TSC Trailer

[Skyco]

I was in Home Depot earlier today and they didn't have marine plywood. It's been many, many years since I bought any marine plywood, and as I recall, it was quite expensive. So I'm experimenting. I bought a sheet of regular quarter inch plywood and coated both sides with Thompson's Advanced Honey Gold Water Sealer than I already had on hand.

I'll let it dry overnight and put it on the trailer tomorrow. Now I'd trying to decide . . . Do I drill a half dozen holes and put short bolts through with big washers both on top and bottom, or do I drill pairs of holes and use zip ties to hold it down and in place?

I've used pressure treated plywood with good success...the Lowes/Home Depots around here usually have it.
Another option is the oiled plywood concrete form sheets...

 

[RichZ]

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I went to TSC to look at the trailer today, and I think it'll be fine for my needs. I'll pick one up Saturday. It's not as good as a deal as Bird got, but I need it now, and it's cheaper than it is at Lowes right now or the regular TSC price. I'll bolt a piece of marine plywood to it, and I think it will be fine. My local lumber yard carries marine plywood.

 

[mrutkaus]

Had exact one for 8 yrs or so, when i got it it had 12" wheels. just had a flat. no problems.

Mike

 

[bcp]

I read once that marine plywood was no more weather resistant than exterior plywood. It was simply exterior plywood with repaired (filled) knots in the interior plies, instead of leaving hollow spots.

Anyone know for sure?

Bruce

 

[amigauser]

I read once that marine plywood was no more weather resistant than exterior plywood. It was simply exterior plywood with repaired (filled) knots in the interior plies, instead of leaving hollow spots.

Anyone know for sure?

Bruce

Marine Plywood Versus Interior Plywood

Appears it is just void free and is also NOT pressure treated to resist decay as it just uses exterior grade glue. Regular pressure treated is probably better for a trailer deck.

 

[MESSMAKER]

It's a fine trailer. Tons of them running around. Easy to get parts for. Put some plywood in the bed and you will be fine(regular sheating plywood will last several years and cost about $30. Pressure treated will last forever, but cost you about $100. You will need a couple sheeets. Not made to haul tanks or bolders, but mulch,lumber,and lawn mowers will be fine.

 

[schmism]

the way i see it your after one of 2 things

1) a cheep trailer that you can toss a 1000 lbs of lawnmower on and whatever else light stuff

2) your after a little utility trailer that you can use for all those tasks that you dont want to take your big tandam axle version for.


if 1) then go HF for $400

4' x 8' Utility Trailer - 1720 Lb. Capacity

if 2) then neither the TSC or HF version is going to be a good choice and look for a proper 4x8 or 5x10 with 15" tires and a 3500lb axle. A new version could be had for about twice the cost of the option 1 version, but really its way more than twice the trailer. Many can be found on your local CL for roughly the same money as what a new option 1 is.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Steve, I used to have a little 4 x 8 Big Tex trailer and it was considerably better quality, and of course cost more.

And Messmaker, you're right, of course that you need 2 sheets of plywood to have a complete solid floor in the trailer, but I decided to just go with one sheet. Maybe I'll change some day, but right now I don't foresee hauling anything except my little Toro ZTR, so I just centered the one sheet of plywood, leaving about 6" of mesh on either side.

 

[RichZ]

Thanks, Bird. I was going to ask that very question. I was wondering if I could use one sheet of plywood in the center,or if I had to get a second sheet to cut to fill the one foot gap. I guess for now I'll try it with one sheet centered on the trailer.

 

[Bird]

Incidentally, Rich, I would have missed the sale at Lowe's if it hadn't been for another of our members, vaskeet, (post #20) in this thread.