Welding Trailor Ideas for Junior Ag Mechanics shows

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Ok guys I'm building a welding trailer from scratch to take to the Ag Mechanics shows at the San Angelo, San Antonio, and Houston livestock shows. I'm here to ask those of you who use your portable rigs(be it truck beds or trailors) what are your favorite features or what is something you wish you had on your rig?I have already built the frame using 2"x4"x3/16" tubing for the frame rails and used the same 2x4 and 2x2x11ga tubing for crossmembers alternating back and forth every 2 feet. It is 16'x6'4" in size. I plan on having a 3/8'' table that comes up from the floor on a hydraulic. There will be an overhead rack for material and a sheet goods rack on the side. the tool boxes will be custom built to hang out over the tires on each side and have the fenders molded into them and they will have electric trunk latches that will be controled from one box. I have a Bobcat 225 that will go on it and I've incorperated an external Fuel cell that fits under the floor between the frame rails that will hold about 20 gallons of extra fuel. there will ofcourse be an Oxy/Accetyllene set up and all the reels for the welder and torches will be concealed in one tool box. I have plans to incorperate a small Jib crane onto it that will have have maybe an 8 foot reach so that i could pick up something on the opposite side of the trailer, but that is by no means final. I am going to put a detchable vice that will store away and want a source of compressed air for air tools, what do you suggest?So what am I missing?
Reply:Sounds like you are building a nice rig. Please post picts as you go.There have been a ton of rig builds and trailer threads you can search thru for ideas. You might also look at some of the cart threads and the table threads for ideas as well. There have been a lot of various suggestions for removable tooling options using receiver hitches on tables. You might also look at some of the utility body options from companies like IMT, Wilcox, Reading, Knaphyde and so on.If you are going to do a crane, figure on stabilizers or jacks on the corners. I doubt the trailer suspension will take the loads otherwise. The simple way is to use scissor jacks in the corners like they do on RV's of landscape trailers. Another option would be to do post jacks like they do on ladder trucks and big cranes. You can put them on slide out posts to get a wider more stable stance. You might also use the legs to support a bench.As far as ideas, I wanted to do under bed storage on my truck, and sort of kick myself for not pushing thru with it. You can store a variety of stuff under there depending on how high you have your deck set. A ladder comes to mind as one option, so does ramps if needed, then there's always the option of short material storage.Another option would be a way to lock all the boxes manually. My truck has the master locking system for the side boxes. The way Wilcox did mine isn't as nice as some systems though. The sliding lock system Reading uses is a bit nicer, though I didn't think so at 1st.I'm not sure if your aux fuel cell idea will work well or not. I can't remember if the Bobcat uses a gravity fed system or a pump. If it's gravity fed, then you'd have to add a pump to the system to make this work...Good luck..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:16 ft seems long for a welding trailer,   most welding beds are around 9ft...Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:The BobCat 225 has a vacuum operated fuel pump, so this might work if it is plumbed in right. Otherwise a small electric or manual pump with a hose would work. The pump idea would be handy if other gas powered equipment were added to the trailor, like a gas powered air compressor. He says he wants to add compressed air to it anyway.I think we need to see some pics, too.
Reply:Dsw, I have already thought about the stabilizing jacks and fuel pump. Under frame storage crossed my mind. I like using it for short material storage that way you don't have to strap down every little peice. Southpaw, I made it so long because the idea is to make it an all in ine work station so it will include everything needed to do a job pluss extra room to carry equipment or parts that may be job specific. There will be enough room to strap down a full size 4-wheeler or large valve assemblies if you're doing pipe works or space to load a whole pallet of whatever. Bistineau, I thought about a gas operated air compressor. I also thight about a CO2 tank with a regulator that is cheap to refill at any welding supply. Just like a straight CO2 bottle used for MIG welding or like the PowerTank that the offload market uses. The idea is to creat a setup that is capable of doing any job a a moments notice. I don't want to make a dozen trips to town to get supplies because there just might not be a town to run to.
