Production jig for 7x5 simple trailer? Time to make?

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Hey, has anyone got any photos of factory's and how they make trailers in a production environment.  And how long does it take to make a standard 7x5 single axle trailer?
Reply:Why do you Ask? Are you going into production?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:It is an interesting question.I would bet the weld-out of the trailer is amazingly fast.But, the welder's speed depends greatly upon the accuracy of those upstream, who are doing all of the burning, forming, stamping, shearing, notching, etc., etc.Hobart Beta-Mig 2511972 Miller AEAD-200LEMiller 250 TwinNorthern Ind. Hybrid 200Longevity Stick 140Longevity Migweld 200SThermal Arc Pak 3XR
Reply:I know a trailer place that has an adjustable jig for tacking the common size trailers but the bigger goosenecks and custom trailers are built from scratch. If you make a jig, it has to be accurate and square. How long it takes to make a trailer is a loaded question. In a properly set up shop, they could spit one out in less than a day, probably 2 or 3 a day depending. Someone else might take a week or more.The other way to build multiples of something is to make the first frame as square and accurate as possible and use it as a template/jig and lay the pieces for the next one on top to tack them together. I've built lots of frames and skids like this.Last edited by Welder Dave; 03-29-2015 at 12:20 PM.
Reply:There's a place by a canal up by me that builds landscape trailers.  Their shop is just large enough to fit the tools.  When I ride by, I'll see them building them up on saw horses and jack stands in the dirt lot out front.If you're making multiples, like Welder Dave mentioned, a lot of times one can use the first as a frame to clamp the others on, provided enough time was spent on it where tolerance stacking won't be an issue.  When you're not worried about accuracy beyond a tape measure.  You can work pretty quickly.  Jigs and fixtures cost money, even if made yourself from scrap but more importantly, they take up a lot of space.  Any revision in design and they're either garbage or have to be modified.  Many of the smaller trailer companies are working on a tight budget, otherwise they'd be able to afford better welders.  From what I hear, I think the majority of trailer manufacturers are closer to the carriage building side of things than the Henry Ford model T side, excepting a few of the big names.Regardless of why the original poster wants to see pictures.  I bet a lot of people would want to see too.  I have on an old computer some pictures somewhere of a trailer fabricating table that was for sale.  It was just a big ladder frame of square tubing painted in that cheap red paint and left out in the weeds.
Reply:I never set up a jig. If you are good at it you can turn out a trailer like this complete in 10 hours or less. I used to do one a day in the winter when things were slow, but that included doing other minor projects that came in. I also had the sides and fenders sheared and bent for 10 trailers at a time. This one is the last one I did and I've gotten out of practice so it took 2 short days over a weekend. I'm curious why 5x7? Seems an odd size since so many things are 8' and the difference in cost would be negligible for building it. This one is 5x10, the favorite size for my customers.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:The shops I have seen that make RV and mobile home frames use a ladder style table. Some use tongue jacks to push to a fixed side.One place I heard goes through 40,000 tape measures a year, the lead marks the tape where certain parts go so the assembly people do not have to read the tape.
Reply:Originally Posted by vwguy3The shops I have seen that make RV and mobile home frames use a ladder style table. Some use tongue jacks to push to a fixed side.One place I heard goes through 40,000 tape measures a year, the lead marks the tape where certain parts go so the assembly people do not have to read the tape.
Reply:Nice trailer.I use a jig to build picnic tables.All parts are marked with patterns.The jig locates all the parts.No measuring is done while building.A jig is used to locate the drill holes on the legs.Using steel tapes to measure would increase the build time.
Reply:""" lead marks the tape where certain parts go so the assembly people do not have to read the tape.""Maybe they can't read a tape?I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Originally Posted by nadogail""" lead marks the tape where certain parts go so the assembly people do not have to read the tape.""Maybe they can't read a tape?
Reply:The best thing you could do if you want to build a bunch of trailers is get a good flat and level slab to work on. Then build 4 good matched and square stands to work on. That way you won't have to worry about leveling them while you build. If your going to build the ladder or truss style frames then you could build a table top that sits on the stands as long as your longest trailer and make a square corner on one end and a straight side to work off of. A jig meams that you need one for each size and design trailer, but with these things you could build most anything. Make the stands so they will stack so storage is easy and doesn't take a lot of space.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:Jigs and fixtures cost money, even if made yourself from scrap but more importantly, they take up a lot of space.