Van fitout as mobile workshop - what tools required, how to best approach this?

[mugget]

Hi all,

It looks like I will be making bit of career change, basically requiring a van that is fitted out as a mobile mini-workshop. Seeing as how I've always been keen on learning about metalwork I figure this is the perfect opportunity, now or never. So why not do the fitout myself?! Aside from actually wanting to do it, there's the monetary benefits (or restrictions). I can't imagine this kind of fitout would be cheap if done by an engineering shop, so anything I can do myself while learning new skills is like a double bonus.

Some requirements of the fitout:

workbench
cupboards & racking for general storage
most likely various custom racks/holders for specific gear
tie down points for larger items
ramp for loading/unloading


Aside from some fairly straightforward cutting & welding, there may be a need for some custom brackets - for example I may attach gas struts to a folding ramp for easy lowering. Would likely need brackets to bolt down all the shelving, workbench etc.

Without knowing exact layout details I just thought I would try to get an idea of how this would best all come together? For example can I cut the materials myself, or would it save a world of trouble if I just get the suppliers to cut things to length? For any brackets or other machined parts I'm thinking I would just go to a shop and get the parts made.

I have a welder (MIG/TIG) but nothing else that specifically metalwork related. I'm just wondering if there are any tools that could make this kind of job a lot easier? Or do you think the best approach would be to just stick to welding, and get someone else to do cutting and fabricating the various brackets and machined pieces?

Cheers for any tips & guidance!

[.RC.]

Well a small drill press would be a start....

vice

quiet generator to run the above fitted somewhere where it will not gas you..

[BobL]

Mobile workshop - sure - but used to do what? would be the first question that would need answering.

[nearnexus]

I'd get a quote from an established company and see how they would attach the shelving. Probably bolts/screws onto the internal ribs.

Then do it myself :)

Check out a few plumbers vans in the Reece parking lot. Maybe a traytop ute with roller door work cabinets would be a better go. Tray makes great work bench.

Depends what you are going to do or want to carry. Fit a vise too.

Also handy to fit a 240 ac inverter - 600 watt is OK from standard battery, or fit a secondary deep cycle/marine battery if going larger.


Rob

[Steamwhisperer]

Brace yourself Mugget. I bought an 8' x 5' tandem and built the canopy myself.
I used it everyday for 7 years and rarely, if ever, found something I didn't have a tool for.
I have some pics somewhere that I'll dig up and post. All up there is $32,000 worth of equipment on board.

Phil

[Steamwhisperer]

Here are the pics.
The main ingredients were a 200 amp welder with a 6000watt 7KVA generator, Oxy LP set, slide out work bench and slide out pedestal drill.
I used the retractable reels for the airline and oxy hoses.
I have a full inventory of the contents if that would help. :D

Phil
275920 275921 275922 275923 275924 275925 275926

[nearnexus]

Great setup. What was the all up weight of the trailer ?

Rob

[Steamwhisperer]

Hi Rob,
She was just a little shy of 1500 kg

Phil

[chambezio]

Mate......I think the first thing to aim at is what are you going to do? Are you going to fabricate, or maintenance or.....With that in mind you can then figure out what tools you need. If you don't I think you will be fumbling in the dark! Have you worked out your hourly rate? Where are you going to find work? Is it a constant or will it sporadic? Have you figured out what insurances and licenses you will require? You are embarking on a huge step which could turn nasty if you are not prepared. You will need a good accountant as much as you will need a good welding machine. A close relationship with an accountant can mean the difference between eating steak or cold baked beans. Do your homework first and be thorough. Good luck

[Steamwhisperer]

Mate......I think the first thing to aim at is what are you going to do? Are you going to fabricate, or maintenance or.....With that in mind you can then figure out what tools you need. If you don't I think you will be fumbling in the dark! Have you worked out your hourly rate? Where are you going to find work? Is it a constant or will it sporadic? Have you figured out what insurances and licenses you will require? You are embarking on a huge step which could turn nasty if you are not prepared. You will need a good accountant as much as you will need a good welding machine. A close relationship with an accountant can mean the difference between eating steak or cold baked beans. Do your homework first and be thorough. Good luck

Oops, I just assumed all that had been sorted.

Phil

[mugget]

Cheers for the replies. :2tsup:

Sorry, I should have worded the thread title a little better - as far as tools, I'm just talking about tools for the actual fitout, building the shelves, benches etc.

For anyone curious about what I'll be doing - basically lawn mowing/garden maintenance. I know what you're thinking, a mobile workshop just for that?? Just throw a lawn mower in the back of a trailer or ute, "she'llberightmate"! :hahaha:
Well a friend has been doing this for about 20 years, he's just about got it down to a science. Haha. Basically all the guys with the bare essentials (1 mower in a trailer/ute) are making it so hard for themselves. So following the lead of my mowing guru mate I'm going to start building up to have a similar setup as him. Although he has a trailer, only because he doesn't want the cost of a 2nd vehicle (van) since he already has a car. I don't have a car (only bikes) and have always planned on getting a van so this works out fairly well! So as far as the van fitout, it will basically cater to small engine repairs and other work on mowers, whipper snipper, maybe chainsaw etc. But if I'm honest it's really going to be setup so I can do work on a bike if needed at a track day etc. (In pretty much everything I do, the reason has to do with motorbikes!)


