A welding trailer can be a terrific conveyance for your welding equipment and supplies. A welding trailer enables you to take your welding gear to the worksite instead of bringing the work to a fixed location.
It is best to have a dedicated welding trailer, and welders are perfectly suited to convert a traditional trailer into an ideal welding trailer. Some ideas could help you to create the perfect welding trailer that fully supports your needs.
In This Article
Welding Trailer Examples
There are a large number of great examples of welding trailer set ups you can check out to get inspiration. Here’s a great example of a mobile rig and the equipment it carries:
A walk through of a trailer build:
A trailer refurbishment:
And another up close look at a mobile welding trailer:
Welding Trailer Ideas
In addition to specific visual examples, in this post we’ll also walk through some of your best options for getting a great welding trailer setup. You’ll want to consider each based on your specific needs, but as welders ourselves we’ve put together a comprehensive list of ideas and questions to ask.
1. Go with an Open Welding Trailer
The first consideration is whether or not you want a trailer that is fully enclosed or one that is open and fully accessible.
An enclosed trailer protects against the weather and stops prying eyes from seeing your equipment.
An open trailer could be more accessible and make it easier to quickly reach items that you need while performing your various welding services.
An enclosed trailer can protect your welding gear against weather and thieves. Unfortunately, accessing your gear could be more difficult than when using an open trailer.
You need to carefully determine the ideal layout for an enclosed trailer and will need to pull more items out of it. For example, using a welder or oxy-acetylene tanks means either removing them from the trailer and reloading them after you are finished with your work.
So you would need to do more loading and unloading with an enclosed trailer.
An enclosed trailer likely would be taller than an open trailer, which could make it harder to fit into tight spaces. It also will catch the wind more than an open trailer and might affect vehicle stability.
If you intend to park the welding trailer in your garage or another secure location, an open trailer could work for you.
2. Go with a Closed Welding Trailer
An issue would be protecting your gear while traveling or at your welding location. If you stop for gas or something else, any gear that is not secured might disappear while you are away from your trailer.
An open trailer also might enable items to fall out and onto the roadway. Falling items create liability if they damage vehicles or cause injuries to bystanders.
Open trailers also expose at least some of your gear to the weather and other outdoor elements.
3. Upgrade Your Power Sources
You should include three or four 12-volt car batteries to power your arc, MIG, or TIG welders while away from traditional power sources.
A small bank of car batteries can hold enough electricity to run a welder long enough to perform emergency repairs. You will not be able to weld for an extended amount of time, but you can lay some welds and quickly repair damaged equipment.
You can use jumper cables to connect the batteries to one another and to your welder, but be careful not to connect the cables to the wrong battery posts. That might cause a battery to explode.
It also is a good idea to include a gasoline-fueled generator that could produce even more power and help to charge your batteries.
If you include a generator, you should have one or two Jerry cans to hold fuel. A very secure location in the trailer will help to store the fuel in a safe location until you need it to run the generator.
4. Include a Quench Tank, Fire Extinguisher, and First-Aid Kit
You should include a quench tank with your trailer to cool your metals after welding them.
A quench tank could be located very conveniently on one side of an open trailer or at the end of it.
You also could mount a quench tank to the door or an enclosed trailer. If the door swings fully open, the quench tank could be accessible just by opening the trailer.
You also might consider a quench tank that you can move with a hand truck. That would make it easier to roll it to your exact work location.
You also should keep a fire extinguisher in a location where you could reach it easily and very quickly. Working with the high heat produced by welding easily could start a fire with just one errant spark or hot metal contacting something flammable.
A first-aid kit also should be included and located where you can reach it very quickly.
5. Use Lockable Storage Bins for Tools and Supplies
The odds are you will carry oxy-acetylene tanks, an arc welder, or maybe a MIG or TIG welder with you. Those are costly items that you want to protect against theft. You also want to secure them so that they will not fly out of the trailer if you have an accident.
Lockable storage bins and tie-downs can help you to secure your equipment. An open trailer definitely would need locking storage for your tools and supplies, and they would add more security to an enclosed trailer.
You can help your equipment to be secure and organized so that it does not become scattered or lost over time. Locking storage bins also help to protect them against bad weather.
6. Include a Bunk, Hammock, and Cooking Station
You might use your welding trailer for extensive jobs that take many hours and possibly several days to complete. Welding can be exhausting, and you might want to take a break.
