As explained in a previous blog story, we traded our gas guzzling SUV for a more fuel efficient (and mechanically dependable) Honda Accord. That presented a problem for Marlene who sells her breads and cinnamon rolls and such at the Farmer’s Market on Thursdays. In addition to all the baked goods, she needs to take tables, a tent, chairs, and lots of other stuff.
For several weeks she crammed everything into the car. But, finally, last week, I finished her farm market trailer. That’s it in the picture above.
A four cylinder Honda is not made to haul a heavy load, so the trailer is small and light. I bought a 40” by 48” utility trailer kit from Northern Tool. It was item #125427. It cost me $220, plus shipping. It is a nice little trailer for the money.
On top of that I made a box with a 3/4” plywood bottom, and a frame of 3/4” pine pieces covered by 1/4” lauan plywood. I sheathed the plywood with thin fiberglass sheets (Structoglass is the name of the product). Then I attached aluminum angle over all the edges. There is silicone under the angle pieces. The box is weather tight.
There are two, hinged, open-out doors on the back. They are made of 1/2” plywood and painted white. Inside the trailer there are two shelves on the top. The shelves hold four large bread trays, and more. In the bottom of the trailer there is room to stack two or three folding tables, the folding tent/canopy, some folding chairs, and miscellaneous boxes. The upper shelves remove easily to provide more hauling capacity if needed.
The trailer is small enough to unhook from the car and easily roll by hand wherever it needs to go. There is a fold-down trailer jack with a wheel on the trailer tongue, which makes moving it all the easier.
Making my own trailer box cost a lot less money than buying something similar that was already made. And farm market day is now a whole lot easier for Marlene.
A tiny trailer behind a car not as useful as a pickup with a cap, or a van, or a big trailer, or even a SUV, but we’re keeping it simple, and making do.
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2 comments:
Great job Herrick. I am sure that Marlene appreciates it. It does not look big enough for a table though. Does your table fold in half lengthwise?
Hi Marci,
It's a small trailer but it will hold three tables that fold in half and the legs fold down.
Marlene has gotten a lot of compliments from other vendors at the market. The usual response it that it is "cute." Well, I suppose it is. But more impoirtantly, it is functional.
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