MIG Cables Hanger

A MIG welder has several cables that easily fall on the floor and catch under the cart wheels when moving the welder. Even if the welder is not moved, they hang off or fall off of the welder and the tank. Based loosely on a photo I saw, this Instructable will show how to make a simple and inexpensive hanger for organizing the various cables and for hanging the helmet.

Materials

• 3/8 inch steel reinforcement bar (rebar) four feet long (Total investment is about $3.)

Tools

• A large vise (or a trailer hitch) for bending
• Grinder
• Cut off tool
• Welder

I was able to bend the rebar by hand in a large vise. I left the rebar uncut so I could use it as a lever to make bending easier. The aim was to make a "J" hook about 3 inches in diameter (or just a little larger) at one end of the rebar. I advanced the rebar in the vise and made small bends to keep the "J" hook smooth and even.

The "J" hook needs to be tightly enough bent to fit well around the top of the tank for the shielding gas. I used the protective cap that screws onto the top of the tank as a convenient guide I could take to the workbench. When I was finished, the bend was a little tighter than you see here.

I made a gentle bend at a right angle to the first bend. It allows the rebar to follow the shape of the tank. See the second photo. This was a matter of taking the rebar to the tank frequently and checking the fit. (This is a different tank easier to access than the tank shown in the Introduction.)

I bent a "J" hook at the other end of the rebar. This allowed me to use the rest of the rebar as a lever so I could bend it by hand. My finger shows about where I will cut this "J" hook off of the rebar for welding it where it will go later. After cutting this hook away, bend another hook and cut it away, also. Then bend a third hook so it will point away from the tank when the first hook is hung on the tank.

I used a bench grinder to remove sharp edges and put a rounded nose on the end of each piece of rebar. I also ground away rust and mill scale where I would be welding. See the text boxes in the photo.

See the first photo to see where and how the welds are done to attach the upper hooks. I used some angle iron and Vise-Grip pliers to hold the hooks until I could at least tack weld the hooks in place.

The second photo shows a "before" photo for comparison. In it the cables are all over the floor. Even coiled and hung or draped on the welder or the tank, they are prone to fall off and obstruct the wheels on the cart when trying to move the welder for another job. The rebar attachment keeps everything out of the way.