Cargo trailer conversion project

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FastEagle said:
You may have to comply with parts of this regulation when you get it tagged.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol6/xml/CFR-2011-title49-vol6-part567.xml
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Trailer is already tagged and inspection sticker. I didn't build the trailer, I bought it.
 
Spent hours yesterday putting drawer fronts and drawer pulls on. What a pain in the azz. Measuring this and that using rulers, calipers and anything else I could find. I always ended up making one hole from the back larger then the other so I could line it up properly when attaching the drawer front to the drawer.

I have one drawer that's a slide out little table next to the bed so I can put stuff on. When I installed it it was crooked like one side was in at least 3/4" more then the other. I spent at least an hour trying to figure it out. I measured the drawer slides side to side and up and down and all was fine. I measured the table for width and length and it was fine. I measured the table corner to corner and it was fine. I was stumped!!!

Anyone know?

I then took my square and put it on. I was like HOLY ****. I somehow had made a euclidean trapezoid. I think that's the term, not sure. Maybe if it was used in the fairy tale house it would be fine. I have no idea how I screwed up that bad.
 
SkateBoard said:
Trailer is already tagged and inspection sticker. I didn't build the trailer, I bought it.
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That's why I provided the certification reference. Part 567.7 in the reference outlines procedures you may not be aware of. For instance. You are changing it from a cargo trailer to a RV trailer. That information must be displayed along with a statement that it meets all safety standards.
 
And pretty much what I said before, probably no one else reads that Gvt. gobbledygook, nor do most of us even care. There probably aren't 10 State Inspection people in the United States that know that stuff even exists, let alone know what it says.
 
Major progress today and really looking like something. Will have some pics tomorrow. I bought oak composite flooring that I'll put down later. In the meantime I needed one section so I could get the proper height off the floor for trim and other panels. This one piece has been on the floor for a while. I picked it up today and wiped if off and it's still like brand new. I figured it would take a beating from the tools dropping, saw dust being ground in under my foot and everything else. I just may put half the flooring down soon since it seems to wear very good.

As I finish each drawer I'm able to stuff tons of junk into them. Two weeks ago I could barley walk around without stepping on something. I'm gonna be sanding for weeks when I'm ready to finish the wood. The belt sander is my BEST friend!!! 
 
I don't see why the OP needs to be concerned with anything beyond not exceeding the trailers manufactured weight ratings.  It's not an RV.  It isn't a motor vehicle.  It's still a trailer.  My registration for my TT doesn't state it's a TT.  It's a trailer with a weight rating, and requires typical trailer safety equipment for its rating.  I could tear the box off it tomorrow, and add suitable decking and ramps, and it would still be registered as a 6k trailer with the same gross weight and axle ratings.  It would just be carrying different things.
 
Done for a while. I'm beat. Six days working on this. Glad to go back to work tomorrow so I can relax.
 

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That's some nice work! Maybe you should teach carpentry at the community college. What do you estimate the final weight of your TT will be?
 
Oldgator73 said:
That's some nice work! Maybe you should teach carpentry at the community college. What do you estimate the final weight of your TT will be?
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Thanks. I'm from the school of Norm Abrams. He uses a belt sander also when pieces don't line up. lol

I have no idea what the final weight will be. The trailer weighed 2,150 and can be 7,000 max. My Jeep can tow I think 6,400 so I'm guessing I'll be way under that
 
That  sure does not look like any cargo trailer I ever saw!!  Nice work!

When are you scheduled to take it to work to show it off??
 
grashley said:
When are you scheduled to take it to work to show it off??
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I have no idea. Everything seems to take a lot longer then I planned. The whole thing is pretty much self contained so I'm not gated by the weather. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do about the counter top. It will be the biggest I've ever glued up. I may have to pay the mill to do it. I was also thinking I can do all the frame work for the bottom cabinets all along the wall then screw down one board at a time then glue the next and screw. That one top will be 7 1/2 feet long. I don't think there is any way I can get three boards straight enough to glue up.

I could also do it one 2" strip at a time. I could also cut all my boards to rough lengths then have the mill S4S them for gluing. I can also do the top in sections but that would require some type of trim board. Maybe even inlay 2" sections of cherry at the butt joints. I'll probably use my plunge router to inlay 3/4" cherry all around the top. That's easy to do and pretty dramatic when done.

There is enough done at this point I could actually pull the trailer to some remote place and work on it instead of at my mechanics shop for a change.

Anyways, I'm doing this as a project/hobby and enjoying it with no time table in mind. I would like it to be done for the winter so I can test out it's ability in the cold weather.
 
SkateBoard said:
I have no idea. Everything seems to take a lot longer then I planned. The whole thing is pretty much self contained so I'm not gated by the weather. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do about the counter top. It will be the biggest I've ever glued up. I may have to pay the mill to do it. I was also thinking I can do all the frame work for the bottom cabinets all along the wall then screw down one board at a time then glue the next and screw. That one top will be 7 1/2 feet long. I don't think there is any way I can get three boards straight enough to glue up.

I could also do it one 2" strip at a time. I could also cut all my boards to rough lengths then have the mill S4S them for gluing. I can also do the top in sections but that would require some type of trim board. Maybe even inlay 2" sections of cherry at the butt joints. I'll probably use my plunge router to inlay 3/4" cherry all around the top. That's easy to do and pretty dramatic when done.

There is enough done at this point I could actually pull the trailer to some remote place and work on it instead of at my mechanics shop for a change.

Anyways, I'm doing this as a project/hobby and enjoying it with no time table in mind. I would like it to be done for the winter so I can test out it's ability in the cold weather.
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You lost me at "I have no idea".
 
Rene T said:
I think he was replying to what Gordon asked:  When are you scheduled to take it to work to show it off??
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Yes
 
SkateBoard said:
Yes
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What I was alluding to was everything after "I have no idea" is Greek to me. The technical aspect of his phenomenal carpentry work and future plans.
 
What type of top do you plan?  I got confused, too!  I follow 7 1/2ft long.  Is it a laminate top?  Is it a stacked hardwood top?  Why is the length a problem?

Formica over plywood - cut the Formica sheet to fit the wall perfectly, and a bit too big on the other dimensions.  Get the back properly placed, glue down,  then router or file the other edges to fit.

Stacked hardwood - plane to the same height.  Carefully glue and screw each board in place on the counter, then sand the finished product.

Or am I missing something big?
 
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