Kiosk trailer started

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Well, after all the input and feedback on my kiosk trailer from you guys, I got started today.  Outside frame is tacked.  Cross members are cut and in place.  Next step is to grind everything to get them nice and shiny so I can weld them all in.Hope to get to work on it again tomorrow.
Reply:Looks like a good start!
Reply:Make sure to close/wrap the corners with your welds to keep moisture out of the tubing.Strictly up to you, but I've found that starting in the middle, fully welding each crossmember on the vertical surface, and working your way out to the ends, makes for a reasonably straight weldup.  Finish with the short welds top and bottom in the same sequence.  I used to weld on the diagonals, but find it's more prone to warping in weird ways.  Same with skipping around all over the place.  I like to simply equalize heat on opposite sides of the structure nowdays.If you have the available long scrap, etc. , a strongback clamped to the outside of the long rails goes a long way to keeping everything nice and straight.When mounting your spring hangers, make sure to pad the tubing at these points.  It spreads the stress, and keeps the tubing wall from bending.  Not a must-do on heavy walled tubing, but a very good idea on thin walled tubing."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Gawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I remember the days when I had to run the chopsaw on my knees on the floor.  I don't believe my joints would take it nowdays."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Got the frame welded up last night.  Crawling around on my knees is about to kill me!Here's one of the corner joints after grinding.  One side is going to have a piece of galvanized sheet attached to it for the floor inside the kiosk.  I ground the welds on that side down so it would lie flat.  Haven't decided if I am going to try and weld the sheet down or rivet it.  Since I am running flux, I'll probably rivet.  Too dang hard not to blow through thin stuff Here's an overall picture.Next step is to get it up on some jack stands (for my back) and put the removable tongue on.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammGawd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I remember the days when I had to run the chopsaw on my knees on the floor.  I don't believe my joints would take it nowdays.
Reply:When mounting your spring hangers, make sure to pad the tubing at these points.  It spreads the stress, and keeps the tubing wall from bending.  Not a must-do on heavy walled tubing, but a very good idea on thin walled tubing.
Reply:Originally Posted by wicrulesI'm not that old yet (in my opinion), but crawling around on my knees is about to kill me!
Reply:Originally Posted by wicrulesI'm using 3/16 material.  Should I still put pads on?
Reply:Got the removable tongue welded up last night.  Receivers are on the frame and the coupler is attached.  After looking at it last night, I think I am going to weld some angle between the receivers to act as a track for the tongue to ride on when inserting/removing.  Even turned upside down, it was a little tricky to get the tongue in the back receiver due to the play between the tongue and receivers.  I think the tracks will help with that, especially when I'm doing it blind.  I'm going to weld some angle to the cross pieces and the receivers when I turn the trailer right-side up just to reinforce things some.  Also going to run some angle from the front receiver back to the second cross member like in the picture.
Reply:Originally Posted by wicrules  Even turned upside down, it was a little tricky to get the tongue in the back receiver due to the play between the tongue and receivers.
Reply:Do you have a sketch of what it's supposed to look like? I'm having trouble visualizing it.
Reply:Originally Posted by wicrulesI'm using 3/16 material.  Should I still put pads on?
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauThat was part of the reason I mentioned making it a retractable tongue rather than removable, in the other thread you started, asking about making it removable. Still not too late to make it retractable, where you pull the pins and push it back in under the trailer for the event then pull it out and pin it for transport. Lot's easier to just push it in or pull it out, than it is to totally remove it and then have to reinsert it each time. Not to mention having to find a place to store it out of the way when not in use and no chance of losing it either with it in the receiver hitch tubing under the trailer.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammIt depends on whether the hangers are wide enough to extend to the shoulders of the tubing.  The idea is to carry the load with the shoulders of the tubing, not the center.Where something can't carry the load on the shoulders, then the padding is needed as here.I have a hay trailer that has hangers wider (I believe) than the tubing, but the tubing is 1/4" wall.  The hangers aren't braced/reinforced in any way, but it's held up well for over a decade.  I'll get a pic later.  The hanger tabs are close enough to the shoulders to carry the load into the shoulders.
Reply:To make it easier grind the edges of both tubes at an angle so they work like a funnel to guide the tongue in the rear reciever. Your idea of a guide should help a lot too. For this small of a trailer I'm not sure those angled braces are going to be neccessary, but they won't hurt anything either. I would want to see that front reciever tied to the tube better tho, I would put a triangle gusset on each side to make sure it doesn't get torn off from side forces.Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Originally Posted by welderjI would put a triangle gusset on each side to make sure it doesn't get torn off from side forces.
Reply:Originally Posted by teh603Do you have a sketch of what it's supposed to look like? I'm having trouble visualizing it.
Reply:Got a little more work done on the trailer.  Put some gussets on the receiver tubes and brackets for the brake lights.  Also got some conduit straps on for running brake wires through, but they aren't in the picture.  Also located a local place to order my axle from.  Plan on ordering it Monday.  It will run $165.  That includes the custom axle, springs and hangers.  Sound reasonable to you guys?I'm thinking about putting an angled piece back to the trailer frame just to stiffen these brackets up a little.
Reply:Sounds like a decent price.I pay 165 for an idler axle.  Axle, hubs, springs, u-boltsAnd 265 for a brake axle.  Axle, hubs, brakes, springs, u-bolts.All are FOB Oklahoma City, in stock every day.  Dexter brand (Although I prefer Rockwell American)I have to pay extra for the hanger kit, usually about $35 for tandem 7K"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Finally!  Got some more work done on the trailer.  My son has been in the hospital and that has obviously taken priority!Axle and fenders are on.  Primed and ready for paint.  The fenders are shiny because the primer is still wet.Next step is to paint the frame, put the bottom in and mock up the display using boxes.Later!
Reply:lookin good