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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Cool tools for your rig, watcha got.
- - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-29-2008 00:18
I've got the usual tools, sawzall, drill, clamps etc etc. But I stopped by the welding store the other day to pick up some quick disconnects for torches. Built a new cabinet on the truck to store my tanks.....with gauges installed and hose. Just wanted to get the real valuable part out and safe, but grew tired quickly of the wrench/unwrench thing.

Bought the quick disconnects for the torch end and used them today. Wow!! Why did'nt I buy them sooner!! How awesome to just plug it in and crank open the tanks.

Another thing I decided to put on the truck, been in the shop for a couple of months now but was out on a jobsite the other day and hoped the drill bit I was gonna use was sharp. Luckily it was and I lack the "old school" talent to sharpen a drill bit on a bench grinder, let alone a hand held grinder. I've know machinists that can do it, but not me, usually make it to where it won't drill through a piece of pine!!

So I've had this drill doctor in the shop and put it on the truck. Goes up to 1/2" and my first attempts were bad.....hey stupid, how about reading the directions or even viewing the dvd they gave to ya....duhhhh. So after taking my advise found out this thing works great. Now I have a box of sharp drill bits again! Actually got real tired of burning up bits and having to go buy more new ones.

Just my cool tools on my truck that I've found come in handy.
Parent - - By tazmannusa (**) Date 11-29-2008 15:30
Yea the problem is we need bigger trucks to haul all the cool and needed tools around. One of the things I dont see with all the neat welding bed pictures on here is a crane, even the small one with hyd jack comes in so handy. I have allways had one, they just keep getting bigger over the years. Now I have a 6000 lbs cap. full hydraulic with 20' reach, sure takes the hard work out of a lot of jobs.
  Tom
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 11-29-2008 16:28
Theres a welder in town that has a super duty and he has a crane on his rig. He has more of a service bed on his rather than a welding rig like I see most guys have on here. I know he does a bunch of equipment repair and so on, and I've had equipment repair(mechanic) experience so I can understand the crane coming in very handy. I've thought about one, but wonder where the heck I would put it, I'm spending the weekend trying to figure out how to put my gonna be built cable reels under the truck in a compartment......that also needs to be built.
Parent - By J Hall (***) Date 11-29-2008 18:35
I wouldn't be without a crane. A 3200lb Autocrane only weighs 600 lbs, and and makes for a real good set of hands. That and a few pipe stands, and no more crawling on the ground when you are building something.
Parent - - By J Hall (***) Date 11-29-2008 18:39
And a good dog, to remind people to keep their hands off your stuff.
Parent - - By tazmannusa (**) Date 11-29-2008 18:53
A dog is a real good idea
Tom
Parent - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 11-30-2008 04:17
    Some years back a stone mason in My area had a half grown bear in the back of His truck. Probably a better deterent than a dog.
Parent - - By sbcmweb (****) Date 11-29-2008 19:47
I myself, don't really do a lot of welding anymore. Still, on my trailer, I carry the minimum amount of stuff, due to carrying a TON of stuff around for years & never used it. In addition to hand tools, torches & grinders, I have found a Milwaukee hammer drill with a 1/2" chuck to be very handy. You can use it for regular drilling & drilling thru block & cement as well. No need for two drills. I like having an electric 1/2" impact wrench too. A sawzall also comes in handy. I have a vise mounted to the rig & carry a good selection of vise grips & C clamps. I have an additional job box with a spool gun & extra remote cord for it if need be.

Of course, a fire extinguisher is a given. I have a hard hat & safety harness in the job box too.

I usually go by the job I'm doing to determine what I need to take with me. I like having a good bottle jack & pieces of wood to block stuff up if need be. A big die setter's pry bar is nice to have as well. I also have a little Miller plasma cutter & the Maxstar 150 TIG in separate job boxes if needed. My gas powered air compressor can run smaller carbons for CAC & I just put it in the bed of my truck if I think I'm going to need it. These days, my machine holds down the concrete in the drive more than it runs, but I don't owe anything on any of my stuff, so that's just fine. Not a lot of descent maintenance jobs around here. Too many hacks working for $35/hr.

I make a lot more working on welding machines besides.

FWIW S.W.
Parent - - By JTMcC (***) Date 11-29-2008 20:36
ipod.
Can't work without the music.

