Current side projects

[jatt]

Hello all,

Just about finished building a horse float, esentially a glorified removal trailer really. The rounded front & top made for some serious head scratching, but I'm almost there.

The other is a custom boat trailer with a fold out camper on top. Not big on having to drag / lift a boat & outboard motor around when out camping. Simply back to /close to the water, depending on the river bank of course & roll the boat off into the water.

The camper part simply rolls off the side as per most on the market. Like to get set up & fishing ASAP when I get to a camp site. .

[jatt]

Thought I would wait & see if anyone was interested before I went crazy & put on a more comprehensive description. Sorry but I seem to use a combo of metric & imperial in desciptions.

The boat trailer is built on a "basic" box trailer chassis. The original boat trailer has seen better days (rusty was an understatement). The new one is wider than the average trailer for a tinny its size cause I needed space for the uprights that support the camper bed base. The only thing worth salvaging was the axle, so I stole it. Standard Ford pattern stubs.

The A frame is set up as per the average boat trailer. I cheated & picked up brand new guards. They were going a lot cheaper at the time than the square ones. Not sure if I have actual build pics for it. Will have to go back thru achives & camera to see what I have there. Stay tuned for build photos of horse float.

The camper bed base is on gas struts in order to access the inside of the boat. As one can appreciate there's a fair bit of weight in 18 mm form ply + the steel work to support it. Hinges for bed are standard tailgate, same as drop side ute. Piece is , buy em then weld on to uprights. Put gussets on to uprights for support.

Camper cover unzips from the back. One single, continuous zip around the circumference. Used heavy duty PVC for the cover. Has 3 tie down straps per side to help stop "flapping" of cover during transit.

Actual camper unfolds off side of trailer. Uses internal bows that pivit from a central support on bed base to provide a framework for tent once set up. Actual Bed is a queen size mattress and sits directly on top of base.

The camper floor is made from the same PVC and is velcroed to the walls, with allowance made for a lip to help keep water out. The advantage here is if any repair work needs to be done to the floor or tent bit, simply remove it. This is a big labour & $ saver down the track.

From memory the camper folds out 14 ft. It also has a zip on awning & walls.
The cover for the actual boat is made from rip stop canvas. Similar stuff to some truck tarps one will see around. If u happen to get a tear in it there's no worries about it schredding as there is an extra weave woven into the fabric about every 20 mm apart.
If u are gunna get a tarp made its worth spending the extra & use this stuff.

Horse float. Chassis rails are made from 2 x (25 x 50) tube sections laminated together. Thru the centre & in parallel with the rails is a 50 x 50 tube. Cross members are a combination of 25 x 50 and 25 x 25 spread out at even intervals.

Across the back is a 75 x 50 section that extends past the main chassis, about width of the guards. This supports the ramp and provides a mounting point for the reinforcing bar that helps support the walls.

ramp frame was built from 25 x 50 , with a spring welded below the rear cross member to help raise & lower the ramp. Ramp has 18 mm form ply & rubber sheeting on top.

Inside is hardwood flooring I lifted from a mates demo site. On top of this is form ply as is the side walls up to waist height. Once finished there will be rubber sheet lining the floor & lower walls.

Walls frames are 50 x 50 for uprights, 25 x 50 for horizontal supports. 3 per side (top, middle, bottom). Front is 25 x 25 bent across the 1650 mm span of chassis, 3 again t.m.b. Had made up using a ring bender. Front window is perspex bent around frame.

Roof has 3 bows, bent as per standard float. Fibreglass roof, externally sourced.
Float is higher that what's considered standard and longer.

A frame is 100 x 50. 8 mm plate welded across top for tow hitch.

Whole thing is clad with signboard white. Single door on passenger side.

2 x Heavy duty drop axles the front runs electric brakes, 7 leaf slipper springs.

Designed to carry 2 x trotting horses + gear. Brackets for sulky on back ramp.

Think I have covered everything, just glad I'm not towing it. Much heavier than my tandem box trailer.

[Yonnee]

A mate of mine bought a horse float.

Thought it was pretty cheap for $800.00...

Guess which silly mug volunteered to help him rebuild it pretty much from the ground up . All we ended up using from the old float was the roof.

And wasn't it fun trying to build something from the ground up, that had to line up from the top down.

[Yonnee]

Oh, a question... Round front, or sectioned triangles?

We cheated a little. You can buy ready-made 1/2 round hoops from the bigger float manufacturers, just had to specify the width of the float. Much easier than trying to bend the curve ourselves (and getting it consistant).

[jatt]

Yeah I know, gotta get some pics sorted & uploaded.

To answer the question, went for rounded front and roof. Allowed enuf extra in the side walls to put the access door. Didnt have to worry about it being in the curved section at the front of the float.

The 25 x 25 section we had rolled for the front & roof bows fitted with very few probs.

Had more probs fitting the fibreglass roof, lots of ropes involved to keep it in place without creasing it.

