What’s better for the one guy remodeler:
Enclosed trailer with all tools and big enough to put 4x8sheets ‘ stuff in, and open truck bed with lumber rack for ‘junk.’
or
Contractor’s cap With side doors and rack on truck for all tools and crappy little open trailer for the ‘junk?’
Sick of crawling over shi% in the back of my pickup for ‘that’ tool what’s buried…and worried about somebody tearing into my cap and stealing everything.
Thanks,
Waters
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Replies
I drive a 1/2 ton extended cab and bought an ARE cap a year ago after having had tools stolen out of a cheap aluminum cap. I love the tool boxes on the sides Has the beefy overcab ladder rack my only beef is carrying sheet goods when the big tools are in the back.i end up working in the city a bunch and a trailer just isn't an option for me
Noah
Right now, I have a trailer that carries most of my tools, and a pickup with a cap. It works, but I want to change. Where I live, it's hard to bring a trailer home every night and find a place to park, but leaving it on site is a liability. Plus towing it really sucks down the gas. And without a garage, putting the tools in and out of the truck is a royal pain as well.
Actually, let me rethink that. I do like the trailer when it's someplace secure I can leave it (it's alarmed, and I lock the wheels to the srings). It's nice to have everything I need already at the site.
Long-term goal- build another house out in the country again with a shop and a garage, and buy a box van/Sprinter type of thing for the tools.
I have the trailor and I dont know how I got along without it. Production really increases when you dont need to load and unload your tools every day. I dont have to spend the night before a job gathering tools for something a little different and if a new task pops up in the middle of the day I'm prepared for anything.
I dont have to worry about my tools when I'm out of sight in a store.
I like to drop the trailor on a job and drive back and forth with an empty truck.
I never have to run home for a tool or go to the hardware store to get something I can stock. I can set up inside on a rainy day and best of all - the porta potty!
After 15 yrs. with a cap on the back of my truck, I can honestly say....I'm cured.
I'll never do it again.
That's me though. What size/type jobs are you doing. A pickup with a cap and an "Extendo-bed" might work nicely for a one man crew.
I'm currently running with a long bed pickup and a Roll-n-Lock cover. (Nothing but praise for the cover) I had originally planned on doing the trailer deal, but have since redirected the business, and the type of work I do, which has greatly reduced my field time and the tools I need to carry with me regularly.
Were I to go back to the larger (all encompassing) type projects, I'd look into the stp vans. Doesn't seem there's anything you can't haul in them.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I started out this year and have yet to really specialize so I'm doing something different every other week. I think it'll be this way a few years.
I'm leaning toward the trailer. As others say--loading and unloading the truck really blows.
Like to be able to use the truck for lots of other things (a run to the beach to surf) so it'd be great if it wasn't full of tools and whatnot.
Thanks,
Pat
I was in the same decision boat about a year ago. You'll have to spend at least $1500 or so for a decent cap - probably more if you get a tool box enabled one.
Used caps are all worth about the same regardless of what you paid for it new. Instead, I found a 5x10 WellCargo trailer used and paid $1700 for it. New, they run about $4400 - more pricy than other small trailers - but they are very well made, and for $1700 - it was a no brainer.
It's a little smaller than I wouldv'e bought if I was to buy one new, but after using it for over a year for just about all kinds of work - it has been a huge time-saver.
I sheeted all of the walls with 3/4 plywood, and built a sheetgoods rack in the left side of it that'll hold about 7-8" worth of plywood, drywall, etc. and have some shelving in it.
because it's relatively small, I keep it full of tools all the time. Have the table saw, miter saw, miter stand, compressor, nailers, and probably about 10-12 other related tool bags/etc. in it.
Have a side access door and rear ramp - which is handy for wheeling out the table saw or anything else heavy.
Single axle, pretty easy to wheel wround in, I pull it with my 1/2ton Dodge 4x4 truck.
It's be perfect if it were 6x12 with taller roof, but it's just about perfect right now for me as it is, and I have a heavy duty ladder rack on it and can transport my 10' brake on it if I need to and keep ladders on it permanantly.
If you can find a good quality used trailer - you'll never loose money on it.
