chaikwa

Yep. Apparently that's my life now. I was out talking to landowners today. I guess once word gets out that you have, 1) an outdoor wood boiler, 2) a few chainsaws and 3) logging experience, people think you want to log their property just for the firewood. And I DO, but I'm not going to search for a buyer for the merchantable logs or mitigate the resulting brush beyond piling it and I certainly ain't gonna stump it all for them either!

Hmmm... that's not a bad idea actually!

Mexstan

CRM, that is really a great looking job. Congratulations. You can be very proud. Thanks for sharing that with us. How many configurations did you try on paper before building it?

Fronty Owner

There in lies the itch. When he clamps his ground clamp to the work piece, he is no longer isolated from ground IF he is welding on a grounded work piece.
I've also met inspectors that like to see a dedicated ground strap between generators, frames, and other equipment. Bolting is usually a good ground, but if there is paint between the surfaces, your ground may not be the best possible. Think of it along the lines of grounding your trailer to the truck thru the ball. It works kinda, but having a dedicated ground wire is best.

SIXSLUG

Now that's nice work!!

Colo_River_Ram

All I can can say to that is game on and we will be seeking input from the forum on it as well

For critical grounds (or bonds) I use the external star type locking washers in conjunction with this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ideal-NOA...026/202276208#

I also use the NOALOX in the contacts on the welding reels. With the machine maxed out at 250 amps, you can spool out the leads with no arcing and / or heat build up at the contacts. The shop welder reels is 15 yrs + and still work fine.

Here is what Miller put in the manual on grounding:

! Always ground generator frame to
vehicle frame to prevent electric
shock and static electricity hazards.

! Also see AWS Safety & Health Fact
Sheet No. 29, Grounding of Portable
And Vehicle Mounted Welding Generators.

! Bed liners, shipping skids, and
some running gear insulate the
welding generator from the vehicle
frame. Always connect a ground
wire from the generator equipment
grounding terminal to bare metal on
the vehicle frame as shown.

! If unit does not have GFCI receptacles,
use GFCI-protected extension
cord.

1 Equipment Grounding Terminal (On
Front Panel)
2 Grounding Cable (Not Supplied)
3 Metal Vehicle Frame
Connect cable from equipment ground
terminal to metal vehicle frame. Use #8
AWG or larger insulated copper wire.
 Electrically bond generator frame to vehicle
frame by metal-to-metal contact.

The same would apply to the bed to truck frame connection.

Here is the link to AWS Safety & Health Fact
Sheet No. 29:

http://www.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-29.pdf

excerpt from the bottom of the page:

CONDITIONS WHERE GROUNDING THE
GENERATOR FRAME TO A METAL
WATER PIPE OR GROUND ROD IS NOT
REQUIRED BY THE NEC:

1. The welding generator has auxiliary
power output (115 volts AC or 230 volts
AC) and the generator receptacles have a
ground pin outlet available for the
equipment that plugs into the receptacle,
AND

2. The generator is portable or mounted on
a truck or trailer,
AND

3. The auxiliary power is used by cord-and-
plug-connection means through receptacles
mounted on the generator,
AND

4. The generator is mounted on a vehicle
and the generator frame is bonded to the
vehicle frame

Some of the locations I work on randomly driving a ground rod in with buried high voltage electrical lines and hi pressure gas lines poses a significantly greater risk than running the machine without one.

It all boils down the the companies safety policy in conjunction with how the local and or state inspector "interprets" the various laws.

TxDiesel007

that is some darned good work!

the bed was sweet, now the accessories are great.. cant wait to see whats next..

jhenson

Dang brother, you got your crap together on that one!!!! Great workmanship for sure.

Colo_River_Ram

Thanks for all the compliments guys & gals..

The next "Major Project" is going to be a 46' - 48' triple axle (Dexter's Airflex system) toy hauler to pull behind that setup. I will probably get started on it this spring when I can open the shop doors to let the smoke out..

rockcrawler304

I consider myself a backyard fabricator with some decent welding skills but oh man....... That is a well done skid with great ideas and placement!!!!!