# And so it begins...



## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Just picked up my new trailer. 

I've got a lot of work to do. I'm pretty happy with everything except the fact that the lights are mounted in the sides. That seriously screws things up. 

I want to rig it up so that the lights and maybe an outlet would run off the truck. Have to look into that yet. It would be nice to be able to run the microwave without a cord to the house. 

I'm going to follow Ron paulks concept on shelving and drawers except I'll make provision for systainer storage.


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## Creter (Oct 13, 2009)

Hey good for you Spencer! :thumbsup:

Paulk has some videos up for a v nose trailer shop...

Are you planning on putting any floor covering down? Might make it easier to clean up over time...


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

What size is it? We're in a 6x12 right now and my spending habits are too big for the current trailer. My truck is a Dodge Dakota though so I'm not going bigger till I get something else.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> What size is it? We're in a 6x12 right now and my spending habits are too big for the current trailer. My truck is a Dodge Dakota though so I'm not going bigger till I get something else.


Its a 16' V nose. 7' wide. 7' tall. Its 16' to the beginning of the V plus another 3'. So 19' on the interior from the inside of the doors to front of the V. I also upgraded the axles to 10k.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Spencer said:


> Its a 16' V nose. 7' wide. 7' tall. Its 16' to the beginning of the V plus another 3'. So 19' on the interior from the inside of the doors to front of the V. I also upgraded the axles to 10k.


Nice. I'm thinking barn doors, 7' wide, 7' tall, and either 14' long or 16' long and haven't decided on V nose.

Do you work in a city at all? That's the problem for me is we are right outside of Richmond city (our capitol) and we work in there often enough that it's a pain. Parallel parking a trailer can be fun...

Why no side door? Interfering with your desired layout?


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Creter said:


> Hey good for you Spencer! :thumbsup:
> 
> Paulk has some videos up for a v nose trailer shop...
> 
> Are you planning on putting any floor covering down? Might make it easier to clean up over time...


I've watched his series here and there getting ideas and figuring out the fastest way to get the shelving actually built. Its gonna take a while...

I'm not going to put anything on the floor. Its supposed to be pretty good stuff and being that its just me I think I'll be able to take care of it.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> Nice. I'm thinking barn doors, 7' wide, 7' tall, and either 14' long or 16' long and haven't decided on V nose.
> 
> Do you work in a city at all? That's the problem for me is we are right outside of Richmond city (our capitol) and we work in there often enough that it's a pain. Parallel parking a trailer can be fun...
> 
> Why no side door? Interfering with your desired layout?


The size is definitely going to take some getting used to with parking. Can't comment on that yet. I'm trying to focus on jobs of longer duration, I plan to park it on site and leave it...so hopefully it won't be much of a daily nuisance. 

I've been laying out the design in sketchup and am having enough trouble with 16' and a v nose...and I'm just one guy. I think you're gonna want 16' being that you have other guys and you're a remodeler...lots of tools.

Side door takes a big chunk out of storage and i didn't think I really needed it. It would also allow me to back the trailer up against a building and park it if I wanted to prevent theft on the inside. A couple other guys commented that they would go no side door so that made the decision easy to nix it.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Spencer said:


> The size is definitely going to take some getting used to with parking. Can't comment on that yet. I'm trying to focus on jobs of longer duration, I plan to park it on site and leave it...so hopefully it won't be much of a daily nuisance.
> 
> I've been laying out the design in sketchup and am having enough trouble with 16' and a v nose...and I'm just one guy. I think you're gonna want 16' being that you have other guys and you're a remodeler...lots of tools.
> 
> Side door takes a big chunk out of storage and i didn't think I really needed it. It would also allow me to back the trailer up against a building and park it if I wanted to prevent theft on the inside. A couple other guys commented that they would go no side door so that made the decision easy to nix it.


We just about finished a job where the trailer was parked for 3 or 4 weeks except a couple days. That was quite nice.

I designed the current one in SU and then ended up with the right side being a few stacks of systainer's. We will eventually end up with everything that can go in a systainer being in a systainer just about. It's too darn efficient not to. End of the day Friday, we were cleaning up and I rolled/carried 20 or so systainers outside in a matter of minutes. You can take so much more per trip with a system like that (or any of the others)

I will definitely get a side door. Since I do have to park in the city plenty often, I plan to have the design where I can access everything important from inside the trailer so I can back up to a car and not leave room to open the doors. I figure that will help me out with having a longer trailer but keeping a similar amount of needed space for parking.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

I rarely work on city streets in situations like that. Almost always a drive way.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Spencer said:


> I rarely work on city streets in situations like that. Almost always a drive way.


Must be nice. Makes systainers look even more appealing. Throw the right kits in the bed of the truck and skip the trailer for a small job.

Oh yeah... I always forget something when I do that. :laughing:


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> Must be nice. Makes systainers look even more appealing. Throw the right kits in the bed of the truck and skip the trailer for a small job.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh yeah... I always forget something when I do that. :laughing:



If that theory worked I'd forget the trailer and stick with the van. Lol my pet peeve is being unprepared and not having what I need...especially when it comes to fasteners.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

Spencer said:


> If that theory worked I'd forget the trailer and stick with the van. Lol my pet peeve is being unprepared and not having what I need...especially when it comes to fasteners.


It also saves a great deal of time not thinking through what all you might need. In our case it would be a lot of time wasted with Dad communicating to me what I will need for the day or what exactly we are doing that day and me thinking through the whole job trying to make sure I miss nothing.

Trailers are nice... :thumbup:


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

My 8x20 trailer has not left the drive way for over 2 years. 

I decided the lighter I could travel, the better.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

That's cause it's an 8'x20'. :laughing:

We have very different job descriptions and tool needs.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> My 8x20 trailer has not left the drive way for over 2 years.
> 
> I decided the lighter I could travel, the better.