JTMcC.
Parent - - By sbcmweb (****) Date 11-29-2008 21:16 Edited 11-29-2008 23:26
Very good point! I however, don't like wearing anything in my ears when I'm doing anything around machinery or running a mill or lathe. I like to hear the tool cutting & know what's going on around me. I guess doing a set weld in pipe is a little different, can't say much on that though. That's just my preference. I always wear earplugs when I'm doing CAC. Other than that, I hate having anything in my ears!

Any other time, I got the tunes cranked. :-)

S.W.
Parent - - By 12vstrokethis (**) Date 11-30-2008 15:18
the dvd playerd and nice sound system.
david
Parent - By sbcmweb (****) Date 11-30-2008 17:28
I would rather have it coming out of my truck's speakers than in my ears. I've always been really funny about not being able to hear what's going on when I'm welding, or running a machine.

Of course, every circumstance & individual has a different application & view.

S.W.
Parent - - By Jenn (***) Date 11-30-2008 16:58
I agree, some bluetooth headphones to listen to MP3's from the phone player was the best thing I've bought lately!!! :) Makes those LONG LONG days go by way better, and you can keep it down enough to still hear outside stuff going on if you need to.
Parent - - By sbcmweb (****) Date 11-30-2008 17:30
Hey, Jenn. Music's NO fun if it's NOT LOUD!!!!!!!! :-)

I just have to be in a position where I know exactly what's going on when I put some on. Even when I hook up a machine under power the first time after a repair, I want to hear every little thing it's doing.

If it's a no brainer, or all laid out for me......Cranck It!!! :-)

S.W.
Parent - - By stanantonio Date 12-01-2008 00:29
I have a home made crane that comes on and off my truck.  If my camera worked right now I would post a picture. I use it more or less to take my welding machine off the truck so I can haul my fithwheel.  I have a 4inch post that sticks up vertically on the passenger end of my bed.  I made the crane or hoist out of 4.5 in pipe( yes you can get 4.5in pipe.)  Basicaly  I slide the crane over the four in pipe when I need it and when I dont my grill slides over the same pipe.  As to odd tools as I am sure that you too have them.  Is a clamp made out of six in pipe to hold pipe in place in my jack stands.  I also carry a angle iron thingamagiggy.  Which I use to raise up short pieces of pipe with flanges on the when I am welding out of my Rigid pipe Vise.  Aslo I have moddified my pipe vise by putting T handeled bolts on the bottom of the legs so I can level my fittings or essintually my vise platform if i need too.
Parent - - By pipehead (***) Date 12-01-2008 00:49
I got a Dog.....a heeler that is a bit of security for  those "legs that your tools grow sometimes, when like someone else's toolbox better"
Parent - - By Johnyutah (**) Date 12-01-2008 04:11
I always have had a dog on the rig with me and now I don't see many any more better than any alarm you can buy. With so much money in tools the best value in security and you have company going down the road.
Parent - - By Cactusthewelder (*****) Date 12-01-2008 10:12
BEST TOOL ON MY TRUCK ?         COLT 45 IN THE CONSOLE !   
Parent - By sbcmweb (****) Date 12-01-2008 12:15
Hey, that's MY line!

S.W.
Parent - - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 12-03-2008 02:48
I'm with ya man always keep a pistol in the truck tucked in the seat right next to me right now it's a Ruger P95 and a Taurus PT 92 hid away cant ever have to much protection
Parent - - By pipe hand (*) Date 12-03-2008 12:37
ruger p345 and a 60 pound pit bull
Parent - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 12-03-2008 15:10
I've usually carried my springfield xd45 but got worried when I'd have to leave my truck sit for awhile at places I could not legally carry into. So, I just leave an 8 shot 22 in there with a box of yellow jackets. Not much stopping power but have enough ammo to make a real good spaghetti strainer out of someone if the need were to arise.
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 12-04-2008 03:55
if i had a place to stash it i'd put my mini 14 in the truck
Parent - By OxbowCS (*) Date 12-04-2008 04:20
Rattle snake in a gunny sack stashed in the rod box.  Had my truck stolen 2 years ago and got it back within 3 hours.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Cool tools for your rig, watcha got.

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