Online Steel

[Shady Brook]

Anybody know of a good and inexpensive source for buying steel on line? I don't need large quanities, I am thinking along the lines of stuff to build a heavy duty trailer, or flat beds for my trucks. I remember seeing a site linked to that fella who built a bed for his S10, but did not see they type of steel I was expecting.

I sure wish lots of people would write in this forum, I look forward to new threads every day.

Thanks
Jay

[1grnlwn]

I get mine from the structural places in town. I'm sure they get a kick out of the hobby guy and his flimzy purchase.. But they are nice and the steel is priced right. I also do some wood working and man steel is cheap!

[75]

I've never looked into the idea of buying steel on-line (of course, I do have a pretty good source available to me since I'm employed in the biz.......... :blush: ) but I have a feeling shipping might get expensive going that route - although I'm not speaking from experience here.

Have you checked out any structural places like Shady Brook mentioned? That might be worth looking into.

[CT18fireman]

Lots of times the guys around here will let me dig around the cut piles for small pieces I may need. Sometimes they let me have scrap. If I need bigger stuff they can get that for me as well. Make friends with a local shop. One that does a lot of work is better cause they will be more inclined to not care about scraps and leftovers IMO.

[Shady Brook]

You guys have given me a good idea! The guy who built my trailer is about an hour from here. He builds alot of trailers, so may have some scrap. He is a pretty good guy too. I doubt I would get anything of real length, but free is good, and who knows when I will find a use for it.

There is a big steel place about an hour from here, the only problem I have had is getting a hold of anyone who knows anything, or is willing to talk to a small fry.

I bet shipping probably would get pretty salty, I will have to check aroud local a bit better.

I have been toying with the idea of "in the future" building a goose neck trailer in the 24 foot range, and mounting a dump box on it as well as having 14 foot left over for my lawn equipment. I think that would be dream. Kind of got the idea from some trailers I have seen on line, but am not willing to pay for.

Do you think it may be better buying a 24 footer pre made, and then add the other modifications? I guess I am thinking of the monster weight steel I would probably be working with on a beast that large. I am thinking something at least 12000 lb at the very minimum. I think 16,000 would be better.

Thanks fellas
Jay

[75]

Tackling a project that large can be quite a handful, especially if you're fairly new at fabbing - not because it's overly difficult, just that there's so much of it! Unless you have the equipment to pick and move the trailer, you'll have to do a lot of the welding in position (aka "vertical" and "overhead")

Depending on how specialized you would like your trailer to be, your idea of buying one and then modifying it to suit your requirements might be the better option. On the other hand, by building your own you can have EXACTLY what you need.

Have you built any trailers yet? If not, perhaps building a smaller one (hey, I could use a 5' x 10' motorcycle trailer (hint! ;) ) would give you a better idea of whether or not you wish to get involved with a bigger project.

[Shady Brook]

Rob

Thanks for your thoughts. I am quite the novice, as some of my earlier posts would indicate. :) My thoughts (dreams) would be for the new trailer not this coming year, but next. I hope to get a stick in the next few months. I have had access to a small mig, which I have been using quite a bit.

I just did build a small 4x8 trailer out of scrap metel left behind from the previous owner. It will serve my purpose for hauling junk around my house, sticks/wood etc. I really enjoyed working on it.

As for the big trailer, I would not trust myself with a unit that large. I would have help from a friend, who does quite a bit of welding, and has built some trailers in the past. He has offered to build one for me, but I would like to do most of the work with some supervision. Just to risky for me fabbing a rig like that, I could not take if if she got away from me and hurt someone. :eek:

Any idea what a stock 24 foot goose neck might weigh? I am thinking I would need a dove tail for the gates as well, hum... I may need a 28 footer! ;) But then there is hauling it around town, that could be interesting!

Thanks again
Jay

[75]

Based on the info in your latest post, I say plan it out and then build that big trailer!

One suggestion I have when you design/build it - avoid the use of tube as much as possible, also try and avoid creating any areas that will hold dirt and moisture (dirt + moisture + the inevitable road salt = RUST :mad: ) If you do make use of tube, try and either cap all the ends or make provision for any water that gets in to drain out.

Weight? That's hard to say, I know the flatbed I built a few years ago weighs at over 4,000# empty (I have a couple pics of it on the 2'nd page of the thread "Work Photos") so I'm guessing at a weight of 5,000 - 6,000# plus for the one you're describing. Minimum tandem, possibly tri-axle configuration - definitely brakes on ALL axles!

