welder trailer build question??

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I would like to ask the experts for some advise. I have a old miller big 40 gasser welder, with 150 ft of 000 leads, and I want to build a trailer under it. Now my question for all of you is, which is better to mount the welder, motor forward,{towards the tongue} or motor to the rear. I want to mount my torch and small tool box on it also. I have a design in my pea brain, that mounts the motor to the rear, also a fold up, lift up welding table at the rear. The table will be styled like a  tommy lift tailgate. There will be receiver tubing mounted in verious places for vises, and other hold down items, and lights. I have seen some really neat designs on here,for tables and welding rigs  and was just looking for some input on designs, pro and con. I always was told a dumb question is easier to fix then doing it over and over again and again. The trailer will be liscened, but wont see to many high way miles, more back roads and farm use.  ThanksIf you see me running for no apparent reason, try to keep up:"Reality" What a concept!Miller Big 40 {1972} vintage, with 150 ft. of 000 leads, old Alaskan pipline welder.
Reply:Id suggest that you build the trailer with the face of the welding machine to the rear so you can make adjustments. As well id center the machine on the trailer, then put the boxes over the wheel wells leaving enough room to get into the machine for maintenance. You will also want to make the portion where your bottles go in recessed so as that you do not have to lift the bottles so high to get them in.72 Chevy Cummins Project94 3500HD Welding Rig build Sold NOV 2011
Reply:Try to leave room to adjust things forward and backwards to achieve the balance that you want. I agree to have controls to the rear. Like the idea of the fold up table beats crawling on the ground.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Thanks guys, Ya I like the idea of the controls close, I figured on setting it so i had about 60% of the weight on the tongue. The table is the width of the trailer and 3 ft deep with drop down jack stands to help hold it level when I put anything of any weight on the table.. I'm getting old enough that it takes awile to get up off of the ground any more...lol........Putting the leads on roll up spools, and gas bottles will be set down in the frame. Still working on my shop,trying to get it finished before I start any new projects..lol.....will take pic as i go.......If you see me running for no apparent reason, try to keep up:"Reality" What a concept!Miller Big 40 {1972} vintage, with 150 ft. of 000 leads, old Alaskan pipline welder.
Reply:I would put a good suspension system on this trailer since it will be used for rough roads, or it will beat up the welding machine and bounce around all the tools.Springs and shocks.This is a good solution.It keeps your welder and tools dry and safe and out of the sun.You can put cord reels in it too.You can take a portable folding work bench .Last edited by Donald Branscom; 06-26-2011 at 01:47 PM.AWS certified welding inspectorAWS certified welder
Reply:Originally Posted by blumoonThanks guys, Ya I like the idea of the controls close, I figured on setting it so i had about 60% of the weight on the tongue. The table is the width of the trailer and 3 ft deep with drop down jack stands to help hold it level when I put anything of any weight on the table.. I'm getting old enough that it takes awile to get up off of the ground any more...lol........Putting the leads on roll up spools, and gas bottles will be set down in the frame. Still working on my shop,trying to get it finished before I start any new projects..lol.....will take pic as i go.......
Reply:My sa200 has the generator and controls above the tongue and the rad at the rear.  Seems to be the most common setup around here, never have seen one the other way around.Often welding machines get backed into tite spots on construction sites and having the controls at the tongue end seems to give better access than trying to get to the rear.If I was to back into something or someone rearended me, I would rather buy a new rad than damage the generator.Do it your own way, just wanted to point out a few considerations."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Just wanted to comment on the part where you said the trailer was gonna be liscensed. I know n north carolina if you have a welder mounted to a trailer you don't have to have a tag on it because its considered part of the welder.Last edited by Tri County Welder; 07-07-2011 at 11:16 PM.Reason: mispellingMiller Bobcat 250Westinghouse ac arc welderIts better to be hated for who you are than liked for who your not.
Reply:If you do repair work, I'd suggest a rack system to carry common sizes of angle, square tubing, etc. You might also want to look into trailer brakes. I wouldnt own a trailer without them. I am really interested in how this welding table foldup deal is going to work. You have any drawings or prints of what you are thinking about? I'd love to see it.Last edited by Cliff Lodes; 07-08-2011 at 12:16 AM.Reason: I can weld, but can't spellGo Cards!!!!!
Reply:Well been gone for a wile, and not to much work on the trailer, been trying to get my well and shop done before old man winter show up....... dont have any drawings or pics of how the table will work, but if you have ever seen a lift tailgate on a large say semi trailer, they have two rails running up each side of the trailer with cables going up and over a pully and them drop down to the bumper and go around a hydraulic cylinder. The table or platform drops down to load cargo on. I'll see if i can find a pic on the net and post it.. Alot of top fuel race car haulers use that tailgate to load the race cars on the van trailers...that way they can double deck the cars in the trailers...I helped a friend of mine build a table that hangs on the wall that drops down to the floor to load truck diff. on so he didnt have to lift them up with a cherry picker. worked real slick.... I did finally get a camara that i can post pics, as soon as i get some....thanks guysIf you see me running for no apparent reason, try to keep up:"Reality" What a concept!Miller Big 40 {1972} vintage, with 150 ft. of 000 leads, old Alaskan pipline welder.
Reply:here is kinda what i am doing with the table. Instead of the chains i am going to have legs that fold up under the ends of the table Attached ImagesIf you see me running for no apparent reason, try to keep up:"Reality" What a concept!Miller Big 40 {1972} vintage, with 150 ft. of 000 leads, old Alaskan pipline welder.
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