Thread: Candy Cart - a wheely tough question

If you can't weld you surely can tap threads in steel and bolt things together? This really isn't too hard, necessary tooling is cheap and the result should be more than adequately strong.

Originally Posted by aldav

If you can't weld you surely can tap threads in steel and bolt things together? This really isn't too hard, necessary tooling is cheap and the result should be more than adequately strong.

Like Aldav says, learning too thread steel or use rivet’s ain’t too hard, steel is just hard wood really[emoji849].

You could get the basic tooling too cut your own threads for around the $100 mark,
Drill bits taps an dies tap holder die holder extra plus some Tap magic(That is actually the name of the product).
You would be making threads with in under 1/2 hour

Cheers Matt.

Where in Sydney are you?
I have welding gear and whilst not an expert can stick stuff together.
I have a few projects on the go but Im happy to give you a hand in barter for time on one of my construction efforts.
H.

So mine was a meatball cart that I made for SWMBO, I initially had free-floating 26" wheels which didn't work, so I replaced with a 600mmm axle and plastic wheels from Bunnies. The axle goes through the two uprights at the front of the cart as you can see. Works fine now, much better! Sorry 'bout the orientation, it really bugs me. There, fixed it! Cheers, Swifty

My build Meatball Cart

Back in the 1950's when I was about 10, I announced that I needed a boat to get to the middle of the local lake where the big trout were. A couple of my great uncles, both competent bush carpenters with the emphasis on "bush", undertook to build one. They found plans for a 16 ft canoe in a British magazine, then set about to build it "properly".
* 1" x 3/4" framing was upgraded to 2 x 1 1/4,
* Pine framing was upgraded to hardwood - probably spotted gum or Tas blue gum,
* Canvas sheaving was upgraded to 1/2" marine plywood,
* Completed canoe was liberally waterproofed with red lead paint and then green paint.

The finished canoe was heavy, really heavy, and we essentially could not move it.

But bush carpenters are resourceful. They drilled a hole though the middle of the canoe, stuck an axle though and put on a pair of bike wheels. It was near the balance point and was easy to move. It was finished just before my 12th birthday. I and my brothers and cousins dragged the canoe about 800m to the lake for about 15 years until a bushfire.

* The wheels were 28" Malvern Star, because that was all that was available,
* The axle was 3/8" steel rod,
* The axle was drilled at both ends and the wheels were held on with washers and "key rings",
* When we got the canoe in the water, we removed 1 key ring, took that wheel off, then slid the other wheel and axle out.
* We carried the wheels and axle in the canoe,
* Before going ashore we reversed the process.

For your cart, 3/8" rod should be more than adequate for the axles.

Sorry, Clear Out, the canoe was burnt in a bushfire in the early 1970's.

Originally Posted by clear out

Where in Sydney are you?
I have welding gear and whilst not an expert can stick stuff together.
I have a few projects on the go but Im happy to give you a hand in barter for time on one of my construction efforts.
H.

Thanks Clear Out and sorry for the delay replying.

I bit the bullet, (didn't) seek approval from the SHMBO/CFO and bought a MIG welder.

Let's just say while I had the swagger to hang with the big boys in the metal working aisle, I am at day one of my welding journey (save for some stick welding in my teens). MIG welding has ten variables you are trying to control all at once. As a beginner it's hard to know is the voltage too high/low, wire feed rate too high/low, torch angles too much/too little, material prep, pushing or pulling the puddle, electrode stick out. My deity, the sound of a non-perfect weld is all the same "machine gun and splutter". The gift of the MIG is that serviceable welds can be produced by beginners but they're as ugly as sin. I get that it's just practice, practice, practice, like, say, cutting dovetails, but like your first dovetails they are best done, got out of the way and then quietly binned.

but thanks again for the offer.

Originally Posted by Swifty

So mine was a meatball cart that I made for SWMBO, I initially had free-floating 26" wheels which didn't work, so I replaced with a 600mmm axle and plastic wheels from Bunnies. The axle goes through the two uprights at the front of the cart as you can see. Works fine now, much better! Sorry 'bout the orientation, it really bugs me. There, fixed it! Cheers, Swifty

My build Meatball Cart

Thanks Swifty

SHMBO is Indonesian and wants to use the candy cart for the same purpose, but not insetting the bakso pot like yours. I am sure now she has seen your SHMBO's cart there will be design changes. The Aluminium flashing is a good idea because no doubt, hot plates and pots will go on it.

This is certainly not a fine woodworking project, so have used Tassie Oak posts, pine and plywood (landed on 9mm because the framework is plenty strong and its an effective torsion box now). I plan of using car bog (lightweight epoxy body filler to fill the holes in the C grade ply surface veneer, painting it with outdoor undercoat and a couple of layers of outdoor top coat (with surface protection if possible).

I am set on the 26" bike wheels because I have them to hand and I like the aesthetic. I am making a steel frame to support the wheels as they need support on both sides of the hub (as they would in bike frame or fork). This is why I have walked down the welding path because its the best solution all round, and I can think of other things where a welder can save the day.

Anthony

There’s some good stuff on YouTube re mig welding.
I’m very wary of ut but some of the hot rod/ auto body dudes are spot on.
If you want some lessons a couple of ex tafe guys do mig courses at their Parramatta workshop.
Motorretro Google them,they have one coming up.March 23rd.
H.

Hi all

Quick update on the candy cart project.

I have welded up the frame with dropouts. The welding was sub-par, but the strength of the welds from gasless MIG was excellent. The wheels retain their quick release skewers so the engagement is firm, and wheel removal very easy. The wheels will get new tyres and tubes, and cycling hardware removed.

The issue with the frame will be people getting caught on the square edges of the frame. I was thinking about some decorative wheel covers out of ply, but I don't want to go down a timber bending rabbit hole. I might paint it fluoro pink, so people will see it.

20240127_184842.jpg

20240127_184853 (1).jpg

The next phases are the roof, the internal shelves (and drawers?) and doors, and then the paint job.

Thanks for the advice so far - and that MIG course looks very good Clear Out. The hardest part about learning welding at home is not having someone telling you that you're doing it wrong and telling you the remedy.

Anthony

Originally Posted by AnthonySeiver

The hardest part about learning welding at home is not having someone telling you that you're doing it wrong and telling you the remedy.

Yeah, it's a bit like golf, isn't it! Is that gal tube you've used? You set yourself a challenge there.

Originally Posted by aldav

Yeah, it's a bit like golf, isn't it! Is that gal tube you've used? You set yourself a challenge there.

It is galvanised steel tube (20x20x1.6 mm) from Bunnings. After seeing the warnings about welding galvanised steel, I cleaned away the Zn coating where I was about to weld with a flap-disc. The 1.6mm thickness was a problem as any slowing or too much voltage just blew big holes in it - especially problematic were the mitred corners.

While this welding challenge has been fun (if expensive ), I can't wait to get back to working with wood, like the roof.