Re: First Dragonfly build - update Dec 2014

[bdag]

Well I dunnit. I'm now the proud owner of a light trailer frame. Now to build something on it.



The good news is that the size was right, the price was right, and the modifiability is right. The axle and springs are held by bolts into holes in the frame that are spaced 6" apart. I can move the axle almost wherever I want. The 7' long tongue is held into a channel by a bolt, making replacement with a 4' long piece easier. The bolt hole pattern on the wheels appears to be a typical 4-1/2" so I can replace the 12" wheels with 14" wheels. The frame is fairly open which will allow for a standing tray if I desire. Wiring is already in place. And my 4 year old thinks the winch is the greatest toy ever.



The bad news is that there is surface rust everywhere and most of the bolts are rusted frozen. The boat trailer parts are salvageable and saleable but only if someone doesn't mind using their own bolts. But that's more good than bad!

Hopefully I'll figure out what to build while I spend the next week waiting for the rain to go away. I'll strip off rollers and brackets in between rain showers and clean up the rust. I know I want to start with an easy 4x8 floor for the first build. The vardo is tempting but the teardrop might be easier.

I'll be updating on my build site at http://dragonflytrailers.blogspot.com/s ... st%20build and try to include more of a humorous side by side on this site.

Brian

[DMcCam]

Man I can't wait to be in your shoes with a new chassis to build on! It will be interesting to see what ya do with it.

All the best, Dave

[Papi]

Looks like a good starting point!

[Wolf]

Brian

Looks like a fun frame to work off of. Push that axle back a bit and put the Rust-Oleum to it and you got something going there.

[bdag]

Rain and rusty bolts have seriously hampered renovation efforts. I'll be getting my hands on a bolt-breaker, nut-cracker, metal drill bits, wire wheel and whatever else I can find this weekend. I've decided that rather than sell the entire tongue I'll cut it down to the length I need and then hang on to the other piece for a future project.

In the meantime I've come up with a design that's pleasing to my eye, seems easy enough to build (other than the compound hatch), and still holds the classic teardrop shape. Is it still a teardrop though? Maybe a squaredrop? Looks like a ten footer that had each end chopped off. Despite other warnings I've read I'm going to hold to a 4' wide exterior. I'm going to align the front of the body with the cross piece at the base of the tongue and allow about 8" to hang over the back edge. If the floor is a sandwich with 2x2 framing it should be plenty strong enough (according to my beam design program). Please note that the rest of the body will be 1/8" skins over 1x2 flat framing.

I'm still undecided on which profile to go with; more volume or sleeker design. I might be leaning towards the sleeker design only because I prefer everything about the open hatch. However the pantry loses a little space. Amazing what 1sf of surface area does!

[Dusty82]

Wow! I'm glad I'm not in your shoes right now, DBag - I like 'em both! I think either one of them would be a big winner.

Hmmmm... maybe pick up another trailer and do one right after the other...?

Just thinking out loud...

[Wolf]

That profile reminds me of one called the B52, looks pretty cool

Should tow nicely with the axle where you have it. I like number two. The door profile looks better, and the body looks bigger.

[bdag]

Dusty;

Do note the order of the 'B' and the 'D' in my handle. You're liable to get booted for inappropriate language.

Brian

[Wolf]

[PhotoGuy]

looking good. i like the idea of using an older boat trailer

[Dusty82]

Dusty;

Do note the order of the 'B' and the 'D' in my handle. You're liable to get booted for inappropriate language.

Brian

Noted. I could claim phat phinger syndrome, but it's actually more a case of not paying attention.

Sorry about that, Chief...

[bdag]

This weekend I went to my dad's workshop emporium and brought back an arsenal of tools of moderate destruction. In the end, the bolts came off easily by grinding a notch in the center of the head. While the whole thing was still smoking hot I gave a few whacks with a hammer. The washer snapped in half and the bolt head folded sending the whole thing straight through the hole and out the other side. I felt a little like Hercules or Thor. Or maybe just a man with some testosterone and adrenaline flowing. By the time it got dark I had a box full of salvageable boat trailer parts and a water bucket of steaming hot bolts. Ah, satisfaction.

I got as far as mounting the wire wheel onto the angle grinder but haven't proceeded with that arrangement. The angle grinder is made for 4-1/2" blades. The wire wheel is at least 6" so I had to remove the guard. The handle of the tool appears to be long enough to avoid any bloody knuckles. We'll see in the next couple of days.

[bdag]

I started some wire wheel work on the frame only to discover that the wheel tends to shoot out wires. After finding two embedded in my hand I thought that a guard of sorts might be in order. I puttered around in my shop for a while and found a plastic gallon sized lid and a strip of cardboard. I screwed the cardboard to the lip of the lid and cut a hole for the shaft. I took off the wire wheel, placed the guard over the shaft and fastened it down. Replaced the wire wheel and gave it a test run. Success! All the wires and flying rust now decorate my shoes instead of my hand and face. Another little bit of deflector and I think I'll be good.

I went to wire some of the frame last night and now it's raining today. Again. Perhaps I should put off the wiring until we have a couple of sunny days.

Brian

[Ageless]

Sunny days . . .in the PNW?

Try July 5th

[Dusty82]

So have you decided which version you're going to build? Personally, I love 'em both...