goose neck into logging trailer

[doc henderson]

got material.  I spoke with the great lakes guy, and he was great, but never got the quote, and with shipping would have been above my self imposed hobby budget.  local fab shop quoted materials and labor at about 500 each, so I paused.  now the steel price is up 30%,so I got the steel and will fab them myself.



 

 

[scsmith42]

Looks like you've got a good start on material.  Are you planning to MIG or stick weld it together?

Is that black box in the background the base of a surgical table?  It reminds me of the ones in my wife's mobile veterinary hospitals, except hers are made from unpainted stainless steel.

[doc henderson]

it is a plate compacter on the pallet, with a wood stove behind it, a pallet jack to the right, and a 55 gallon poly trash can to the left.  we hardly ever do surgery outside.!   :D

[Walnut Beast]

Great 🙄. Steel is up 30 % 😡

[mike_belben]

Nope.  The steel is unchanged.. Its the money watered down 30%.


The same amount of steel will still buy the same amount of lumber or ammo or bobcats.  But all of those real items command more paper money since everyone with a pulse is getting it mailed to them. Stimulus just stimulates inflation. 

[doc henderson]

I will use MIG, Millermatic 250x.  my brother is a class A welder, but he is a ways away.  I do OK.  

[YellowHammer]

You'll do fine.  Remember the key is to cut a pocket hole in the top of the square tubing near the end so the stake stubs pass through the top face hole and are attached at the bottom.  Then they are welded to the inside bottom face, inside top face, then outside top face.  When done like that, Hogzilla couldn't rip them out.  Turn the heat up on the Miller and get full penetration with big, fat fillets.   

[doc henderson]

got started, and nearly done.  need to cap my 4 foot uprights, and fill in the ends of the 4 inch tubing.  add some side support.  paint and ready to try them out.



 

 

 

 

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[Walnut Beast]

Looks fantastic Doc 👍. What model of Hyperthem plasma do you have

[Walnut Beast]

Are you going to fill in the gap on the side of tubing ?

[doc henderson]

85 amp, not sure of the model.  about 10 y/o.  yes the sides will be filled with a side kicker to help them stay upright.  I should have gotten a 1.5 x 3.5 channel.  it would have covered and still fit my stake pockets.  I may make another 2.  if I fill my trailer that full of wood, may not be room for the skid steer.  24k trailer,  net 18k.  multi terrain loader 277c cat about 9k.  so 9k left for wood.  I guess a couple rows of 8 foot logs, I would have room.  I occasionally lift the grapple and put it on top of the logs.  5 foot ramp area.  I can lift and carry one of these bunks without the extension by hand.  I plan to put lift loops on the 4 foot extensions and the whole bunk.  what do you guys think for finish.  I use a lot of the professional rust-o-lium (rattle can) gloss black.  I could get them powder coated.    I have spray equipment, and could do implement paint and primer.  trailer is black.  any ideas on pin stripe  I have seen the paint jars and rollers, as well as the tape.  will place reflective tape.

[doc henderson]

@YellowHammer are those fillets big and fat enough for you? :D  thanks for all the guidance and sharing your ideas and intellectual property!

[YellowHammer]

Those look great!  Very nicely done.  I painted mine with Rustoleum, but powder coat would be nice.

The first time you use them you will be very happy with how rock solid they are.  You won't be breaking them like wooden stakes, that's for sure.  

It took a couple tries to find out where they should be placed to get a maximum load load of logs and still have the trailer sit level.  So I'd move them back and forward and when I found the sweet spot, I took a can of paint and marked the trailer deck so if I had to remove them, I knew exactly where to place them back. However, I almost never remove them. 

I'm going for a long drive empty, to keep them from bouncing,  I just throw a winch strap over them to keep them locked down to the bed. 



 

[Resonator]

The welds look beautiful doc!  
I would use a good tractor brush on paint, then scrapes and scratches could easily be touched up down the road. Check your slip joint fit, and if the paint thickness would affect it.

[mike_belben]

Get some brush on rustoleum or TSC, add a bit of hardener and spray it.  Much, much more durable and looks so much better than rattlecan.   Also faster and cheaper.   

[donbj]

You do good work Doc. Nice welding!