[prozac]

Hi Jason, great to see that you have started posting already! Microsoft have a good program to size your photos ready for uploading. It's free from their website and is from their "toolbox" or some such thing. Called Resize? Sorry if I am a bit vague but I have just built a new computer and well, new harddrives etc, I just haven't loaded all my links on yet.

[jatt]

bare with me there, I will get my act sorted out, eventually.....

Anyway here is some photos of what has been keeping me busy

Yeah was too lazy to unfold the camper off the boat, however the one that is pictured off the side of the standard trailer is virtually identical. Hopefully my fotos work.

[BobL]

bare with me there, I will get my act sorted out, eventually.....

Anyway here is some photos of what has been keeping me busy .

Crikey - is that an invitation for all of us to all take our clothes off but you're posting pictures of you first!

[jatt]

Was told writeups on my current efforts are no good without photos. It was not me trying to boast.

The fold out camper (canvas) part is made where I work. All I need to do is build the trailer & bed base. My only contribution to making the canvas part is cutting out the peices ready for sewing.

Attaching the finished canvas work is fairly staight forward.

[Yonnee]

Looks good jatt.

Was told writeups on my current efforts are no good without photos.

Just a friendly jibe mate. Wanted to see what you'd done, not whether you'd done it.

How did you put the photos up, as I can't seem to enlarge them?


I think Bob's reference to getting his gear off was on the "bare with me", as opposed to 'bear with me'...


Hmmmm... So... you work at a camper top manufacturer...??? Get many that "fall off the back of a truck"?? Factroy seconds??

No, seriously. What quality canvas do you use? What configurations are their room outlays? I want to build myself one (another future long-term project) and I can do the trailer with my eyes shut, but the top's another matter.
PM me if you like.

Yonnee.

[Yonnee]

Oh, and aboard by the way.

[BobL]

Sorry Jatt, BTW I meant to say nice work on those projects!

[Grahame Collins]

You can buy ready-made 1/2 round hoops from the bigger float manufacturers, just had to specify the width of the float. Much easier than trying to bend the curve ourselves (and getting it consistant).

Hi
Thank God for progress.I can well remember bending 75 x 40 Channel section with an instrument of torture called the Jim Crow.
1 only, frame is bad enough but the foreman and manager decided we would do 4 at a time. I hope there is a place reserved down below for that pair.
Yes! I like the like the multi purpose function of your trailer.

Cheers
Grahame

[jatt]

To answer some of the questions I apologise in advance for sounding like a salesman.

Usually the campers are made upon order by the customer. The one (demonstator) that is shown assembled actually belongs to the boss, its got a few extras like a basic "home made" kitchen that is bolted to the rear tailgate. Tailgate swings out like a gate. Has water tank, battery box with power connected up to main vehicle battery, electric water pump for kitchen tap. Normally those extras aren't included, however if the customer specifies them then I'm sure the boss will direct me to fit em up.

This one also has an extra room that attaches to the other side with zips.

Room configurations. Normally there is a choice of 12 & 14 foot in the actual tent part. That's the entire measurement from one end to the other when unfolded. This is normally set up as one room, however a divider could easily be put up in between as there is provision in the material that holds one of the roof bows to attach it. An awning can be zipped on outside which spans the entire 12/14 foot. From there walls can be zipped on to the awning, which naturally turns it into an annex.

Canvas used. Ok for the roof a 12 ounce canvas is used. Walls are 8 ounce. The stuff that's used is waterproofed & of a good quality. The floor & cover are a heavy duty PVC. As for the stitching well I know it survives well cause my touneau cover is sewn with it, and has lasted quite well out in the weather now for about 4 years. Over time I have seen the bosses staffy terriers tug o war, chew etc.. the PVC and canvas & it holds up quite nicely. Call it "lab" testing.

There is always the option of building your own trailer. Hey why not keep some of the funds in your own pocket. Not to mention building it exactly the way u want. All I can say is keep in mind how u are gonna keep the water out of the tent bit (seal it). Seen some fantastic looking trailers come in, but in some cases, little thought has been given to the tent part. Yes custom jobs can be accomodated, however one offs do take longer cause things like roof pitch etc.. need to be calculated to suit a particular design. The company builds its off the shelf bed bases to a certain size. If u stick to that, then it is much quicker and easier as the templates and calcs are already done. This bed base will suit a 6x4 and 7x5 trailer no problem.

I have used the company produced bed base & put it on a customers trailer on several occasions. At times a customer will have their trailer setup so the whole bed base lifts up to access inside the trailer. If u are gunna use gas stuts, pay particular care to their placement, otherwise they might not work too well.

The pictures I posted. Ok I reduced the pixel size in the pentax camera program that comes with the camera to 98 x 98 so they would'nt take up too much space when uploading. Will look the suggestion that was made to me in a prior about resizing pics thru a windows program.

[jatt]

Yonnee this is the Website for company I work for:

www.lockwoodcanvas.com.au

Website doesnt have much info, but one can email the boss from there using the outlook popup. Better that I let him give u any further info than to go into further details myself. Better finish now & spend time with the missus.