I know. You're advice about a van when I was starting out was perfect for me. It just got to the point that I needed more space than the cargo van could offer. I was going to get something along the lines of a sprinter or transit but that didn't make financial sense being that I have a truck also and am not going to part with my 4x4. Can't justify having two decent vehicles. 

The trailer is a compromise in all directions.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> That's cause it's an 8'x20'. :laughing:
> 
> We have very different job descriptions and tool needs.


Just found there was no need to drag every tool you own with you all the time. Then you leave it there and you need a tool at home.

Even tearing apart an old victorian porch and rebuilding it, I really don't need that many tools to do the entire job.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Just found there was no need to drag every tool you own with you all the time. Then you leave it there and you need a tool at home.
> 
> 
> 
> Even tearing apart an old victorian porch and rebuilding it, I really don't need that many tools to do the entire job.



We do field work 99% of the time. Don't really have a shop, I just bring home whatever I need and use it in my garage.

We do a larger variety of work than you do and have 4 employees working from the tools in the trailer. 

Nothing wrong with either business model. They are just very different and require different setup's to be efficient.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> We do field work 99% of the time. Don't really have a shop, I just bring home whatever I need and use it in my garage.
> 
> We do a larger variety of work than you do and have 4 employees working from the tools in the trailer.
> 
> Nothing wrong with either business model. They are just very different and require different setup's to be efficient.


I did all site work/remodeling until last year, I have enough of all tools for 4 people to use. 

I drug around stuff I had no need to drag around, ever. 

Lean an efficient.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

My problem comes when I have to do a bathroom remodel..I have my van loaded down with my normal tools...then I have to throw in a trash can for debris removal during demo, my 50 gal drywall tote, my 50 gal tile tote, some buckets, dewalt tile saw with stand, bags of easy sand, bucket of topping compound, halogen lights because all the lights are down, veto xxl with plumbing tools, 3 containers with plumbing fittings, some pvc/pex pipe and there is still something at home that I need in the middle of the day....it goes on and on. Then I have to make multiple trips home at the end of the job just to get tools home.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I did all site work/remodeling until last year, I have enough of all tools for 4 people to use.
> 
> I drug around stuff I had no need to drag around, ever.
> 
> Lean an efficient.


I was the same way when I finally got rid of my box truck. Much more efficient, no need to carry half the stuff I had. I big waste of space and money lugging it around. 

My drywall tools fit in a 3 gal container, I rarely bring my big tile saw on jobs any way and there is no way I want to drag it around all of the time. The chances of me doing rough plumbing work and tile work on the same day are none.

Don't need finishing tools on demo day. I learned a lot from my plumber who rarely brings in more than a bucket full of tools yet is very fast and efficient also. 

I am just lazy and don't want to bring a lot of stuff back and forth to a truck/trailer


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

How much force does it take to get those systainers to come off the shelves Spencer?


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> How much force does it take to get those systainers to come off the shelves Spencer?


From my experience , not much. A good bounce from a pothole or a driveway on a turn will make them jump 1/2". And then they start slipping, another turn slipping farther until they get stuck only if the shelf above is close to the case. The upper ones will go first. 

3/4" stops with a 1" space worked best for me.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> How much force does it take to get those systainers to come off the shelves Spencer?






rrk said:


> From my experience , not much. A good bounce from a pothole or a driveway on a turn will make them jump 1/2". And then they start slipping, another turn slipping farther until they get stuck only if the shelf above is close to the case. The upper ones will go first.
> 
> 
> 
> 3/4" stops with a 1" space worked best for me.



I've had shelves installed in my van this way. Never had a problem...and I drive my van like I stole it. I've about taken it airborn onrailroad tracks that snuck up on me a few times. If they bounce they must just settle right back in place for me.


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## MJconstruction (Jun 17, 2013)

That trailers coming along real nice.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Big day ahead today. I'm hoping to have it operational for Monday. 

The major cabinet building is done. I've got a few drawers left to make.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Although it wouldn't work for me I'm envious as all hell.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Still have some room to grow...


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## jaydee (Mar 20, 2014)

wow, NICE work..:thumbsup:


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Still plenty to do but I'm taking it tomorrow.


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## 98crewcab (Oct 7, 2013)

hell yea!!! cant wait to hear about its maiden voyage!!!!!


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

*And So It Begins...*

You strapping that Kapex down?


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## Joemack1 (Oct 5, 2013)

Just wondering why do you carry to portable table saws?


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Xtrememtnbiker said:


> You strapping that Kapex down?


It isn't strapped down currently but it will be. It was late Saturday night and I was still at it getting things dialed in. I didn't have time to get the small D-rings that I like and put them everywhere to hook to. I don't think it would need strapped but being that it is what it is I probably will just to be safe or at least until I feel comfortable that it falling wouldn't be an issue.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

Joemack1 said:


> Just wondering why do you carry to portable table saws?


Its very much still a work in progress in regards to what I'm going to take with me daily. It completely new having this much space at my disposal.

Its up there more to "claim it spot." My larger sawstop table saw will be the one that gets left on the job setup, the smaller portable saw is more to throw in as a backup for when I'm running two jobs at once, or if I have the sawstop saw setup in the shop at home for a project and need to go do something on site. I have two miter saws also that I'll carry, the kapex and a dewalt for rougher work/working multiple jobs.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Just noticed this thread. Trailer looks great. The amount of time you'll save by being organized will make you money.

I wish I had the motivation to organize my trailer like that but guys always make it look like a disaster zone.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

It's pretty nice to drive home in the comfort of a pickup rather than the rattle trap cargo van.


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## AGullion (Apr 19, 2015)

Set her up...you are gonna love it. I like that light bar you did.


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