Small mig boom arm

[Ed of all trades]

I have a small shop and hope to build a folding boom about 6ft long to mount my Forney 180 mig welder. My hope is it will reach the whole shop and save floor space. I have looked on line and there is nothing, or I can't find it. Anyone try this? Ideas? Thanks Ed

 

[pmsmechanic]

I would be tempted to mount the welder on the wall to save floor space and then just buy a longer set of welding cables. It really doesn't matter how you do it. Whether you mount the welder on a boom or on the wall you still need to buy wire. I have a 24 foot long set of booster cables that see double duty as welding cables when I need to weld further away from my welder.

 

[MossRoad]

I would be tempted to mount the welder on the wall to save floor space and then just buy a longer set of welding cables. It really doesn't matter how you do it. Whether you mount the welder on a boom or on the wall you still need to buy wire. I have a 24 foot long set of booster cables that see double duty as welding cables when I need to weld further away from my welder.

If it was an arc welder, sure, longer cables would be fine. However, the O.P. said MIG welder. Longer power cord, yes. Longer hose... not so much.

 

[Arc weld]

It's a MIG welder not a stick welder but 6' it might be easier to just hang from the ceiling. You'll need to be able to bring it down easy to load the wire and do any maintenance on it.

 

[MossRoad]

I have a small shop and hope to build a folding boom about 6ft long to mount my Forney 180 mig welder. My hope is it will reach the whole shop and save floor space. I have looked on line and there is nothing, or I can't find it. Anyone try this? Ideas? Thanks Ed

How about a pickup truck bed crane like these?
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=pickup+crane&tbm=shop

 

[pmsmechanic]

If it was an arc welder, sure, longer cables would be fine. However, the O.P. said MIG welder. Longer power cord, yes. Longer hose... not so much.

Ha you a right. I just saw Forney 180 and assumed it was a stick welder.

 

[radioman]

well- you have a welding machine. go get some 2 inch tubing and make your own swinging boom. isnt this the idea of having a welding machine to make your own stuff and repair?

 

[Ed of all trades]

well- you have a welding machine. go get some 2 inch tubing and make your own swinging boom. isnt this the idea of having a welding machine to make your own stuff and repair?

That is what I was thinking, any ideas on the hinge points. I was thinking a 4' and a 3' section, I know 7' not 6' as in origional post. that would fit the room I have to put it in without hitting the drill press. When I fold it up it would fold back on it's self and take up less room. Thanks.

 

[FredH]

Somebody posted awhile back how they had set up a Container , were I believe the mig welder was inside the container when it was closed , but they could open a side door and it would swing and extend to the outside . It was a pretty cool set up . It not only extended but swung almost 360 degree's from inside to outside container , also missed the drill press ( ? ) when it was brought back in .

Fred H.

 

[mikefromnh]

How about hanging from the ceiling on track? Could use barn door track... If you wanted to get real fancy you could do an x-y setup like they have for x ray machines and reach any point between the tracks.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Somebody posted awhile back how they had set up a Container , were I believe the mig welder was inside the container when it was closed , but they could open a side door and it would swing and extend to the outside . It was a pretty cool set up . It not only extended but swung almost 360 degree's from inside to outside container , also missed the drill press ( ? ) when it was brought back in .

Fred H.

I was thinking something like that but am wondering what the best way to make the hinges.

 

[FredH]

I tried searching for the thread but ran out of time . It was a Pretty cool set up by utilizing space with a custom set up . Not sure how your welder is , But both the Lincoln I had and now the Longevity do not like tight turns in the gun cable , Thus I wonder about having it over head unless it was pointed down . A gradual radius is O.K. , But multiple bends or a tight radius equals feed problems , at least for me .

Fred H.

 

[timster2]

Here is the video of the container workshop with the swing out welding setup. shipping containers home work shop part 2 - YouTube

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks, looks like he just had 2 pieces of pipe that sleeved together. Seems to work well thanks again.