5x8 Welding Rig Trailer - Concept and Project

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This is my concept for my 5'x8' trailer based welding rig. It will be built on the trailer in the pictures.  Thinking of putting a 4'x6'x1/4" table on the side. I will frame it with 2x2x1/8" square tube and use 2 square tube jacks as the legs. The interior will be braced with 2x2x1/8" angle or 3"x1/4 Flat Bar. The table will be raised and lowered with a small worm drive manual winch and cables.  The drawing in the top left corner is the bracing under the folding work table.What do you think about the rig concept and the size/thickness of the table? Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated. I have looked at many of the posts and seen some really nice rigs!!The welder will come out using long forks on a front end loader. Lift it 3", and back it out. I have also considered bolting the top cross braces above the welder in place to allow it to be lifted from above. Tanks will be secured using chain and bolts to bind them in place like Hammack_Welding's trailer.Saw a post or two using a "trailer receiver or coupler" concept for mounting the vise and other things to the table. I am going to incorporate that concept to mount the vise and have some light bending jigs. The overhead frame will also provide support for a shade/rain cover and I will be able to deploy a side cover (tarp on bungee cords) over the table also. Shade good!!!!!  My deck is currently wood, but one day will be diamond plate.How are you powering your work lights on your trailers? Running griders, etc., is easy enough since I would not be stick welding at the same time. If I had to stick weld and needed lights, the only solution I see is a small genset for lights/compressor etc..Comments and thoughts would be appreciated.  Ordering the metal in 2 weeks and starting then.     pdf drawing of concept is in the pdf attached Attached ImagesWelding Trailer concept LS.pdf (44.9 KB, 404 views)Last edited by Rob Page; 08-13-2007 at 10:16 PM.Rob PageMiller Bobcat 250Lincoln SP170-T
Reply:210 views, 52 people looked at the pdf, and NO comments?  Come on, I know you all have opinions!!!!!Rob PageMiller Bobcat 250Lincoln SP170-T
Reply:Just a few thoughts for you, First things first, cut down or build a new tailgate. You will find the 4' gate more of a hindrance than a convenience. Now if it was up to me I would turn the welder facing the curb side from the axle forward. The table sounds like a good idea you've got but it looks like you have it mounted too low in the drawing. mount it off of the top rail and to make it real easy use an angle brace to lock it into the trailer frame instead of the drop down legs. Also by the materials and dimensions you provide for the table the winch should not be necessary to raise and lower it. Mount all of your hose and cable reels off the side rails as well. Torch bottles and tool box placements would then be left to the open spaces and most convenient locations. Try to gear up your trailer for curb side features as you may have to park in the street from time to time and don't want to be standing in traffic getting tools or equipment off of the trailer. Just a few suggestions, don't know if any will help. DaveI am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:Sounds like you've planned everything pretty well.  Be sure to include some sort of cord control and the receiver trick for vice and benders would be good.  I'd think a gen set would be a must, but maybe could be in the tow vehicle.  I have a travel trailer and invested the $150 for a power jack which may come in handy here if you have a load of steel on it.  Battery / box if you have any powered items wired to the tow vehicle for charging and electric start gen.  Receptacles in the work area are good wired to the gen to minimize cords (depending on where the gen is). Good, detachable overhead lighting for dark:30 work and one of those portable halogen tripod lights to go "to the work".  Water jug is nice for the heat.Not sure about the final weight, I assume you've done the math.Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:Thanks for the feedback.  Weight is a limiter and as I am "thinking" up things, I am gathering weight info.  The Bobcat is ~700#s if I remember correctly, so that leaves 2000 pounds for additional stuff.  I don't really want to run it at max weight for the axle however.As for the table, I intend to connect it to the top rail, or higher.  I did not think using angle braces back to the trailer would give enough support so I went with the jacks.  Maybe an angle brace on each end and a single jack in the middle?I like the idea of hardwiring the generator!!  Outlets would sure beat extension cords.  A couple of 300 Watt halogen floods hard mounted and adjustable will work nice also.  Any issues with grounding the genset, Bobcat welder, and work cable (ground) all to the frame together?Oh yes, I will also have to build a little mount for my MIG welder and bottles to go in there somewhere...Tailgate will be the first to go!!  I hate that air brake back there and it is just in the way now.  It will be shortened to the rail height and left so that it drops down level and all the way down using a short detachable cable.Thanks for the ideas!!!!  Keep 'em coming.Rob PageMiller Bobcat 250Lincoln SP170-T
Reply:Just curious, how much work do you do off your trailer that you would need a 4x6 table.  I would think something smaller would work and save weight. your table will weigh near 300 lbs with framing.Just a thought if weight becomes an issue.
