Getting back in the Game

Been on a bit of a hiatus the last few years. Quit my day job last May. Scored some new wheels back in March. a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. So plush compared to all my other beaters. Got it for labor trade. V8, full time 4x4, power everything. Not ideal for hauling scrap. Only brought in several hundred pounds of aluminum cans with it. At $.15/lb, it sucks.

I passively amassed a pile of materials to process over the last few years. Lawnmowers, microwaves a plenty. Recently picked up a 7cf chest freezer right across the alley from me. Works fine, keeping it!! Also picked up an older Weber Spirit E 320 gasser. Keeping it!!!!!! Great shape for it's age, works fine as is and very refurbishable. Plenty of other stuff piled up.

Still prowling CurbCo on bicycles. Spent more money on insurance than fuel all this year. Been giving alot of my steel to a fellow scrapper up the alley from me because I don't have a suitable way of taking it in. The blue Brat has a bad tire, no muffler and cracked windshield so I don't drive it much or too far. Been thinking of getting a folding trailer from everybody's favorite national discount tool store. And a full size pickup.

Bought a couple Coppermine manual wire stripping machines last year. Still brand new in box. Now that I have some time, I'll take them to the 50lb rat nest I got stashed under my van.

I got quite a bit of work to catch up on. Doesn't help if I bring more stuff in than I can process or haul off. But I enjoy it.

Congrats on getting going. Looking forward to seeing the results!

[QUOTE=Soobthang;304245]Been on a bit of a hiatus the last few years. Quit my day job last May. Scored some new wheels back in March. a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. So plush compared to all my other beaters. Got it for labor trade. V8, full time 4x4, power everything. Not ideal for hauling scrap. Only brought in several hundred pounds of aluminum cans with it. At $.15/lb, it sucks.

If you are just starting in the industry, you may want to turn to the internet to get an idea of which steel suppliers will have the materials you will need. Often, the internet will also provide you with detailed information from others on these companies that can help you to make the purchasing experience easier as well. Of course, you can always turn to other individuals in the industry as another option as they will have their own connections that you will be able to take advantage of for all your steel needs.
Above all, you will want to ensure that the steel suppliers you have are focused on giving you competitive quality and pricing. This means getting the agility and strength you need from these products, while having an overall cost you can count on. After all, your goal should be to locate a supplier that will give you the best product at the most reasonable cost.

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Originally Posted by freddylegen

[FONT="]If you are just starting in the industry, you may want to turn to the internet to get an idea of which steel suppliers will have the materials you will need. Often, the internet will also provide you with detailed information from others on these companies that can help you to make the purchasing experience easier as well. Of course, you can always turn to other individuals in the industry as another option as they will have their own connections that you will be able to take advantage of for all your steel needs.[/FONT]
Above all, you will want to ensure that the steel suppliers you have are focused on giving you competitive quality and pricing. This means getting the agility and strength you need from these products, while having an overall cost you can count on. After all, your goal should be to locate a supplier that will give you the best product at the most reasonable cost.

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And I will just bet that you think you are that supplier. Peddle your steel elsewhere.

Neighbor across the alley often puts out scrap metal once in a while. Put a few old car parts out, starter, alternator, couple distributors, four barrrel carb, grille. Naturally I grabbed it all..

Few days later, pickup with a flatbed comes to haul the old Chevy that has been in the backyard for decades. Dunno if they're gonna restore, part, or scrap it. The grille sure is in nice shape, very straight, no dents. Probably the best part left over from that first gen Camaro.

Just broke bad and bought a trailer. 1720lb rated 4x8 folding trailer from HF Tools, about $500 out the door. Now I can haul steel and iron, and the non ferrous can ride in the back of the Jeep. Hope to get it together this weekend and get it inspected and licensed this week. Maybe finally catch up on spring cleaning.... from the last few years...

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Originally Posted by Soobthang

Just broke bad and bought a trailer. 1720lb rated 4x8 folding trailer from HF Tools, about $500 out the door. Now I can haul steel and iron, and the non ferrous can ride in the back of the Jeep. Hope to get it together this weekend and get it inspected and licensed this week. Maybe finally catch up on spring cleaning.... from the last few years...

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I considered getting a hf trailer, but for a few bucks more got a tractor supply 5x8 trailer with ramp for $675 (before tags tax and title) already assembled and ready to go with a coupon. I heard assembling the hf ones SUCKS and takes a while, but for the price, they are a good deal for sure... best choice I made, its already paid for itself 3x over in about a months time.... my only regret is not getting a BIGGER trailer. whatever size you think you need, always get bigger lol.... already shopping for a bigger one.... and a bigger truck.... or a box truck lol

Yeah, I've read the reviews and watched the videos. Gonna be a fun puzzle. That trailer from TSC is real nice, might upgrade to one in the future. There's a TSC a couple towns up the interstate, and the Smokey inspection shop is on the way back from there, and a DOL right off the highway in my hood. Kinda wish I got one of those now....... I would already be hauling weight.

