Project Fuggly - No Longer Fuggly And Splashed!!!!!!

[Patfromny]

Much nicer looking. Are you going to box the side to side pieces as well? Seems like you should so there will be no diagonal deflection or are the amount of supports enough to stop this?

 

[Baylinerchuck]

So is this for a boat, or a trailer for a 1/2 scale Sherman tank......just curious!:lol:

 

[Woodonglass]

Hey Arch, Saw your post on Pekstroms thread about the straps. I've made a few of those and could/would be happy to work with you on any that you may need/want. I can get about any color of webbing and also the most common buckle and hook types. Just thought I'd let you know. Now that I'm retired I have LOTS of time to piddle!!!!

 

[archbuilder]

Hey Chuck, normally I would agree with you..... but I have the trip home with Fuggly permanently etched in my memory. There was a light rain and all I can remember is looking in the rear view at 40 MPH thinking it looked like I was towing a grease pig, bungee corded to a trailer made out of wet noodles. It scared the hell out of me on side streets, much less the highway! I was a little surprised how flimsy the trailer was after the tongue modifications. It would probably be ok without boxing the frame, but for $70 worth of steel and some time it should be rock solid. I spent a lot of time with Miss Morgans trailer and have been really happy I did after a several 1000 miles. Never got in trouble for over building other than the cost, lol!

Pat I think I understand your question, but might be off. I am boxing some of the cross members, but just the ones that the tongue attaches too. The rest I am leaving as c-channel. I had some work and chores this morning but still had some time on the trailer. I would have gotten a lot more done if I hadn't watched football for 4 hours lol!

I did finish up cutting and fitting all the steel I can until its welded up tonight. I have a bunch more grinding to do tomorrow, then a lot of welding.

Here's a few pics from tonight. This one shows the connection between the frame rails and the rear cross member. Its not a very rigid connection and flexs a lot!



This is how the new boxing plate will be tied in and welded, much stiffer.



It took a little heat to bend the corner, but it worked out nicely





This is the front cross-member that the tongue attaches too. If you look closely you will see a relief cut in the center of the plate. That is because the old tongue actually bent the cross member and it isn't strait anymore. I also found fractures in some of the welds up front, disaster waiting to happen.



This is the cross member behind the first, I extended the new tongue to attach to it to shorten the lever arm of the tongue. I kind of wished it I had swapped it out for a 4" member, but I think it will be fine now that it is boxed.



This is the filler I am putting in to stiffen up the joint in the first pic.

 

[archbuilder]

Mike I may just take you up on that! Are you still in T town or did you make the move to Edmond?

 

[mickyryan]

too bad you cant find someplace close to hot dip the whole trailer it would last ya forever!

 

[gm280]

Arch, that is some pretty ambitious but nice looking welding going on there. I think you won't have any flimsy issues from now on.

 

[proshadetree]

Just checking back in on this build. Dont think your doing that right. Might need to practice on my trailer first. Just give me an addy and i will drop it on off. Looks great and an addition I think I need for my next boat. Or a new aluminum trailer.

 

[archbuilder]

Mickey, There are a couple places up in Tulsa, but I think I will stick with paint. Its a freshwater trailer, and if all goes according to plan, it will be in my barn all year except once in the spring and once in the fall. The rest of the time Fuggly will be in my slip or in the barn. The galvanizing is really nice, but I don't think its worth the extra cost, If I was in sea water I would do it for sure!

Thanks GM, should have just done this the first time! I don't think I am going to get paint on it before I get back to work, but hopefully I can make some good progress and get close.

Shadetree, I think this one will be enough practice lol! I hate welding anything that has been galvanized. You have to grind all the zinc off that area, then wear a respirator under your hood. Nasty process, I'll be glad when all the boxing is done.

 

[proshadetree]

Hate welding galvanized metal myself. Even with a respirator it seems I taste a hint of it for days.

 

[gm280]

Arch, since you are talking about painting it, have you thought about priming and/or painting the inside of the "C" channel before welding it closed? Just a thought bouncing around in my head. :noidea:

I well say one things about painting a trailer. It seems like there isn't much there to paint until you start spray paint one. Then it seems there are so many angles and crevices that it takes a lot longer to spray then one would think...and a lot more paint as well. JMHO

 

[Woodonglass]

Still in Tulsa but looking at homes in the Edmond Guthrie area. seems like i'm in Edmond more than Tulsa lately. pm me your contact info and i'll come visit the compound!!!

 

[archbuilder]

Mike I will shoot you a PM, good luck tonight!

GM my first job at the body shop in high school was painting car hauler trailers.....LOTS of paint lol. You are right it takes a lot of paint, a bunch of it ends up as over spray. As for the inside of the C channel, it is still galvanized. The plate isn't and I looked into weld through primer, but didn't find a local source that was close. I don't think its going to rust out anytime soon being in the water a couple times a year. So I just ran with it bare. I had to work about 4 hours today and do some end of the year tax stuff....so basically I didn't have much time on the trailer. I did finish grinding the left side and got it welded up.



I need to re-work a couple of the bottom welds, kept getting contamination from the galvanizing. I hate that you fight it the whole time. But after that it needs a little grinding, bondo and paint. I will work on the other side tomorrow and see what I can get done. Time to watch Woods team play in the Alamo Bowl.

 

[mickyryan]

that's cool I wasn't sure if where you would be launching her but id hate to see all that good work waste away

 

[archbuilder]

Think I have talked myself into having everything lightly sand blasted after the welding is done. I did that with Miss Morgan, but her trailer was a rust bucket. I'm going to call around and see what it would cost to have it dusted. That would save all the sanding for paint prep....which sucks on the C Channels. That would also clean up the mill slag on the new steel. The only drawback is it pits the steel some, but I can just put a skim coat of bondo on the outside frame rails. That worked out well on Miss Morgan and gives the paint a nice tooth.

 

[archbuilder]

Micky, I think we will be good with the paint for years. I actually have never had a galvanized trailer, and they have all held up well. I think a good paint is the key. And I can always send it to the sand blaster if 15 years or so and re shoot it. I think keeping it inside and the fresh water make a huge difference. And i am ready to get back to the boat! Welding anything that is galvanized just sucks! Ready for the welding to be done!

 

[mickyryan]

yep its not like you are using thin gauge for it as is so id not doubt that one bit and the wqay you stay up on it I'm sure you aren't going to let it get holes before addressing it anyways :0

 

[Patfromny]

At this point, just weld them air tight and then you'll have no worries. Lol. Although then they might float.

 

[archbuilder]

Pat I doubt there is enough air in there to float all this steel lol! That might take some pontoons. I am actually drilling drain holes in the bottom of it. With my luck I'll get water trapped in there and it will freeze over the winter.

 

[archbuilder]

Has anyone used this from Eastwood? It has good reviews, might work nicely on the inside of the channels....seems a little pricey.

http://www.eastwood.com/internal-fr...C__vOD7vh4NqIgV5RI4C7fVV9L0rc_KbQdRoCMqPw_wcB