Reply:I don't have a garage I am comfortable welding in so I was going to use this as my primary welding table.  I would pull it up in front of the garage on the driveway and set up.  Of course it would also be available when I was in the field.  I came up with 4'x6' based on the size of the trailer and wanting to have access to the tool boxes on the same side of the trailer.  Actual width will probably be closer to 40".  I need to be able to put a 6' wide axle housing (D44 or D60) on a jig on it and work on it.Btw, the Bobcat weight with fuel and oil is ~ 700 pounds.Rob PageMiller Bobcat 250Lincoln SP170-T
Reply:Grounding is not an issue with gens, as long as the ground goes back to the source (gen).Hobart 140 Handler w/ gasHyperTherm Powermax 380 Plasmaoxy/acetylene
Reply:Check out LittleFuzz fuzz's trailer....Its one of the best so far;however, it does have a sail..LOL    Its seems user friendly! weld it like you own it
Reply:SIR,is that a coffee can you are using to cover theexhaust pipe? how do you keep it attached whenyou are moving? maybe this is to keep them littlecritters out? i bought the cover for my bobcat 250.good luck.wlbrown
Reply:It's a coffee can, but it just keeps the tarp from rubbing a hole in itself.  I keep a tarp bungee corded over it when it's not in use or in a photo session!Littlefuzz's trailer is part of my inspiration, only I don't have a free source of steel!!  It looks really good.  Like the spools alot.Rob PageMiller Bobcat 250Lincoln SP170-T
Reply:Rob, the first issue I see is WOOD? on a welding trailer? I have recently replaced several of those decks with 14ga steel because after 4 or 5 years the wood falls apart.If you check the generator output of your bobcat while welding you will find that you CAN run everything you might need while welding. I think it was in the 5000 watt range! I don't believe you'll need the expense or weight of a generator.Another concern is your cables for lifting/lowering the table, I hope you can disconnect these while working on the table. Spatter is a real enemy of these cables, they should be moved from the work surface away from any flying hot metal (I'm pretty sure you thought of this). Also I hope your not traveling far with a single axle trailer configured with all the gear your talking about.I'm in the construction stages of a trailer myself and with two 2000# torsion axles and I'm still having weight concerns.My trailer is 4 feet between the axles/tires by 10 feet long on the deck, the rear is a knack box, in front of that is a cylinder rack for oxy/acet/mix/Argon and an extinguisher. Next up mounted sideways is the Trailblazer 250NT (controls curb side/exhaust to street) then a 22+cfm quincy compressor again mounted sideways (controls curb side/exhaust to street).I have left about 22" of flat deck (steel of course) for carrying misc. items i.e. jacks, portable hoist oil cans for hydraulic, motor, waste oil (occasionally) and a small water tank for cooling, cleaning etc.In the very front is a SnapOn tool chest for hand tools.I do have aux power through a 2000 watt inverter and two deep cycle batteries in the knack box, plus if I need one, I have a Honda EU2000i generator but primarily my power IS the Miller, there is enough aux power while welding to run the Lincoln SP175HD MIG (dual operator machine?).I'm building the fenders sturdy enough to be my work space  they're only 12" wide but 5 feet + long (mine is primarily a field rig). I do have enough room for a folding cutting/welding table if need be.I don't typically do much bench work in the field, mostly tractors and HD (dump) truck body repair. I'm a "one call" mechanic/Weldor. Some ideas your considering I've used very successfully, the receiver/coupler work great for vices, pipe vices, bench grinders small drill presses etc. This device has been used for several of my trucks (even the jeep) and we use them on service vehicles at LADWP!I'm looking forward to seeing your continuing build photos, I'll have to do the same and start a thread to show my progress.Your plans look good so far, just be VERY careful about weight distribution and mindful of your tongue weight. Too much or Too little tongue weight can destroy towability.Good luck
Reply:My advise is to leave room to expand.  I cut all of my bottle clamps and torch cart off the trailer today since I moved up to the big bottles.  I'll probably use roller chain for the clamps now.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Before bolting the Bobcat down, for good--suggest you find its 'best location', by moving it fore and aft----to limit the amount of tongue weight. 'Normal' trailers, with properly aligned and rigged axles (which almost nobody pays zip attention to. I use my own alignment fixturing to locate both axle hub centerlines to the centerline of the coupler, which is verified to be on the trailer frame centerline. This stops any customer complaints about the trailer tracking to either side, or crabbing down the road, ladies.) Need 10% of the gross weight for tongue weight-for stable towing without whipping.If you end up with humougous tongue weight, like 6-800#, it's going to be a bear tomove, even with a stout tongue jack and caster wheel.Blackbird