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Originally Posted by Soobthang

Yeah, I've read the reviews and watched the videos. Gonna be a fun puzzle. That trailer from TSC is real nice, might upgrade to one in the future. There's a TSC a couple towns up the interstate, and the Smokey inspection shop is on the way back from there, and a DOL right off the highway in my hood. Kinda wish I got one of those now....... I would already be hauling weight.

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You really arent losing out on much pretty much. The only advantages is another 1 foot of space (4x8 vs 5x8), and the ramp. And if youre just hauling scrap the ramp doesnt supper matter. And funny enough, the tractor supply has LESS payload capacity, since both trailers have 2000lb gvwr but the harbor freight is lighter (although Ive already had 2300lbs in mine on accident a few times and its seemed OK).....

Once assembled, and you put some steaks and 4x8 sides on it im sure itll hold plenty. I wish I got the 5.5x10 at least one from tractor supply but oh well.

Doesn't the HF trailer need a floor? If I remember right, it's just a bunch of sqaure stock.

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Originally Posted by IamTheGreatest

Doesn't the HF trailer need a floor? If I remember right, it's just a bunch of sqaure stock.

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It will need a floor and most likely side stakes. It is bolt together parts with a vin/title. The tractor supply one (the cheaper mesh one) has a mesh floor, but for anyone doing any scrapping or hauling bolting plywood in is a requirement so not much different that with the hf one in terms of needing to buy plywood for a floor.

Actually, Plywood is probably the worst to do.. Never dries out. I have yet to have problems with mesh, but I use totes for the little stuff. Easier to unload the trailer that way.

For sure gotta put a deck on it. Instructions recommend 3/4" plywood. Might use 7/8". Or 3/4" with 1/2" sacrificial sheet over that so if/when it wears out I can just replace the top sheet. I'll seal it on both sides before installing. And thinking of 24" tall sides with provisions to add rails on top of that if needed. And tiedowns galore.

Sorting out the hardware so I don't put the four longer bolts where they don't go, I realize there are NO flat washers. It comes with nylocks though. Think I should buy a box of washers?

I'd find a local small saw mill that cuts 12 inch wide boards. Will be cheaper and last longer. Tell them you don't need the full inch thick, they might cut you some, might not. I'd use stove bolts.

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Originally Posted by IamTheGreatest

I'd find a local small saw mill that cuts 12 inch wide boards. Will be cheaper and last longer. Tell them you don't need the full inch thick, they might cut you some, might not. I'd use stove bolts.

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So planks would be more ideal than plywood for the decking? I could swing by my old jobsite, dig through the scrap pile and see what could work. Used to frame houses for rich a$$ people.

Planks drain and don't peel from rain. Everybody says they are going to keep it covered and painted, blah, blah and double blah. Drag a clothes washer across it once. Paint/sealer only lasts once. Rough cut boards are nicer, soak up oil and stuff. Preservative. Only thing I recommend is full length long boards. (Put in the lengthwise way, not cross-ways. Otherwise there will be swearing.) Rough cut also don't turn into slip and slide. Around here you can get rough cut pine for 50 - 75 cents a board foot. People say to get oak, but for little trailers, You're going to replace boards anyways. just get cheap pine. They do add a little weight, but you were going to go an inch with plywood, so it's about even.

I also recommend any spray paint projects get done INSIDE the trailer. Cheap free sealer, and nobody cares what the inside of the trailer looks like. You'll waste so much time worrying about trailer condition it's not worth it. As long as it's legal.

I just might do that. Don't plan on folding it anyway,and 8 footers would help with the strength of the trailer.

I'm curious what direction you went with the trailer. just an affirmation if I know what I'm talking about.

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Originally Posted by IamTheGreatest

I'm curious what direction you went with the trailer. just an affirmation if I know what I'm talking about.

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You still here?

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Originally Posted by IamTheGreatest

Planks drain and don't peel from rain. Everybody says they are going to keep it covered and painted, blah, blah and double blah. Drag a clothes washer across it once. Paint/sealer only lasts once. Rough cut boards are nicer, soak up oil and stuff. Preservative. Only thing I recommend is full length long boards. (Put in the lengthwise way, not cross-ways. Otherwise there will be swearing.) Rough cut also don't turn into slip and slide. Around here you can get rough cut pine for 50 - 75 cents a board foot. People say to get oak, but for little trailers, You're going to replace boards anyways. just get cheap pine. They do add a little weight, but you were going to go an inch with plywood, so it's about even.

I also recommend any spray paint projects get done INSIDE the trailer. Cheap free sealer, and nobody cares what the inside of the trailer looks like. You'll waste so much time worrying about trailer condition it's not worth it. As long as it's legal.

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Just make sure your rough cut boards are reasonably dry, as they dry out they shrink leaving huge gaps between each pair of boards. I re-decked my crane truck with rough cut fir from a tree that I had cut and transported to a local guy that had a band mill.

Hauling a scrap vehicle won't fall through the gaps.

Sorry for the delay. Still have yet to assemble the trailer. Life won't wait, and the weather sucks here in the Pacific Northwet when I gotta do everything outside. Hope to get it together before the end of the year.

