On making trailers. Something I've posted a couple times various places on trailers when there was discussion on making them for sale, pasted in below. From what I've read and fooled with  the biggest issue with building your own in the hitch followed by having access to or knowing how to weld. Some have discussed getting hitches as 'replacement parts" from commercial built retailers.  

Buy a copy of The Cart Book by William L. Sullivan ISBN 0-8306-0512-6 ~ $17 Amazon or Half.com Tubing cuter ~ $20. Tubing bender ~ $40 parts ~ $30 max and make kits for patrons to assemble and dodge the liability issues. Total investment: <$100 and you are providing people a chance to make something. Cost of cart parts <$30 plus salvaged wheels and no welding. I would bend out the frames as that takes a bit of practice and let them do the assembly. EMT is cheap so the practice isn't expensive and it can be scrounged by dumpster diving. 

A good hitch can be made from a castor wheel and IIFR the left half of an old school side pull brake. I have the link burred someplace and will edit this when I find it. This one is close but scroll down and look at the mock-up for the double caster: http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-a-strong-flexible-bicycle-trailer-coupler/

Also ask for a copy of bamboo trailer plans here:
http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html and check out their links. Also on Instructables there are a couple there like in The Cart Book.

From http://www.ohiocitycycles.org/

http://bikecart.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/what-do-you-want-from-your-bike-cart/

Drop me a note and I can help you out with a couple of other things

I have a now 24 year old Cycle-Tote trailer that was some of the best money I've ever spent in terms of long term use.

Ron



On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 2:25 PM, Robert McMurry <remcmurry@gmail.com> wrote:
Since enzo mentioned it here are some pictures of the Bike 4th MMU showing some of the details of design.  ask me if you want more and I will try to send them.  It is a trike frame, a bike frame and a bunch of squaretubing welded together ... the rear axle, wheels, bearing blocks, and sprocket are all purchases special for this design.  The back has a removeable house-like box depending on use .. you can use it as a flat bed or camper sort of style.

~Robbie


On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 3:17 PM, Paul Nagel <paul@thebicycletree.org> wrote:
This is not particularly instructive but I thought I'd share this time lapse video a volunteer just made of our bike trailer loads being converted into a luxurious bicycle repair workshop. Those are the Bikes At Work trailers.

http://vimeo.com/67236423


-Paul
The Bicycle Tree
P.O. Box 11293
Santa Ana, CA 92711
http://www.thebicycletree.org
info@thebicycletree.org


Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2013 14:54:58 -0400
From: samanthazherr@gmail.com

To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Experience with Surly Cargo Trailers (Bill or Ted Trailer)?

Hey there, Andrew,

Yep, I've used the Ted. Was built really well and had a great hitch system through the back hub, but the Ted is a bit small. It also has some nice featured built in for if you want to build the trailer up in any way. It's pretty bare bones, but leaves lots of possibility. I think it's a great trailer choice.

Sam


On Tue, May 21, 2013 at 4:10 PM, Andrew Magill <andrew@spokesconnect.org> wrote:
Has anyone used either of the Surly trailers?  We are thinking about purchasing the Bill trailer to haul a "mobile shop" as well as several complete bicycles.  We would also consider a Bikes at Work Trailer but we can't get a discount from them.

Any thoughts or stories please share!

Thanks,

Andrew

SPOKES Bike Walk Connect

MInneapolis

_______________________________________________
Thethinktank mailing list
Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org
To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org



_______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit: http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org

_______________________________________________
Thethinktank mailing list
Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org
To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org



_______________________________________________
Thethinktank mailing list
Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org
To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org