Horse Trailer Converted To

2006 - Volume #30, Issue #5, Page #38

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Horse Trailer Converted To "Shop On Wheels"

"From the outside, it still looks like a horse trailer. But inside are all the shop tools I need," says a Kansas inventor who converted a used 10 1/2-ft. horse trailer into a "shop on wheels."
  He has a custom business filling in center pivot wheel ruts on alfalfa and grass fields (Vol. 27, No. 3). He takes his shop tool trailer with him wherever he goes. "It's my support vehicle for whenever a machine breaks down or for when I need to do routine jobs like changing a tire," he says. "I often work up to 50 miles from the nearest town with any repair services, so it's important that I'm able to do my own repair work."
  With double doors at the back of the trailer, a side door on front, and an aisle down the middle, all tools are easy to get at. Often, he doesn't even have to go inside the trailer to get what he needs. For example, the toolbox is in back of the trailer so he can grab a tool without having to climb inside.
  He paid $2,200 for the trailer and then spent a lot of time planning where to place each tool.
  "I knew I wanted my 250-amp Miller Bobcat welder at the back so I wouldn't have to go inside to start it or to adjust the dials and so the exhaust could be vented outside. I also built a metal frame on both sides of the trailer and fit all the big stuff into it, like toolboxes and welders, so they wouldn't vibrate too much and fall over."
  The toolbox is on one side of the trailer and has a pair of hinged fold-out working tables on it. The welder is on the other side and has a torch hose reel mounted above it.
  Several "pull-out" features are built into the trailer. By removing a pin, he can slide a 3 1/2-ft. long metal arm out of a hollow tube next to the welder and use the arm to support a vise. A telescoping crane slides out just below the trailer's roof. A Halogen light bar mounted on a hinged center post at the back of the trailer can be swung outside the back end of the trailer and raised 12 1/2 ft. high.
  The front part of the trailer contains a 25 cfm, gas-powered air compressor. "The compressor powers a 1-in. impact wrench that I use to change flat tires on trucks," he says. The front part of the trailer is also used as storage for extra air hoses, lights, extension cords, chop saws, sawzalls, etc. Brackets along both sides of the trailer are used to hang air hoses, etc.
  Other tools inside the trailer include a generator, battery charger, gas engine-powered chop saw, band saw, impact wrenches, electric drills and grinders, end wrenches, socket wrenches.

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Horse Trailer Converted To Shop On Wheels LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules From the outside it still looks like a horse trailer But inside are all the shop tools I need says a Kansas inventor who converted a used 10 1/2-ft horse trailer into a shop on wheels He has a custom business filling in center pivot wheel ruts on alfalfa and grass fields Vol 27 No 3 He takes his shop tool trailer with him wherever he goes It s my support vehicle for whenever a machine breaks down or for when I need to do routine jobs like changing a tire he says I often work up to 50 miles from the nearest town with any repair services so it s important that I m able to do my own repair work With double doors at the back of the trailer a side door on front and an aisle down the middle all tools are easy to get at Often he doesn t even have to go inside the trailer to get what he needs For example the toolbox is in back of the trailer so he can grab a tool without having to climb inside He paid $2 200 for the trailer and then spent a lot of time planning where to place each tool I knew I wanted my 250-amp Miller Bobcat welder at the back so I wouldn t have to go inside to start it or to adjust the dials and so the exhaust could be vented outside I also built a metal frame on both sides of the trailer and fit all the big stuff into it like toolboxes and welders so they wouldn t vibrate too much and fall over The toolbox is on one side of the trailer and has a pair of hinged fold-out working tables on it The welder is on the other side and has a torch hose reel mounted above it Several pull-out features are built into the trailer By removing a pin he can slide a 3 1/2-ft long metal arm out of a hollow tube next to the welder and use the arm to support a vise A telescoping crane slides out just below the trailer s roof A Halogen light bar mounted on a hinged center post at the back of the trailer can be swung outside the back end of the trailer and raised 12 1/2 ft high The front part of the trailer contains a 25 cfm gas-powered air compressor The compressor powers a 1-in impact wrench that I use to change flat tires on trucks he says The front part of the trailer is also used as storage for extra air hoses lights extension cords chop saws sawzalls etc Brackets along both sides of the trailer are used to hang air hoses etc Other tools inside the trailer include a generator battery charger gas engine-powered chop saw band saw impact wrenches electric drills and grinders end wrenches socket wrenches

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