Reply:While nothing comes to mind as far as whats missing on your trailer, I can give some pointers for the Ag Mechanics shows and how they are judged. While I was in college, my Ag Mechanics Department was invited for multiple years to judge the Structures and Trailers portion of the shows in Houston and at the National FFA contest in Indianapolis. Here are a few pointers that can hopefully help.1) Keep it simple! - adding every little detail and gizmo is nice, but unless everything is perfect you will lose points. The larger schools with their portable hydraulic folding cattle pins and drop deck lowboys were always impressive, but their projects were normally so large that there were a lot of small details missed.2) Fuel Storage - Unless you bought the tank pre manufactured, stay away. You can and most likely will lose points for home made fuel storage tanks unless you can provide certification of hydrostatic testing. When judging, all DOT rules are normally observed for compliance. Non-compliance can mean immediate failure.3) Straightness - Make sure that frame is square and straight! The last year I judged trailers was very difficult because in almost all instances the axles were more than 1/8" in discrepancy from the coupler on either side.4) Plans and presentation - Don't write up a bill of materials and schematics on notebook paper the night before. Have a detailed BOM as well as properly printed plans in a standard title block of some sort. Odds are you wont lose points so much for this, but it looks really good when you can hand the Judge a packet consisting of the BOM and Plans.5) Hydraulics - Make sure you plan the position of the pump and hoses well. nothing is more of a turn off than a bunch of hydraulic parts thrown together by an amateur in a battery box. If possible, run the hoses in square tubing so they are not exposed on the deck, or dangling on the bottom of the trailer. If the judge thinks there will be a snare in the cables - points lost.6) Electrical - no but splices or quick connects. Use only junction boxes with solder and heat shrink over each joint and no exposed connections (meaning a visible wire splice along the frame). I highly recommend using conduit or some sort of protective guard around the wires. Use terminal blocks in all the junction boxes. 7) Brakes - If you plan on building  a tandem axle (which at 16' should be) I highly recommend a set of trailer brakes. I believe the current rules in Texas state 1 axle is needed after either 5,000 or 5,500 lbs.8) Coupler - Use a bull dog. period.9) Safety equipment - Make sure you are up to date on the requirements for trailers in the state. As i stated above, all DOT rules will be observed and points lost/disqualification if you fail to follow them. The biggest one in the past was people welding safety chains to the frames - you cant do that anymore according to DOT.Hopefully that helps some. Odds are you wont get my old Ag Mechanics professor as he did not participate the last 2 years. However, if you do - be warned - He will go over the entire trailer with a fine toothed comb. He might even climb underneath to check paint application over the frame. Whoever is judging, will definatly look at the structural welds.also not to be a dick - but Trailer is spelled with an EI break things for a living...
Reply:Did you try goggle for welding trailers ??  Here's one I saw that I think was posted here and on the Miller site. I couldn't find it but did on another. http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=118784
Reply:Thanks for the tips Smokin_dodge. We got a new Ag mech teacher this year by the name of John Davis who has also judged ag mech and has taken many winning projects to the major shows when he was at Winona Highschool teaching. He has directed me away from several ideas and has already measured the frame for squareness. the first thing he said when I met him was that he wouldnt take it if it was more than 1/16th out of square and he gave it the thumbs up. He has made it very clear that its more about precision than bells and whistles. We went through the pictures from the San Antonio JAM show website and he always pointed out that the fancier projects didnt always win, it was the ones executed the best. One of his past show projects was a huge fuel trailer so he probably more than knows about the fuel storage qualifications. I had a friend that worked for Troxel Tankers ask one of the guys that was in charge of keeping up with DOT regs about it and he said that as long as it is protected(including up between the frame rails) it is legal. I was going to put a skid plate under it anyway for extra protection. He has also stressed how important the books and documentation are.
Reply:"So what am I missing?"Fire extinguishers & mounts.
Reply:Ah, yes! I have already purchased one to go on it but it did slip my Mind! Thank you!