Custom trailer design; who to build?

[Hutch]

I've got a wild hair for a trailer.  Needs to be ~ 6 x 12 or so, two axles, and use the same tires and rims as my 99 F250 Super Duty.  Want it to have brakes, full floor, and removable side rails, Two spare tires, a big tool box, a jack in the front and rear jacks/stabilizers.

Gonna use it to haul my toy tractor and kit.  Probably rig it to allow me to use it as a base for camping, amateur radio field day events, etc.  Likely gonna rig it with a small crane/winch to allow me to load 55g drums.  If I were really crafty, it would be really neat to allow me to put a 20-ft Conex on it, but that's pro'lly out of he question.

Who could and would build such a thing?

[Boomhauer]

A welder.

I also know a company that will build trailers to your specs. Stoll Trailers, in Abbeville, SC. They do excellent work, built us a boat trailer for our 24' shrimp boat and then they galvanized the whole damn thing for salt water use.

I would drop the idea of the container completely.

[RoadKingLarry]

Really wouldn't be all that hard to fab up. couldd probably find detailed plans for something close on the interwebz.
Good straight edge, square, tape measure and level, welder and cut off saw. Axle assemblies are easy to come by with or with out brakes. Get you some channel or tubing and have at it.

[AZRedhawk44]

http://www.ravenspot.blogspot.com/2012/02/teardrop-trailer-build.html

This is the blog of a friend of mine here in AZ that built his own 4x8 teardrop trailer on a whim.  It turned out absolutely beautiful and perfect for his intentions.

He probably wouldn't be open to contract work, but he could probably be contacted to field any construction related questions.  Optical physicist in real life, young fellow, works for a high velocity munitions delivery agency in southern AZ.

[Boomhauer]

Really wouldn't be all that hard to fab up. couldd probably find detailed plans for something close on the interwebz.
Good straight edge, square, tape measure and level, welder and cut off saw. Axle assemblies are easy to come by with or with out brakes. Get you some channel or tubing and have at it.

As long as you have the proper equipment and technique to make sound welds it's a viable option.

[RoadKingLarry]

As long as you have the proper equipment and technique to make sound welds it's a viable option.

You say that like there are people that don't

 

[Fly320s]

As long as you have the proper equipment and technique to make sound welds it's a viable option.

Tomorrow is black Friday.

[lupinus]

You say that like there are people that don't

 

I've seen some SCARY home fab beasts rolling down the road courtesy of the home depot special of the week welder. Anything from scratch to roll down the road, I'd use a fab shop with experience building trailers personally. This isn't anything to crazy sounding so shouldn't be to bad.

As for the container, I wouldn't. Those things are damn heavy for their size and you'd really need a proper chassis for it, which means you need something capable of hooking up and towing such a rig. Boxing in the trailer is going to be a lot more practical then trying to tow around a shipping container.

[Boomhauer]

Tomorrow is black Friday.

The only welders on sale tomorrow that Ive seen are 110v el cheapo Mig rigs which most people will wind up running with flux core because they dont want to be bothered with shielding gas. These welders are best at thin material.

As far as tge container goes, its not only weight but wind resistance.

[lupinus]

The only welders on sale tomorrow that Ive seen are 110v el cheapo Mig rigs which most people will wind up running with flux core because they dont want to be bothered with shielding gas. These welders are best at thin material.

As far as tge container goes, its not only weight but wind resistance.

Flux core sucks. IMO, if one doesn't want to be bothered with shielding gas just go SMAW. Get a variety of electrodes and the average home welder will be very well served.

And true on the wind resistance, but that's the bane of a closed in trailer in general. Some might be more aerodynamic then others but it's still a big rectangle box with rounded edges.

[Boomhauer]

Flux core sucks. IMO, if one doesn't want to be bothered with shielding gas just go SMAW. Get a variety of electrodes and the average home welder will be very well served.

And true on the wind resistance, but that's the bane of a closed in trailer in general. Some might be more aerodynamic then others but it's still a big rectangle box with rounded edges.

Yes but you are a thinking man, Lupinus. Bubba when he goes to Home Depot is going to pick up $120 no-name Mig instead of a decent stick welder like the 220V powered Lincoln AC/DC (def want to go with DC capability) which is gonna run oh, $387 at Home Depot because that's an EXPENSIVE welder to his line of thinking, and welders are welders, after all, I mean the box of the $120 Mig shows a guy welding on a big thick I-beam so it's gotta be just as good as...

[Hawkmoon]

You say that like there are people that don't

Being a Jeeper, I know (and know of) a LOT of people who have a welder ... and who should never be allowed to use one.

[lupinus]

Yes but you are a thinking man, Lupinus. Bubba when he goes to Home Depot is going to pick up $120 no-name Mig instead of a decent stick welder like the 220V powered Lincoln AC/DC (def want to go with DC capability) which is gonna run oh, $387 at Home Depot because that's an EXPENSIVE welder to his line of thinking, and welders are welders, after all, I mean the box of the $120 Mig shows a guy welding on a big thick I-beam so it's gotta be just as good as...

True enough, but I'd still go with an AC stick welder and proper electrode over a cheapy flux core mig unit.

I think most people just buy into the whole shiney wire spool thing, personally.

[Boomhauer]

True enough, but I'd still go with an AC stick welder and proper electrode over a cheapy flux core mig unit.

I think most people just buy into the whole shiney wire spool thing, personally.

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh sssshhhhhiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[lupinus]

Yeah, ya know.

Jewelry, cars, welders, vampires. It's shiney and sparkles I like it!

[never_retreat]

I have a miller matic 251 mig machine and that has done everything for me. And I'm no pro.
I also have a Ltec heliarc hf 250. High frequency tig machine. I suck at tig so I usually just use it for a DC source for stick welding. Has a 370 amp out put on dc if i remember correctly. If you crank it up you can vaporize thin rods.
All I really want now is a plasma cutter.

The millers can be had for a good price if you look around.

[Tallpine]

There is - or was - a custom trailer builder in Billings but I'm guessing that's a little far for you.

You might try the old yeller pages 

[zxcvbob]

True enough, but I'd still go with an AC stick welder and proper electrode over a cheapy flux core mig unit.
I think most people just buy into the whole shiney wire spool thing, personally.

All anybody needs is 1/8" E6011 electrodes.  And practice.

[Tallpine]

All anybody needs is 1/8" E6011 electrodes.  And practice.

Yep    The trouble is now that I am out of practice.

Back in the day ... I bent some pretty big pieces of steel, but my welds didn't break 

[charby]

All anybody needs is 1/8" E6011 electrodes.  And practice.

I like E6018 better.