advice, @Noyade. I know MiG excels when it's run with Argon gas, can lay some really nice welds with practice and lacks the striking issue a newbie can take a while to get familiar with. However, I've heard the surfaces to be welded need to be pretty rust-free, whereas a stick welder can punch through rust better. I wonder if it partially comes down to the type of welds you'll be doing. If you're happy will structural welds that require a bit of grinding to look pretty, then a stick welder might be a more cost-effective way of getting into welding initially.

Though if my experience is anything to go off, don't lend your MiG to a father-in-law that's used stick his whole life. You'll never see it again. He thinks it's amazing even without gas, so I can only imagine what it's like run with it. I'm not sure whether many every day D.I.Y. enthusiasts would go to the effort of keeping gas at home, though.

Perhaps @Brad might have some thoughts on the best approach for someone new to welding.

Mitchell

KatieC

A very clever idea @Noyade especially with summer on the horizon.

@MitchellMc I feel like there may be a MiG on your wish list this year!

Katie

Brad

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/16926#Comment_16926

I looked at this last night and thought I may not open this can of worms...

I have a 1980 model 15amp transformer stick welder, it is bulky.

Cheap

Inverter stick, lightweight almost as much power as my 15amp but in a DC output.

Inverter MIG, lightweight with a choice of gasless and gas. Lower learning curve than stick welding if the settings are right. Gas bottles are now more affordable given the changes in rental/ownership agreements.

Mid range

3 in 1 so you get the choice of Stick, TIG and MIG in the one DC unit. Not sutable for TIG welding aluminum though.

High end home use.

AC/DC TIG with high frequency, will allow welding of aluminum due to the cleaning function of AC current. Will need a 15amp supply. Stick welding is posible and I believe some will allow plasma cutting.

Gases for mild steel.

CO2 is cheap with good penetration but poor appearance and increased spatter, argon poor penetration but low spatter and good appearance and mixed gas which is mostly CO2 but priced closer to argon and is a compromise between the two with good penetration and appearance with low spatter. Aluminum will need pure argon.

I will admit to liking the old school arc welders, my favourite was a 415v with an open choke that had notches to set the amps, was great to use but it looked like a dinosaur. I hacve seen someones 20k all bells and whistles TIG and gone "meh".

On a low priority a $1780 AC/DC tig would be nice to have.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/71040#Comment_71040

I think you hit the nail on the head with "Lower learning curve than stick welding if the settings are right." @Brad. I don't know what I was expecting, but after purchasing a MIG, I was a little frustrated with not having some progression after a few hours of practising. I burnt more tips out than I laid beads. I'm usually pretty adept at picking up new skills, but I just hit a brick wall with welding, and this might have been down to settings or user error. You need to get so many variables right, and after having no success at all, I just put it down and walked away thinking that maybe welding just isn't for me. Likely though, I just had my wire feed speed or some other setting slightly off. I get the feeling learning how to weld is best done with someone experienced. At least then you know that they can get the settings right, and you can work on your technique.

Mitchell

Brad

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98730#Comment_98730

While I haven't looked too deeply into them, I get the feeling that the cheaper machines lack the fine adjustments of the better quaility ones.

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/116129#Comment_116129

"I've heard the surfaces to be welded need to be pretty rust-free, whereas a stick welder can punch through rust better."

When my father died I inherited trailer loads of old steel - heavily rusted and yes, I found by 'striking' the tip of the rod (rather hard at times) on any rusted steel you can create an arc. However you sometimes need to clean one area for the earth lead.

Based on what you're saying above Mitchell - I think I'll leave MIG alone at my stage of life. 🙂

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/98730#Comment_98730

"but I just hit a brick wall with welding"

Mitchell - don't give up mate, keep persisting and one day it'll all come together! You'll never regret it. 🙂

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