I'd get a quote from an established company and see how they would attach the shelving. Probably bolts/screws onto the internal ribs.

Then do it myself :)


Haha, cheers Rob. Yeah if I can't figure out something myself I will be doing just that...

Syncro (http://www.syncro.net.au/) seems to have some fairly great stuff, but no doubt costs a packet!

On that note - does anyone know of other companies that specialise in those kinds of van shelving & fitouts?


Brace yourself Mugget. I bought an 8' x 5' tandem and built the canopy myself.
I used it everyday for 7 years and rarely, if ever, found something I didn't have a tool for.
I have some pics somewhere that I'll dig up and post. All up there is $32,000 worth of equipment on board.

Phil

Nice one Phil. My mate has a similar setup, a bit smaller trailer, but he reckons all the mods and tools, equipment etc. are worth about $30k. He had a roof added so he can stand up inside, the tail gate is the ramp and he had a workbench with a small sink installed, cost $3k just for that (and that would have been maybe 10+ years ago).

On the subject of your trailer - how did you go about insuring all your gear?

There's lots that will go into this, eventually I will have it fitted out with solar & batteries, LED lighting inside, plus some kind of compressor and air blower. The floor will also have to be waterproof, grippy, without letting water down onto the van floor/chassis, but that is a whole other topic...

At the moment it's building the actual shelves, cupboards & benches that I'm wondering about. It seems like the most simple way is to do up a plan and get the suppliers to cut all the materials to length, then I just make them up and install? I was just wondering if there's any tools in particular that could make life easier since I don't know much about metalwork. Although somehow I'm thinking that anything aside from basic cutting and grinding is best left to an engineering shop.

One other thing is the choice of aluminium or steel? I'm thinking aluminium would be ideal because it wouldn't need any special finish and would be fine if any water was splashed around. And it's always good to haul less weight around. I can easily see steel being a pain if it gets bumped and scratched, but maybe a bit of surface rust is nothing to be worried about?

I will eventually head over to the Motor Vehicles forum to find out about van recommendations... thanks for all the comments so far!

[Steamwhisperer]

Hi mugget,
Insurance I had was for fire, theft and rollover. As per usual it was never used although there were a couple of attempts to steal it.

Phil

[nearnexus]

Hi mugget,
Insurance I had was for fire, theft and rollover. As per usual it was never used although there were a couple of attempts to steal it.

Phil

Going the trailer route saves a lot on rego.

A van or ute/traytop will be charged at commercial vehicle rate, which is quite a bit over a sedan or waggon.

Rob

[rodweb]

Try these guys.

Van Shelving & Accessories - Ute Canopies | Caddy Storage (http://www.caddystorage.com.au/)

[mugget]

I just looked up a rego quote, not so bad actually... about ~$100-150 difference from a passenger car to light commercial/van with 1,800kg GVM. Not sure if I got the GVM right though, not sure how much that changes the price either... in any case if I wanted to go the trailer route, first I would have to buy a car... :wink: :p
(But I guess you were talking trailer Vs. van rego Rob?)

Cheers for the Caddy Storage link. :thyel:

[shedhappens]

"For anyone curious about what I'll be doing - basically lawn mowing/garden maintenance."

During the grass growing session if you are doing domestic lawns, you would fill a 5 X 7 trailer each day with grass cuttings as most people want them taken away.
Tree pruning's also need to be removed and the list goes on, you will need a trailer and there is no way of avoiding it if you want to get work in this field.
I have worked in 3 mower shops and have also owned a mower shop, a big proportion of my work was for mowing contractors, ranging from the old guy type that had a victa push mower and a ryobi whipper schnaper to the more commercial mowing mobs that used large equipment, they all had trailers or tray trucks, the contractors that had a van also had a trailer.
You won't get much of a ride on mower in the back of a van.

go big, get gov tenders, buy new, use the banks doe, get your chemical applicators license, good luck :2tsup:

[mugget]

You're right about the clippings, I also heard of a guy who bought a 3.5t truck when he started out, just so he could carry more clippings - and he was domestic only! Taking clippings to the dump... what a drag!

But that's the secret - there won't even be any lawn clippings to cart away. :wink:
I haven't gone into the details yet, but I believe it's a commercial mulcher mower that my mate uses (may be an old model that he just keeps running), and it completely pulverises the grass and has something like an extra set of fan blades that forces the dust back into the lawn - there's no visible clippings to clean up! I believe it doesn't even have an option for a catcher. It must work fairly well because he keeps mowing in the rain as well, wet lawn doesn't affect it's operation.

The plan I'm going with is to just keep it small, domestic only. Working by myself I will stay under the GST threshold so my rates will be competitive.

But good to know there's someone here who knows about all that kind of mowing gear. :thumbsup: