I am thinking of using a trailer for my construction/Remodeling company. Does anyone have a few pics and suggestions on what size you have. If you did it over again what would you change.
I bought a 7 x 14 tandem today. Installing 12″X12″ tile on the new floor and going to put a coat of paint on walls in the morning. I am still looking for suggestions on how to make/buy shelving.
Thanks for everybody’s input!
Tim
Edited 5/4/2007 11:34 pm ET by tkiser
Replies
Picture is a little dated but the layout isnt much different. It was, admittedly, a very tidy day. Its a lot more crowded than that usually, but you can actually make out where things are.
What size? It's an H&H brand, 8x20 inside (which, the 20 is to the flat before the nose, so its a little more, and then add the tongue, you're up to 27 . . . more on why this matters in a moment. 7'6" ht in the center. Tandem axle, 12000 load rating, DOT ready (that matters too), ramp door, side door, lighting and outlets installed by one outstanding electrician.
What would I do different? I started with a smaller one. No, back up. I started with a truck. That didn't cut it. I got a bigger truck. That didnt cut it either. I resigned myself to the idea that I'd have to have a trailer. That one wasn't big enough, and it was overloaded, all the time. So I traded up to this, I figured that much space and capacity, how can you ever fill it? Ummmm. Anyway.
If I had it to do over, I have 2 thoughts. I'd either narrow the niche and be more like an electrician or plumber that can subsist out of a cargo van or just say heck with it, ditch the topper, put a fifth wheel on, and get about a 38 footer with triple axles.
Why the 27 foot matters. Parking. Truck is almost 25. So I'm 52 when I'm hooked up. That doesnt do drive throughs, or most parking lots, unless theres a great big empty area a mile from the doors. It also doesnt do single stall residential driveways; you've got to have at least 2 lanes to back it in. It doesnt do right lane to right lane turns, unless you've got a penchant for collecting fire hydrants and stop signs as mementos.
But the plus side. I, actually, have and use that much stuff. This is monumentally better than before when I always always left something behind and wasted hours and hours in silly little trips that broke concentration, productivity, cost gas, time, etc. The bigger axles ride like a dream compared to trailer #1. That thing, you'd hit a bump and you'd bump six more times. Those were just rubber doughnuts for cushion. This actually has springs. Now I hit a bump, I only hit one. I know. That sounds small. Wait till you pull a bouncer around for months. Its a big deal after that.
Ramp door. Oh my lord how did I ever live without a ramp. All that stuff thats too heavy to be carried, my gosh. IT COMES WITH WHEELS! Oh wow. And I have 20' stage decking, that can go inside, with the door closed. I can haul 16' trim, room to spare. I'm doing a job now that's about 45 miles away. I didnt want to deal with delivery on drywall, so I put it in there. 40 12 footers. On top of everything else. No worries. Well, I didnt get pulled over either, then I'd have worried. But anyway.
Putting those whiz bang flourescents in there was a bright move. I also had a GFI cover put on outside with a male plug, and a handful of outlets. I dont use a generator, but I can take site power and power the trailer and the lights. I like it more now that its done than I thought I would.
Trailers have taught me that they are sentient beings that know, above and beyond all else, when you do not have a jack, four way, and a spare with you. So I carry them.
Full size truck, 7' wide trailer, you can probably survive on sport mirrors. Full size and 8' wide, you have to have the telescoping.
I'd tell you all the things I've done to the truck to make this thing run down the interstate all nice and comfy, but thats a whole nother thread. I'll just throw out one though, if you have enough weight, a pair of Firestone Ride Rite air bags will be the best $200 you ever spent.
Oh, anchoring things down. There is no such thing as too many fasteners. You see the 16 feet of metal shelving on the left side. Picture that all leaned across the thing with all the contents on the floor. Yeah, fasteners good. I dont know if you can make out the track on the floor - e track. 10 bucks holds 7000 lbs. Put your anchor points wherever you want them. I've got strips of it on the wall up at the nose too. Makes strapping heavier items in much easier. And heavy things are sentient too. They like to stand on their head and break parts when you're not looking.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Looks pretty cool. Did you build the trailer yourself? If so where did you get the drawers and or doors?
Designed and built it myself. 3 drawers either side, 2 of which swallow up the chop saw and table saw that you see. Having the box top as an outfeed table to rip 10' material comes in mighty handy darn often. Leaves the tools safe at the job site and truck free for material runs or recreational uses.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
My wheels are burning.... I mean turning. A trailer like that would definately get my chop saw out of my lap when I'm driving.
Looks like I am leaning towards a 7 x 14. Any layout suggestions?