Lots of mills here, timber is a major industry. Pretty much all the lumber is high temp kiln dried, so I have to worry about swelling rather than shrinkage. It rains nine months out of the year here. Snows sometimes. Did a little last week but not enough to have fun in the Jeep or Subaru.

The best decking material that i can think of for a trailer would be pressure treated 2x6 or 2x8. It doesn't need any care and will likely last 20 years or more out there in the elements. What you wanna do is look at the endgrain and put the crown facing up. That way the boards don't cup and hold water. Use a sixteen penny nail as a spacer between your decking boards as you are laying them. That little bit of space between the boards allows them to shrink or swell without causing any problems.

If you had a small 4x8 trailer ... a 4x8 sheet of pressure treated plywood would be just right. You could probably get by with 1/2" but 5/8" or 3/4" thick would be better.


Another thing that's gaining popularity these days is what's called composite decking & boarding. It's made out of recycled plastic and sawdust. That's being used on a lot of high end jobs now because it's maintenance free and lasts indefinitely. It doesn't swell or shrink so that's a plus. It is kind of expensive to buy though.

Kinda concerned with pressure treated wood because it's corrosive, code requires galvanized or stainless fasteners and hardware in construction. Plus that $#!t is heavy, had to carry 16 foot 2x6, 2x8 through soft muddy backfill, really sucks, or sinks me down. Built alot of decks with Trex, the composite decking you described. Heavy material too, gets hot in summer and slick as snot on a doorknob in winter.

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Originally Posted by Soobthang

Kinda concerned with pressure treated wood because it's corrosive, code requires galvanized or stainless fasteners and hardware in construction. Plus that $#!t is heavy, had to carry 16 foot 2x6, 2x8 through soft muddy backfill, really sucks, or sinks me down. Built alot of decks with Trex, the composite decking you described. Heavy material too, gets hot in summer and slick as snot on a doorknob in winter.

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I was primarily thinking about low maintenance and durability. They most often use Southern Yellow Pine and then drop a whole lift lift of that stuff into a vat of water and preservative. Next they seal the vat and pressurize it to drive that stuff right into the core of the wood. Point being ... it's about twice as heavy as K.D. because it's so heavily laden with water. It takes about six months for it to dry out after it's been installed for it to be somewhere near normal weight. SYP is rugged enough without getting the density you would get with oak planking .... or ... heaven forbid ... ironwood.

I think you could manage the corrosion issue just fine with a bit of Vicor or IWS as a barrier between the wood and the steel framing of the trailer. 1/4" x 2 1/2" galvanized lag screws are heavily galvanized so that shouldn't be an issue.

As for trex ... it's just an idea. Personally, i would go with PT but it's an option.

This is getting way over thought. It's a harbor freight trailer. It won't last that long. Not trying to bring you down, but it won't. Don't do the composite. Slippery when wet. Same with treated. You don't notice it on flat surfaces. Just plain old rough cut true dimension wood. I wouldn't worry about shrinkage on it, and if you're worried about stuff falling through an inch gap in a trailer, you're not loading it right.

For 20 bucks you can get enough rough cut. You could go 2 inch on the floor, but for the size of that trailer it's over kill. You'll never haul anything heavy enough to need that thick of wood in a thin wall trailer.

You're going to find you're going to sell trailer anyways. Everybody starts small and regrets it.

Just make it so it's useful and legal. Next time you're at the yard, look at the trailers that are coming in. You see someone with an aluminum trailer, and shiny truck. And you know you shake your head, because it's just not cost effective.

My best gooseneck trailer floor for scrap is 3/4 pressed metal (some call catwalk) and the front 8 ft. pressure treated lumber. It is an old stock trailer that I cut down and created a (tub) scrap trailer. The front wood portion is for prepared metal or anything that will fall out of the pressed metal portion. The reason for two different floors was to allow water, snow, and dirt to drain and limit shoveling. For a small trailer that is being discussed I would consider using buckets and tubs for small items and use pressed metal.

I built a 20 ft. trailer for my son to haul his side by side and other toys or vehicles if need be with the axles from a stock trailer. The entire floor is pressed metal because it is strong, light weight, and he can elevate the tongue in storage to eliminate snow and ice build up. The only thing he dislikes is the dust kicked up from the gravel roads.

Finally got some time to do things. Set up the wire stripping machines and going to work on all the romex first. Started assembling the trailer yesterday, should have it mostly finished today. Will have to go to the DOL and get a State Patrol inspection form. Probably do that when I renew tabs on my Subaru, $96.25 for something that's 18 years old!!!! It's a four banger getting around 25mpg so will use it for scouting CurbCo or small pickups.

Haven't been active at Curbco lately but I passively find a thing or two, like a microwave manufactured in 1991. Can't wait to see how much copper this baby has, she's heavy. Got another half dozen other microwaves to tear down too, and clean up my mower junkyard. 1/2" cordless rattlegun will make short work of all the mower engines. Hoping my first load of the year breaks my old record in pay.