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Here's the work I've done to build my sawmill trailer (I didn't take photos of the metal fabrication part). I finished welding it up out of I-beams and put on a fresh coat of paint today. I used six cans of paint and I was able to do two coats. Here's a photo of the trailer when I was almost finished welding and before I took it apart to paint it. After I finished welding I towed it behind my truck around my property and it seems to tow very well!
Here it is torn down and painted with two coat of industrial gloss black Rustoleum paint.
I took some round stock and bent it with my torch and put it up front as a handle. It's way too heavy to lift by hand but this handle is perfect for my farm jack so I can lift it up onto my truck ball. The receiver hitch is on the floor in the photo, it just bolts right on.
Everything seems to be really straight. I guess the true test will be when I cut some lumber. If it's not exactly straight I can shim the tracks that mount to this frame.
I mounted an extra round bar in the back so I can lift it with my farm jack to take the wheels on and off.
These two little lips are where the axel mounts.
Here are the brackets on the axel that will bolt right up to the frame.
Here's another photo of the axel. I got this at a free for all scrap yard giveaway I saw on Craig's List. I've been wanting to use this on a project.
Here's a close up of the bracket on the axel...
And the bracket on the frame.
Here's a shot of the wheels, they are in really bad shape. Someday I plan on getting new rims and wheels and maybe putting some lighting on the trailer and getting it licensed so I can pull my mill down the road. But for now I just want to be able to move it around my property and into the barn for the winter and get it out of the weather.
Here are the metal rails that mount to the frame that I welded together. I originally had it mounted to tracks made of lumber screwed together, but with a real heavy log weighing a thousand pounds the tracks would bend a bit and my lumber would come out warped. This won't be a problem any more!
Here are some photos of the finished project!
And this was the real test, to see if it fit in my garage with the sawhead on the trailer...and it just barely fits with only inches to spare. NICE
At least now I can cut straight lumber and keep the sawmill out of the weather!
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