A rear door or a ramp??
Tim
Edited 4/22/2007 8:23 am ET by tkiser
Edited 4/22/2007 8:36 pm ET by tkiser
Mine is a 7x14 AL with barn doors.A shows passenger side with tool shelves.
B shows drivers side with other plastic tool bins full of tool kits and a wall rack with varioushardware ( also shown looking in the side door in C.
Forward in the V prow you see a couple shelves for misc stuff. With the center aisle cleaned I can fit quite a bit of16' long lumber in up to th eprow.I've seen a lot of guys with tool benches and chop saw down one side, drawers under it.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Stop this thread, 3 sets of neat pix in a row!!
You guys are gonna make me go out and build another trailer if you dont stop!
Got 5 trailers out back, but not one is covered, hmmmmmm.....
That was shortly after I set things up. The drivers side now has a taller stck of bins, and there are a few more things here and there....
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
When I looked at trailers, I came to the figuring that a 7x14 or 7x12 would be the perfect comprimise of size/handling.Then, I came across a Wells Cargo trailer at the local auto auction and got it for a great deal... but, it's only a 5x10.I have to say though, that I have that sucker as efficiently organized as can be. Yea, it'd be nice to have one longer or wider or taller, but it's easy to tow, easy to backup, easy to back into a client's driveway and still be able to open the rear ramp door, etc.Can't work in it, but have been able to fit just about every known tool needed for residential remodeling and/or handyman work with room to spare for special needed items.
The sheet goods rack can hold upto 7-8" of 4x8's - it I need more, or if it's filled with offcuts/misc items, than I can slide 4x8 sheets along side of it in the middle of the trailer.These picts were taken last year, it's changed a bit since than as I continue to constantly rethink and repack it.Not sure if I had more room if I'd just make it sloppier, but I know that having such a small one keeps you focused on organization.JT
thats a cool set up. Dont see where you could possibly put anything else in that trailer but everything looks like it has a place!
Doug
Im not that organized. Id have to have twice the trailer for that amount of stuff <G>
Tim
Nice organization! what did you use for the base of your auxiliary table saw fence?
If you are referring to the cross-cut sled that's up against it - that's made out of 1/2 baltic birch plywood.Funny thing is - it's the first cross-cut sled I've ever built, and I was searching the web for plans and dimensions. So I built it exactly as the plans I found suggested, but as soon as I used it a few times, I realized exactly what I would have done differently.For instance, there's no reason to have it centered over the blade. I always cut from the left, so it would have been better to have more sled area on the left than on the right.The other cool thing is - I thought it would only be useful for large cross cut stuff - as it turns out - it's super handy for small items that would otherwise be unsafe for cutting on the tablesaw or miter saw.It allows you to cut down to 3" square blocks easily and safely - anytime you need some precision size spacers or blocks for whatever - it comes in real handy.JT
Thanks for the info! I have been planning to build one for a few weeks and have even cut the base from both 1/2" birch plywoood and from 5/8" particle board. The particle board seemed too heavy and the sealing requirements seem excessive. I was afraid the birch would be too light. I guess I'll go with the birch and save the particle board for router jigs.
gd,
Nice article in JLC about your trailer. Couple of times you have posted pictures and I failed to save them. Now I have a whole article and lots of pictures. Thanks.
Bowz
Your welcome, just wish I could see how the article turned out, haven't received my copy of the new issue yet.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
Sweetest thing I ever had was a 1961 old aluminum bodied Rainbow Bread truck. Took me over a month to wake it up and cost an arm and a leg to keep alive.
I must of backed into everybody in the county before I sold it.
It had 17'2" clear from back closed doors to cowling, 5'-10 1/2" head hieght at center. I could haul 20' lumber over the cowling.
Here's a photo the day I brought it to life, 9 years ago. Sorry for the quality.
sorry, I was thinking of jobsite trailer. Here is my work trailer
View Image
The house itself was not so much. It was smaller than Buckingham Palace, rather gray for California, and probably had fewer windows than the Chrysler Building.
I sneaked over to the side entrance and pressed a bell and somewhere a set of chimes made a deep mellow sound like church bells. A man in a striped vest and gilt buttons opened the door, bowed, took my hat and was through for the day."--
Farewell, My Lovely (Chapter 18)
Spend some time making it hard to steal. Pin through the axle or something to disable it. A guy near me just lost his trailer and tools to a dark, late model SUV. Total value over 60k. Ouch.
Anyone have a good way to protect trailers and their contents?
Saw a trailer the other day that was left overnight at a jobsite that had a cable that went through the chocks and the wheel. Kind of a homemade boot like the traffic cops use.