JT
I like the trailer idea when I'm at a secure site where I can leave it for a week or two if need be. It's alarmed, and set up so it's a major pain to get through the multiple locks, but after 1 break in (before the alarm and locks), I'm still hesitant to leave it. One night someone tried to steal the whole deal, but the Kryptonite bike lock through the wheel and around the spring only let 'em get about 10 feet. Bent the bejeezus out of the lock, but it didn't let go.
But if I had a box van, I'd set it up exactly like the trailer. One of these days when it's a little tidier I'll post pics.Oh, yeah, and I can pull it either with the old F-250 or the Grand Cherokee, even though I'm sure it's grossly overloaded!
Edited 4/19/2006 8:28 pm ET by Tomrocks21212
Waters,
Both are a hassle,
Find a place to park the trailer on a crowed job site might mean you wind up a block away. Or a flat tire during rush hour traffic on the trailer. Wiring hassles, In 15 years you wouldn't believe the wiring lash ups I've seen.. break-ins are common not only by Vandles but sometimes by buddies who need to borrow your-----
Pick-ups are a hassle and vans can be worse.. I've seen solutions from retired power company trucks to step vans and converted Busses.
The absolute best I ever saw was a pickup with neat drawers and bins for everything. every screwdriver had it's place and he carried boxes and boxes of hardware all neatly binned and stored in the pickup.. The pickup (a 1955 Chey Cameo) was mint, Just enough hotrod to make it fun and original enough to make it impressive.. His rack was designed to hold up to 7 sheets of 3/4 inch 4x8's and at just the right height to make loading and unloading a breeze.. The whole assembly could be removed from the pickup when he was in his garage in a few minutes. He'd back in and hook the winch up and lift off the entire package.
The problem?
he was soo anal about the truck nobody wanted to work with him.. to this day it's sitting in a barn while he sells refi programs..
utility bed...
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WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I've worked out of a van, pickup truck, truck with cap, out of a trailer, etc. I'm back to a van and won't go back to truck or truck and trailer.
I do everything from minor framing to remodeling to trim carpentry & cabinet installing out of this set up. I don't have to crawl over anything. I do leave the drywall & tile tools in the shop when I don't need them.
These drawers would work well in a truck too (the idea is from Huck's truck). The "myshoptoday" pic was from a week ago, I like being able to get the heavy stuff in and out without lifting. I think vans offer the best of both truck and trailer in one, but without parking/manuevering issues and gas mileage is better (I average 17 mpg).
Is that a VW van?
I use a small pick up with a cap, lumber rack and box with two full body length drawers for the small stuff. With that I pull an open trailer as needed to move materials or trash or larger tools. I do a variety of work and the small truck fits where large ones don't and I can carry quite a bit on it. It just is easier loading hot water heaters on the trailer instead of the lumber rack.The cap as three doors that all lock so I don't have to crawl in to get anything. I have a locking tail gate on the truck to keep them out of the box with the drawers.
Yep. I can't say enough good about it. 3/4 ton payload. Great power and good fuel economy. Hauls 30 4x8 sheets of drywall. Here is a link to a review of my van.http://www.wnep.com/global/story.asp?s=2591467
Oh.. duh,
30 sheets of drywall!
Holy crap.
Pat
I seldom haul that many (30) 4x8 sheets. To stack them that high, I have to slide the front seats forward and tilt them upright...not comfy for a long drive. A few 4x8's fit in nicely. I also have to unload my tools first to haul large material orders (usually I have it delivered--but nice to know I can get it if I need to).I have an old VW camper in my back yard (kids hippie playhouse). Waiting for a new engine.I like the Hitachi & Bosch combo. Calvin had the same set up too.
Wow,
that's pretty sweet. (I had an '84 Vanagon Westfalia Wkdr before I was a remodeler and I could fit a TON o' stuff in it--Moved myself to Oregon in it almost 10 years ago.)
Nowhere to put that 4x8 sheet though?
You have something I want and something I have:
Hitachi slide compound, and the Bosch table saw. I got the saw with the gravity rise stand--wheels--after my dewalt. The dewalt has the better fence but the stand--Ahhhh.... And the motor seems better--and you can fool it wider than that 24" rip.
Thanks for the view.
Pat