[scsmith42]

Looks great Doc and nice beads with that Miller. 

The stove base is what reminded me of a surgical table. I figured that it was one that had been taken out of service.

[doc henderson]

good point.  they go on and off easy now, so should have room for paint.  I plan to make a steel inverted V on top so I can pull them off if they get stuck.  also maybe a D on the body of the bunk to lift with a loader, and or strap down.  @scsmith42 I do have a few SS stoles with the acme threads that were going to be thrown out.  way back, I got an old incubator from the hospital in Hays from the NICU from storage warehouse, and hatched eggs in it!  I have a fluid and blanket warmer from Fort Riley, I use to dry/cure finish, kiln dry, and can heat treat at 160.  (if project is small enough).

[Oliver05262]

Stay away from powder coat. It's a tough finish, but any nick or scratch is a pathway for moisture to get to the steel underneath, and you will have big blisters of rust underneath the plastic coating. You will have to clean way back to the base metal (sandblast) to have any hope of touch up. Then whatcha gonna use? Did I say I hate powder coat?
I use Rustoleum primer. I like the rusty metal primer on everything and it isn't sinful if that becomes your topcoat, too. If you want a color topcoat, Rustoleum paint is better than Tractor Supply or the other cheap paints, IMHO. Brush it on if you want to.However you apply it (I like to brush it on), it all looks the same goin' down the road.
Just some brain droppings on a Sunday morning.
Take care,
Odie

[doc henderson]

I keep the rust-o-lium gloss black oversized cans on hand.  My BIL works at a plant building truck beds, and he might be able to have it painted for me, with a good implement paint.  any color I want as long as it is black.     then I could touch up with any gloss black.  I am leaning towards the high out put gloss spray cans, as my son likes to spray paint, and it would be a good experience for him.

[doc henderson]

the material is in good shape, on surface rust, should I wipe it with more than just mineral spirits?  I have tried the rust converter stuff in the past.  or is there some acid wash to use?  want a good prep.

[Oliver05262]

I think if you just wipe it down with thinner to remove any oils, you will be OK. Maybe put on a Rustoleum primer coat before you have it sprayed just to add a little extra protection. Up here in the northeast, the salt and chloride use is terrible, and then add in the use of calcium chloride for dust control in the summer, and we wind up with corrosive attack almost all year.
 I think the rusty metal primer must have some form of rust converter in it, but if your steel is really clean, their clean metal primer really surprised me where I used it. Your mileage may vary.

[YellowHammer]

If the tube ever gets stuck on the stub, I simply use a small crowbar I keep in my trailer tool box and place it between the bottom edge of the tube and the crosspiece and give it a little push and the tube pops up and loose with no effort.  Don't drop the heavy tube down onto the fillets of the stubs or they may wedge.  I just slide mine down by hand, until they bottom out.  

I painted mine years ago with the black rustoleum, and the places that see no wear are still covered, the places that see wear are shiny.  Rustoleum kind of likes a light rust anyway, I'd just make sure there isn't any oil in it and spray it down.  

While you are doing the fine welding, it's a simple job to go ahead and weld on some truckers winches onto the frame under the rubrail and you'll have the best rig in the area.  The winches are pretty inexpensive and have twice the power of any ratchet strap and are very fast and strong.  

Here are some weld on winches:

https://www.uscargocontrol.com/Storable-Weld-On-Truck-Tie-Down-Winch

Here are some that slide in a welded on track.

https://www.uscargocontrol.com/Storable-Sliding-Truck-Tie-Down-Winch?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0MD_BRCTARIsADXoopb1X3gbFbx7XUa_nGimnAvN_mchTxhCoTvZj1DyKtQln4fbP_zPqgsaAh_IEALw_wcB

[doc henderson]

did you fill the rails with water to weld those on?  you mentioned it, but not sure if you had to on your PJ?  I had on weld with a fat glob that was flat that kept one upright from going down onto the angled weld.  I ground it off, but if it is a big problem, I can weld a "stop" on each one.  any thought on the cap and grab rings for the uprights?

[doc henderson]

I like the sliding strap concept.  I will go out and stare under my trailer later.  thanks.  I currently use the 27k 2 inch web straps now.