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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Welding Reels???
- - By Harvard (*) Date 01-13-2007 18:44
Hello all. Well, I would like to say hi and my name is Chris and I am a welder for a coal company in eastern ohio. I do have a welding truck its a 1997 GMC 6500 with a 6000lb crane and Lincoln SA-250 D. And, right now I have on bin just holding my welding leads and extension cords. And, well, I would just like to clean it up and build some reels for my stinger and work leads. Also, I would like to put my torch hose in there also. Do you guys have any ideas on how to build them? Like connecting the leads and torch hose to reel and not kink up? Or any prints or something? Help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris
Parent - - By makeithot (***) Date 01-14-2007 02:35
I am currently looking in to the same thing myself. I have build some rolls in the past that worked quit well , but I had to plug and un-plug the leads in the past. I am now trying to design some thing that does not require this. It all boils down to economics. If you have the money though there are alot of manufatured reels on the market that look real nice, but they come with a nice price tag as well $1000.00 plus per unit. I can't justify the expence they are however good insperation . If a guy had access to a lath though skies the limit. Bunch welding reels into the internet and there is tons of things to see. As soon as I get mine put together I will post some pics. I have however slightly modified a self winding oxy-acetln reel that I picked up from a tool store (Princess Auto don't thing you have that in the states) $200.00 and it works great and what I like is you don't have to wind it by hand. It however only holds 75ft of lead so I carry extra in the truck for when I need it Which as yet as not been a problem as I use QD's through-out the system. let me know how you make out.
Parent - - By Sourdough (****) Date 01-14-2007 22:58
I've got a system that has worked great for me. No bearings, no maintenence, just put the kit together. It's about a hundred bucks a reel.
Parent - - By makeithot (***) Date 01-15-2007 01:38
Sourdough
I'd like to see that, do you have any pictures cause the price sure sounds right.
Parent - - By Sourdough (****) Date 01-15-2007 21:36
Need a good email
Parent - By makeithot (***) Date 01-16-2007 01:38
sourdough,
e-mail -metaltch@dccnet.com
Parent - By AlamedaIron Date 05-16-2008 01:03
Hey Sourdough,  Where can I buy the kit?  Can you email me the contact info?  atomnuke@yahoo.com  Thanks - am
Parent - By AlamedaIron Date 05-16-2008 01:04
Oh maybe it's not a kit you can buy - perhaps a parts list and pics?  Email me some info too - atomnuke@yahoo.com
Parent - - By banshee35 (**) Date 01-15-2007 01:14
This i swhat I've got:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/banshee35/10-07-06_1324.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/banshee35/10-07-06_0839.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/banshee35/10-07-06_1449.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/banshee35/10-07-06_1447.jpg
This setup has bearings and spindles. The leads are always hot and I don't have any issues at all.
Parent - - By makeithot (***) Date 01-15-2007 01:40
Banshee35

How do you insulate the leads so they do not arc out , couldn't make that out from the pictures
Parent - - By banshee35 (**) Date 01-15-2007 01:45
In the 2nd pic, The verticle piece in the center is 3/4" plate 2' tall and 4" wide. I have a piece of lexan( plexiglass) 1/8" thick sandwiched between the 3/4 plate and the 3/8" flange for the spindle hub. Also, I used a flange insulating kit with poly tubing( 18 wheeler air line) to insulate the bolts holding it all together.
Parent - By Harvard (*) Date 01-16-2007 00:04
Hey Banshee35, is there any way, you could maybe email me blueprints? Or just maybe some drawings with diemensions? Thats about what I am looking for. Since, now, I am the only welder at work now, and I mite just get 100' of new leads! If you want you can email me at welder154@sbcglobal.net Same for you Sourdough, if you dont mind sending me pics?
Thanks,
Chris
Parent - - By meanstreak (*) Date 01-15-2007 04:25 Edited 01-15-2007 04:28
Have 2 Hannay lawn spray 12volt reels Perfect to make into cable reels. Easy to add homemade brush assembly to.Will hold over 100' cable.Just hook to battery.Reel turns about 50-60 rpm. Motors alone cost $200.00 ea. Buffalo N.Y. area, $500.00 for both.  Nate 716-773-9552cell 716-982-8804
Parent - By DougBlack Date 04-03-2007 00:56
Does anyone have any photos of the brush holders for these reels.  I am currently trying to build one, but I do not know how to make the connection.  I thought about finding a d/c motor brush holder but I was hoping you guys may know of something. 