A hammock or small bunk could enable you to rest and even take a quick nap if you are feeling tired and want to recharge your internal batteries before continuing your welding tasks.
You could string a hammock lengthwise on the trailer or from one corner to another and take it down when you are done using it. A bunk could fold down when you want to use it and fold back up against the side of the trailer when you are working.
You also could include a small cooking station and maybe a cooler or a small refrigerator that will hold a small amount of food that you could prepare for lunch.
5 Welding Trailer Plans
When it comes to setting up a mobile welding operation, having the right welding trailer plans is essential. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right plans for your needs including the size and weight of your equipment, the type of welding you’ll be doing, and the amount of space you have to work with. Here are 10 great welding trailer plans to get you started:
1. The 8’x5′ Welding Trailer Plan from Trailers Solutions
This compact welding trailer is perfect for those who have limited space to work with. It features a built-in welder’s platform, allowing you to easily move your equipment around as needed. There’s also plenty of storage space for all of your welding supplies.
2. The Welding Trailer Plans from DIY Hammer
These welding trailer plans are great for those who want a little more control over the design of their trailer. They offer a variety of different floor plans to choose from, so you can pick the one that best suits your needs. You’ll also find detailed instructions on how to build each component of the trailer.
3. The Welding Trailer Plans from Utility Trailer Plans
These plans are perfect for those who need a little extra storage space for their welding supplies. The main compartment of the trailer is designed to hold all of your welding gear, while the secondary compartment can be used for storing tools and other supplies.
4. The Welding Trailer Plans from Pinterest
If you’re looking for some inspiration for your welding trailer project, be sure to check out the welding trailer plans from Pinterest. There are a variety of different designs to choose from, so you’re sure to find something that catches your eye.
5. The Welding Trailer Plans from Curiousity Killed the Cat
These welding trailer plans are perfect for those who want a compact and efficient design. The main compartment of the trailer is designed to hold all of your welding gear, while the secondary compartment can be used for storing tools and other supplies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Sources & Resources
– https://books.google.com/books?id=0ygDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq= welding+trailer+design&source=bl&ots=nLIk4gHnXi&sig = ACfU3U1cYvkeBgklLbrMmwMLxFWtKmKjnw&hl=en&sa=X&ved = 2ahUKEwiHpcT7_rDmAhWVF6YKHY6hCKoQ6AEwDXoECAoQA Q#v=onepage&q=welding%20trailer%20design&f=false
– https://books.google.com/books?id=LSIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36&lpg=PA36&dq = welding+trailer+design&source=bl&ots=nQIk4gUnVi&sig = ACfU3U1SKcFVxhmuafSYWJv4Fw68tRisjA&hl=en&sa=X&ved = 2ahUKEwiHpcT7_rDmAhWVF6YKHY6hCKoQ6AEwEnoECAkQA Q#v=onepage&q=welding%20trailer%20design&f=false
– https://books.google.com/books?id=UyIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq = welding+trailer+design&source=bl&ots=-QIk4eTnVm&sig = ACfU3U1-LKcnYBg8_bT2oHcdjZiCVxvzkw&hl=en&sa=X &ved=2ahUKEwiHpcT7_rDmAhWVF6YKHY6hCKoQ6AEwE3oECAkQA Q#v=onepage&q=welding%20trailer%20design&f=false
– https://books.google.com/books?id=cyIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq = welding+trailer+design&source=bl&ots=-QIk4eXnWm&sig = ACfU3U2xFwkzWVYHrZLdR5Ckc8tbNv0vjA&hl=en&sa= X &ved=2ahUKEwiHpcT7_rDmAhWVF6YKHY6hCKoQ6AEwE3oECA4QA Q#v=onepage&q=welding%20trailer%20design&f=false
– https://books.google.com/books?id=JyIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq = welding+trailer+design&source=bl&ots=-QIk4gPnXm&sig = ACfU3U1qFK-pzMdIrNcZ9rECxc_2bRV-sw&hl=en &sa = X &ved = 2ahUKEwiHpcT7_rDmAhWVF6YKHY
Our team of writers are welders and welding enthusiasts who are excited to share specific information related to welding for everyone from the welding novice to those who have years of experience. Shoot us a note with feedback or topics you'd like to see covered!
