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Thread: WIP - Trailer

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,462

    Default WIP - Trailer

    Started making a new box trailer for my dad yesterday and I thought I would keep a photo diary of the progress. The trailer will be 7' x 4' ( or 2.1m x 1.2m) and the sides 300mm deep. Dad's old trailer is the same size and he had no problems with it so the new one is the same size. ( I'm getting the old BTW ) The RHS is 35x35x3mm and the drawbar is 65x35x2.5mm. All going well, on Tuesday when I go back I will have the suspension finished, axle and wheels on and hopefully the sides welded on (all with a 28 yr old stick welder, works brilliantly!).

    Oh, yes the trailer is upside down at the moment.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
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    Default Day 2

    Spent part of another day on the trailer. Finished the slippers for the springs first up and then fitted the sides and welded the RHS into the front corners. I would've had the axle mounted but the order was stuffed up and hopefully will be rectified before I go back on Thursday.

    I have to say if it can be avoided, don't weld 1.6mm plate with a stick welder. It takes a lot of concentration to make sure you don't melt the plate away.

    More piccy's on Thursday night hopefully!
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Griffith NSW
    Age
    58
    Posts
    137

    Default

    trailers looking good. are you going to paint the underside or tar it?
    you can arc weld 1.6mm plate but cant do any long runs its more like a spot weld which you keep adding to, takes forever though. much easier with mig or tig
    you never stop learning, till the day they shovel dirt on your face

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,462

    Default

    The whole trailer will be sprayed with rustkill coldgal first, then a coat of colour (yet to be decided).
    Weldind 1.6mm plate can be done in long runs (did it today) just have to concentrate and watch the amperage and arc length.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Seaton, South Australia
    Posts
    32

    Default Trailer Sides

    Hey, "Butcherman",
    Did you have the sides of the trailer formed up at a sheetmetal workshop?, or can you buy that profile, "off the shelf", say from stratco or a trailer manufacturer?
    Regards,
    Gary.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,462

    Default

    I had the sides made to order at a local firm that specialeze in building ute trays. I think they only cost around $200 for the sides and the floorplate but that was about 4 years ago to. (Takes a while to get anything done with dad! )
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Posts
    3,466

    Default Check out regs please

    Just so you know the Qld trailer regs are in the link below.

    I tried to copy and paste part of a PDF docs ,but it would not work. I would not like you to get any suprises when you try to register the new one.






    http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/FORMSDAT.NSF/c6c94a7bb4957a0a4a256f710019a6ff/8f5d6eea0a5d0e0b4a256a330010a07c/$FILE

    Cheers
    Grahame

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Posts
    3,466

    Default National guidelines for building trailers

    Woodbutcher,
    Found this just a few mins ago.

    http://www.dotars.gov.au/transreg/vsb/PDF/vsb_01.pdf


    happy trailering

    Grahame

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
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    Warwick, QLD
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    Default

    Thanks, already have a copy. Besides the design is a exact replica of a national brand of trailer so if the new one doesn't pass then there are thousands of trailers that also don't meet the standard
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
    Posts
    3,462

    Default Finished - well almost.

    Spent another day today on the trailer. Dragged the trailer outside and flipped it over to fit the axle and the floor. The floor is only stitch welded on from underneath. Back up the right way to finish welding on the tie rails, rear corner plates and the tail gate.
    Unfortunately that is as far as I go with the trailer. Uni starts again next week so my free time will be diminished. Dad is hoping to paint it himself in the next couple of weeks, so I hope I can get a photo of the fully finished trailer.
    It was a interesting experience, but I don't know if I would do it again.

    Photo 1. Upside down putting the floor and axle on.
    Photo 2 & 3. The new trailer and the now my trailer.
    Photo 4 & 5. Front and rear shots of the new trailer.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay Qld
    Posts
    3,466

    Default Must Have Mig Welder People Read This

    Please note WB has achieved this outcome with a 28 yr old stick weld welder.For a first time trailer fabricator he has done an excellent job and should be commended for it.Greenie on the way WB.

    Migs are mainly mechanical and those mechanical items are the bits that wear and fail and get hard to replace when old. The stick welder is versatile, ultra reliable and economical to purchase and to run.

    Those with the idea that the mig consumables ( the wire,the gas, the nozzle , the liner, the gas shroud and the insulator ) are less expensive than a packet of stick electrodes are having a problem with their maths.

    A false expectation can be held by those hoping that using a mig will be a cure all for their percieved welding problems.
    Folks, its a high volume machine and if you have the work for it it is cost effective. Ninety nine percent of all my welding is stick welding yet,I have easy acess to a mig. Its not a flame or criticism but an attempt to correct what seems to be a popular misconception about mig welding machines.

    If I have missed out on offending you, please form an oderly line to the left.
    Grahame

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    geelong
    Posts
    123

    Default

    Hi all. Any idea how much a trailer like this would cost to build and how much you could sell it for. I know WB did it for his dad but if you were looking to sell them is there much profit in it ?

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
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    Default

    Mako,
    All up this tralier has probably cost around $650 in parts not including the time taken to assemble and paint. That figure doesn't include the wheels, electricals and paint. These we had already.
    If you were to make these for a profit I reckon you would need a good mig, cut off saw, grinders etc. We had a sheet metal works fold up the sides and guards, but since the ownder and dad have been good mates for around 15 yrs, we got them at a really good price (materials + carton XXXX).
    I think that Nathan trailers (similar design to this one was based on) sell these for around $1100.

    There could be money in it, but I would advise to scope out possible markets first and research costs. I worked in fabrication so I knew what I was doing and had access to all the tools I needed. Also consider, do you want to make a good trailer with a chassis that is strong or a cheaper trailer with no real chassis that is good for light stuff only.
    Good Luck and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.
    Have a nice day - Cheers

  15. #14
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Turramurra, NSW
    Posts
    2,267

    Default

    WB

    Welding thin steel with a stick welder is a real PITA.

    Some advice from Graeme really works. What I always try and do (sometimes its not possible) is to clamp on a big lump of steel to act as a heat sink. Works like a dream - no more burn thrus

    Incidentally, are 1.5mm sticks available anymore?
    Bodgy
    "Is it not enough simply to be able to appreciate the beauty of the garden without it being necessary to believe that there are faeries at the bottom of it? " Douglas Adams

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Warwick, QLD
    Age
    45
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    3,462

    Default

    Yeah its a pain in the asre, but the old boy was too tight to buy a new mig . I don't know if you can get 1.5mm rods anymore but for the record I used 2.5mm rods on the trailer. Bit of a challenge but once I got the amperage set right I found welding the 1.6mm sides to 2mm thick RHS moderately easy. I would still prefer a MIG
    Have a nice day - Cheers

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