[Shady Brook]

Rob

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking of some big meaty channel with angle for support. Probably go with a plank deck. Any suggestions on what size of Channel and Angle you might use to build a trailer such as this? I would rather overbuild then under.

Three axles may be the way to go, more brakes, more weight capacity, and probably would help with load distribution. I may have a couple tons of material in the dump section up toward the front of the trailer.

Hope you do not feel like I am hogging up your time Rob, I just enjoy learning from you.

Much thanks
Jay

[75]

Overbuilding is good - up to a point! If you overbuild t-o-o much, you'll end up not being able to payload a whole lot. I have a tendency for "overkill" myself - just ask anyone who I've built something for................... ;)

On the trailer I built, I used 12" S-beam (aka I-beam, the flanges are fairly narrow. Another style of beam commonly used in structural steel applications is called a "Wide-Flange" beam, so named because the flanges are wider than those on a similar size S-beam) for the side rails and 2" channel for the crossers, and 2" rough-cut boards for the deck itself.

8" structural channel might work well for your main frame, and you could use 2" channel or 2" angle for the crossers. Tomorrow I'll take a look at the deck on our boom truck and see how it's constructed - I KNOW it'll carry plenty of weight 'cause I've had that truck loaded heavy a few times. :eek:

Hogging my time? Not at all - I enjoy posting here, sharing info & ideas is what this site is all about.

BTW, whereabouts in Indiana are you? I'm hoping to get down to Frankfort for a weekend next summer, depending on where you are I could make a detour out your way for a quick visit.

[Shady Brook]

Rob

My brother in-law works in Frankfort!

Actually I am about 1 hr 45 min north of Frankfort. If you came down 196 through Michigan, into Indiana, 196 turns into 80/94, and will meet up with I65, where you would head south to Frankfort. I am just 30 min south of 80/94, and 30 min east of 65. I am in Kouts, a little nothing town... But I love it! It is south of Valparaiso about 20 min. I would enjoy the visit very much. If you swing by, I will feed ya!

What is in Frankfort anyway? It is not known for much to my knowledge.

Yeah, I think building the trailer would be great fun. Could do all sorts of neat things to it to make it the perfect trailer. Maybe I could put on some type of sliding sides and roof, like in Toronto's dome, just in case it is raining. :D

Thanks again for all the super info Rob

Jay

[75]

Frankfort is the home of Skydive Indiana, as well as a friend of mine (fellow jumper) whom I first met at a different drop zone (Skydive Chicago) a couple of years back.

Found Kouts on the road atlas - not too far out of the way on the way down from Canada - so I'll make sure to leave time for a trip by your place when I head down there next summer.

Your sliding roof idea is interesting - I have worked on some Hydro trucks (repair welding on the outrigger booms) that have sliding roofs on the utility bodies. They consist of three or four panels that telescope under one another, allowing you to open up about 3/4 of the roof or seal it right off.

Or, some big trailers have a rollback tarp setup where the hoops that support the tarp roll in tracks along the sides of the trailer. From a distance, they look like a van trailer, but the tarp rolls forward to the front, permitting loading/tying down like a flatbed, then pull the cover back over top. (Naturally, the few years I pulled a flatbed they didn't have them and we had to tarp everything the manual way :( )

Then there's the rack-and-tarp system, often referred to as a "covered wagon" where the sides drop into pockets along the trailer, then hoops fit into place to support a tarp over the top. This is a "manual" system, OK for loading but a bit of a workout if you have to remove the tarp and sides to use the trailer as a flatbed.

Make some sketches, look at other trailers, and by the time you go to build you should have a pretty good idea of what you want to end up with!

[David Haggerty]

Originally posted by Shady Brook
Rob

I am thinking I would need a dove tail for the gates as well, hum... I may need a 28 footer!

The dovetail on a trailer that long would get hung up a lot. Here's something I did for my 20 foot landscape trailer that lets the dovetail raise up and ride over steep driveway entrances etc.

Origionally the ramps were 6' I had them cut in two pieces. the first 2 1/2 feet is hung off of the back of the trailer on chains. Then I only had to lift 3 1/2' of ramp. That was still kind of heavy, so I fabbed a sliding pipe within a pipe that pushes on an old automible coil spring under the trailer.

I've had it for a couple of years, and it works pretty smooth. A 12,000# trailer with 12,000# ramps that you can kick up with your toe.

Here's a picture of it I had on file. I'll post more on this if anyone's interested.

Dave

[Shady Brook]

David

That really looks like a super design. My 14 footer with dove tail hangs up plenty. I really like your idea! I may have more question for you in the future. :D

Jay