Ready To Start The Northwoods

[Bigwoods]

I went to Harbor Freight and picked up the trailer that I won in the contest. I was like a kid in a candy store. Picked up a few tools I will need, like an orbital sander and an air ratchet. I arrived home too late to unload or take pictures, but they will come. Even Mrs. Bigwoods picked up a couple of items.

The trip cost me a bit as we had to visit two fabric stores and a quilt shop. I was very patient, as she was at the tool store. It's just that she looks a lot longer at stores than I do. Finished up with diner at Applebee's and a nice drive home. I have tomorrow off, so I'll get to go to the shop and play.

I would have driven to Fargo sooner, but when I was free, the weather did not cooperate. I am putting this in Member Designs because I think I will be ending up with a combination of designs to meet out needs.

[Miriam C.]

Well whatchawaitin for. You can sleep anytime. Glad you had a good time.

You need to understand that sanders and grinders only come in a few colors and no patterns. I go to Springfield it is Harbor Freight, several quilt shops and the Bass Pro Shop. Usually in that order. It is a rare day when I can get anyone who knows me to go with.

Please tell Mrs Big Woods when the teardrop quilt is done we would really love to see the

[toypusher]

Greg,

You have a set of fenders coming. Just let me know what color you want them. Having them now will help you in your planning.

[madjack]

GO Greg GO......we are all watching ya...(no pressure) ...................................

[jplock]

Greg,
I look forward to seeing your pictures of your build, and welcome to this site!
jplock

[Bigwoods]

This is how you get the trailer from Harbor Freight. It is about 260 lbs.





I have the main part of the frame assembled on the worktable. If you want to see an excellent pictorial on building and modifying the frame, Dee Bee has some terrific photos.



I am ready for my friend the welder to stop by so we can widen the frame. I think you will find it interesting. It will be a day or so as nasty weather hits tomorrow. Snow and high winds.

[toypusher]

Greg,

Getting started is the hard part. You have that coved so it should be smooth sailing from here out!!

[Miriam C.]

Greg we would love to see picture of that trailer being widened. Might help out a lot of people who what wide, can't afford wide and really want fenders.

[Bigwoods]

Well, we had our snow event. 8" of new stuff, but the wind wasn't so bad. Tonight I had to blow snow with the tractor and knock out a few drifts. As I sat in the tractor to warm it up, I could hear the trailer frame calling me. I said before this would be a group build and I will be using all sorts of ideas from this list. The trailer widening will be stolen from Jim Marshall's Vol-N-Tear, unless my welder dude gets creative. I hope to give credit for ideas used from another person's project.


May be a day or two before we can weld. This is what Jim did and I want to do the same so I can have fenders rather than build over the wheels.

[madjack]

Greg, I always thought Jim's idea was a great one...glad to see it emulated(love big words)...I am sure we will all watch with great interest.....
madjack

[Bigwoods]

I still in the process, as the goverment would say. Buying some steel in the AM. My welder is having a hard time with the concept and trying to complicate it. He's a good friend and hope to be welding in the PM.

I considered going to a 4 footer, but know I would regret it. Once I get over this hurdle things will go much faster.


It was funny a my friend Dwight said he would rather work with steel any day instead of wood. Here I'm just wanting him to do an easy weld job so I can make sawdust.

To each his own. I hate waiting of foot draggers, but the labor is cheap.

[Bigwoods]

We were able to get our welding done yesterday. Trailer is now widened so we can go 5' wide. I used some good angle iron and made some modifications. After the axle was cut, a 1 1/4" bar fit perfectly inside the U channel. We fabricated a piece of U channel to match pretty close and that was added also. We slide the axle back in the process.

The idea is to run some 2X4 rails up the side to carry the weight. Not sure how I am going to build the floor yet, but I am open to suggestions. I am useing the Benroy profile and will make the walls flush with the siderails to hide them.

Glad to make some progress and I have even made a bit of sawdust.

[madjack]

...glad it stopped snowing long enough to get that far...looks like you and your weldor buddy did a good job on the frame...
madjack

[sdtripper2]

Greg:

Know you have been wanting things to move along ~

So glad you got your welding done and progress made ~

Thanks for the uPdate ~

[Bigwoods]

I was able to get some paint on the frame this week end. I am pleased with the outcome. Still working on the floor design. I think I will have side rails and slats going across. 2X4 up the sides and they will be notched to hold cross member slats. Some will be hardwood for stength, covered with plywood to hold it all together.

If anyone has a suggestion let me know. I do not know how Jim Marshall did his.




Side view of added "carriage" I think it will work well.



In the background is the profile cut out. Need a bit of fine tuning. I am using the Generic Benroy plans. The racing stripe will not be in the final paint scheme.