Background, then the question…
Retired from the Navy after 20 years in July. Been working for a guy who for the past 10 years has been running a landscape and tree service here in the Pacific northwest. When I came on he decided he wanted to branch out into remodeling since I had a small remodeling business wherever I had been stationed in the past.
Boss calls me today and tells me that tomorrow he wants to go shopping for an enclosed trailer, and everything to outfit it. Saws, racks, generator, wire the thing, basically a shop on wheels.
I have always worked out of the backof a pickup or the suburban. So the questions are how big do I want to go 16′, 18′ 25′, who makes the best, and what are some features I should be looking for?
Thanks in advance!
Replies
If you go to the bottom of the page and type in trailers in the search box you can bring up past discussins about trailers.
http://forums.prospero.com/n/find/findRedir.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&mg=8A7F2661-F2C6-4AA4-A8B3-1C94D6429237
this one shows Mike Smiths new trailer............
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Bob
The other thing is what are you pulling it with. A 25 on a 1/2 ton truck isn't going to get you too far. A 16x8 will hold a good deal of stuff. I see a lot of busy frame crews and other trades with a pile of tools get by happily on that. Mines an 8x18, and while I like the room, navigating residential streets with it is a PITA. My truck wheelbase makes it a little worse (crew cab long box) than it would be on a shorter truck, but I need two lanes to make a right hand turn. That gets old in a big hurry. I don't consume the opposing traffic lane, but I'm into it a couple of feet or in jeapordy of taking out a light pole. A 16 is just about right for fitting in a driveway and still being able to open the doors.
Course, I'm talking in terms of a trailer on a hitch. You get a gooseneck, you can add a lot of length without mussing up your turning radius.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
I've got a super trailer. It's a Pace, 16 foot with enough headroom for me (6'4 with boots on) to clear easily. It's got a ramp door and a side door. I bought it two years ago to build houses with, and outfitted it with some racks and other storage features, and some good ladder racks on top.I'd like to sell this. Let me know if interested and we can talk more. I'm in Wisconsin.
hey dude .... How ya been?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Good, Jeff. I've been keeping tabs on the Steelers kicking some major #### again. I was hoping to get out there this year but it didn't happen.We'll have to talk more, say hi to Cathy from us.
I pull an 18' Corn Pro open trailer. If you need to have your tools enclose the truck box. That way you always have them and they're not in the trailer on another job or parked at home.
An 18'er carries 16'ers flat. even 18'ers for garage headers flat. If you need 20' plus stuff for rafters, ridge, etc, let them set on the ramp tail gate.
Advantages of an open trailer, you can carry over length stock and you can keep an eye on the load. If you have weather considerations, tarp it.
Had a closed trailer, never again, too inflexible.
For a deal contact F & R, Piper City. IL ask for Kelly. They carry Featherlite on down, any configuration. Tell her Russell sent ya.
For a shop on wheels... maybe a box truck of the chip delivery, or UPS type? Depends on what you need.
Be sure to keep track of the weight of things you're putting in there, including racks, benches, typical lumber pile, etc. Both the trailer and the tow vehicle need to be rated for the weight.
If you plan to actually work in the trailer, it needs to have some provision (ie, jacks) for stablizing it.
Think about lighting. A skylight is nice, but you probably also need some artifical lighting, especially if you plan to work in the trailer.
It's easy to underestimate the amount of space you need when, eg, working with a miter saw, or even when pulling a box of nails off a shelf. Make sure the aisle doesn't get too narrow. Don't overstuff the unit.
A place for everything and everything in its place. At least in theory. Leave the kitchen sink at home. You don't want to be crawling over stuff.
Thanks to all for the link to previous threads, and for opinions. I spent an hour yesterday trying to choose between Wells cargo and their economy line Road Force. Went with the road force and dropped the saved $2k on tools.
16x8 ft. electric brakes, nice ceiling height, dual axle. Now it's just a matter of buiding the perfect storage system for everything HA.
DanH, everytime I see the phrase "a place for everything..." I am reminded of that HO Studley tool box that FWW covered a few years back.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00088.asp
Thanks again.