Parent - - By jotrammell Date 02-28-2008 05:12 Edited 02-28-2008 05:30
hey dont buy welding reels unless you want auto matic ones or need a tax write off . they are simple to build ...I saw a reel that cost about 400 bucks per reel it was a manual one not automatic .I noticed it was a simple design and saught out to find parts the easiest way was (but you could make it simpley yourself )to just buy air hose reels from the hardware store that cost about $75 they were manual ones all metal that you had to wind up yourself but it beats coil them by far they held 100 foot of air hose so of course it would hold 125 foot of 1/0lead I tore the nuts and bolts out of the tube that held the round tube to the round plate were the knobe is if that makes sense ..sorry and welded it together instead so I would have a better connection when it was complete, my next step was to replace the 1 1/4 plastic bushings with bronze ones (very important) (braze them inside th reel part too help make the connection good !)which the local tractor /farm shop had . you dont need brushes....I welded a bolt to the base of the stand so i could connect it to my welder and then welded one to the round peice that spins ..allowing it to spin without having to disconnect your leadsffrom it when you reel it up the only problem i have had is rust under the bushings my solution was to grind about 1/32 from the axle peice and throw some brazing rode under the bushings  . so far they work great and it all cost me under 200 every now and then I may have to go clean up the connections if things get a little hot which so far they haven toh yeah and to insulate I baught a peice of neopren plastice 1 1/2 thick from ace hardware its very tough wont crack for long time maybe never I dont know... you could use 2x4 wood but just be sure to  countersink all the mounting hardware  to where they touched nothig exept the plastic/wood and the reel it is atached to then put 4 bolts on the corners of the plastic to the bed of your truck its very simple no bolts touch anything ...there you go its insulated  ...good luck
Parent - - By Shooter71 (**) Date 02-28-2008 05:28
I have lead reels on my rig but I find it's faster to pull the leads together and just stack them in the bed like you'd do with a climbing rope. when you're ready to roll them out you just grab both ends and they pull out cleanly. I only roll them at the end of the day, and my next bed will have a well with a trap door on top. Anybody else do this?
Parent - By jotrammell Date 02-28-2008 05:38
dam I just noticed the daqte on that discusion I'm a little late ....
Parent - - By Root Pass (***) Date 02-28-2008 12:28
I'm building a bed like that now. Wells with flush lids that lock.
Parent - - By Shooter71 (**) Date 02-28-2008 15:01
Wouldn't mind seeing pictures of it. Something else to think about, if the well has a floor that drains it's alot easier to hose off the leads when they're covered in mud than rolling them up all nasty.
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 02-29-2008 00:54
Build the wells out of heavy gage expanded metal (it saves having to make a frame) for drainage and cleaning, and round hole with an internal lip smoothed with a flapper wheel so the leads don't hang up on the edge/corner and can be pulled out in any direction.
It's been my observation that most lead reels are too small diameter to be efficient (ie FASTER than hand rolling).
Parent - - By jotrammell Date 03-01-2008 01:58 Edited 03-01-2008 02:01
too small of diamiter to be efficent ? what do you mean ? I dont know about that I can wind my reels up pretty quick..and they weld no different than leads that arent on a reel, I usually run at about 180 amps all day, they get warm but not hot and if they do then cut the connection that is hot and re connect it since the elect will find the weakest point and overheat . plus their nice and tiddy you just have to maintain them like anything else     .. a trap door sounds nice though cause you get that extra space when your door isnt open and it protects your copper from meth heads , but I for one like my reels I can hold over 100 foot and it doesnt take much to maintain them nd theres no mud on my leads ! besides that expanded metal will let dirt and mud ,  in from your tires its going to rust out and it will  drop your leads on the highway...have you ever had a 100 foot of lead dangling behind your truck ?  
Parent - By tnhnt (***) Date 05-16-2008 03:24
How much road grim do you get off of the road in the wells when it rains? From your tires throwing it up in there???
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Welding Reels???

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