Took a bit to get going (I've had some outlying issues online and around the house!) BUT I think I'm all caught up and going again, PLUS I have a lot to do in the shop (time of the year) so..... I been doing as much as I can model building wise too... and still getting something done! So with that, heres a bit more.... Some history of the real trailer first, so all knows where this is coming from.....
As I have mentioned in several postings in this build my Uncle, was a Carpenter, among other things he did, Carpentry was his regular job, worked for him self (most of my life) and did other things in the time he worked, using this trailer a lot in the 2 years he had it till he went and bought a bigger one after selling this one to my Dad a just over 2 years after it was done! As he needed a longer one. And My Dad just needed a trailer! And because he worked on it with my Uncle to make it, well, I'm sure he got a deal on it so..... As I also know if my Uncle wanted more then Dad could have paid, Dad would have walked away so. BUT, I know thats not the case those 2 were close so.....
ANYWAY, with that bit of info, my Uncle wanted to be able to carry as much as he could. Had several different ideas, but the issue was, nothing could be "bought" to fit this trailer, the sides and all were all custom made to fit the trailer (And thats one of the things I think my Uncle sold it, nothing was easily bought for it, for "accessories"!) BUT Dad didn't care! SO.... But anyway, with the amount of ladders my Uncle had and using several of them on one job, and doing several different jobs at a time, he needed a way to carry several ladders at a time, the van could haul some, BUT if the inside of the trailer was full of ladders, then all the tools were top go where? Sure inside the van, yeah. BUT that I seen full more times I care to admit, (I know I helped to fill it myself!) BUT, there was a lot of times before he got the trailer, and before it was usable, we'd have to make 2 trips to the same place to clean up and brings tools back to his shop/garage. So.... WELL, Ladders (only so many of them would fit on the roof of the van!) So I know my Uncle had looked through all his storage or metal parts and even in a couple cases looked through the "scrap" pile to find good lengths to be used, with a little wire wheeling and or grinding of a angle grinder does wonders even on scraps! I know all this as I was part of the "search" through the storage building, and the scrap pile as well as what was found to be used, I got to wire wheel and grind to get it ready to be cut and welded! And thats when I got my chance for the first time, to run the metal band saw, as well as weld!!!! Granted, that was a sort-of learning experience for me, as I never got to weld "heavy" stuff..... Most times I welded it was with a MIG, on sheet metal, on a car body.... Light stuff..... This however? A little different... Plus this was all welded with a HEAVY "stick" welder..... And thats something I wasn't all the great of, I had to make 2 SOLID welds before he would let me go onto the trailer work making a "rack" for it. Didn't take long 2 solid welds believe it or not with a stick welder is hard to do, BUT, you learn fast.... I bet I could weld just the same today, if I had a stick welder, but I'm good with a wire feed "MIG" welder too, but anyone can run a MIG welder!
SO, then, to the model we go..... I had to see what I had for plastic stock to make a custom ladder rack to fit the bed sides and the stack pockets I made into the bed sides as they were done on the real trailer. This however, was NOT going to be a done-quickly project! As the posts, had to be as true "vertical" and 90 degrees with the trailer side top edge as I could get it on all 8 posts! That alone was the hardest part. BUT to get started, I needed to "hold" those posts in-place while I was gluing the horizontal parts to it! SO, I went and center drilled each one to fit a 1/16th inch plastic locator rod into it.... That way, it will hold itself upright, while horizontal bracing is applied! SO, I got all 8 done, and began adding the horizontal bracing, that would span all 4 posts....
What you see in these 2 pics is the angle bracing that holds all 4 posts together, one side, but also will be the support mount for the cross-braces, that will keep the whole rack, "level" on that top level going across from one side to the other.
I have to say, this task was a bit more difficult then I first thought! getting all 4 posts, getting the same horizon on the angle, kept level, and true from one post to the other was something, and I had to do this task twice!
Stay tuned! More to follow! ~Enjoy!