building a complete machine shop in 53'

[Kevmeister]

Hello all
I am new to the site and think this is the perfect place to sound out My idea.
I would like to take a 53' semi trailer and install a state of the art machine shop inside to service customers in the midwest. What do you all think of a rolling machine shop?
What about damage to the equipment while transporting?
What about working in back while rolling??

[Doc Weaver]

Absolutely! Some of those NASCAR haulers have machine shop tools in them. It would be very dependent on pre-planning and proper securing of the shop tools and benches. You would also need a strong generator with clean power.

As far as working while moving, Dangerous as well as illegal.

On the business plan front, what is the need for a mobile shop? Would the extra expense be something that customers would be willing to pay for? How would you market such a beast, and who would be your target market?

Doc Weaver

[geofkaye]

...'zackly.....we send out anything that needs to be made or changed and it comes back by Fed-EX or truck shipping from the supplier....cheaper than buying our own equipment and the added expense of transporting-which is a deal killer now in many a situation......you also have an issue with damage to your equipment-which you brought up! I can only think of a electronics transport trailer for trade shows from a moving company like Mayflower or Global-and you are looking a maybe in the neighborhood of $2.75 a loaded mile and a fee for being parked[$1-2000.00]-coolant disposal-ventilation and heat/AC and chip disposal of some sort- a lot of problems have to be solved before you even start on customer base issues.....most machines that I know of have to be bolted to a thick concrete base very securely....the military machine shops are very small and transportable-we have junked them in the past and now they are no longer used IIRC....they eliminated the repair of parts by deepening their stock of parts at 4 times the cost-they also have shipping containers for specialty equipment that needs to be upgraded-but then they are using taxpayer money and not theirs...so the sky is the limit.....geofkaye

[Kevmeister]

Thanks for your posts
All good points.
The industry I am in deals with one of a kind machined parts and may be willing to pay the extra expense.
My Idea was to be able to take the repair job. Have the Computer data sent to us in transit and build a replacement component on our way to the destination.
We could deliver the time sensitive component in 8 to 12 hours for the customer to be up and running the same day.
The conventional way is to send the part out for quote and have a conventional shop order the material ,start the design then manufacture the component. then ship it fed ex or freight carrier.

[Kevmeister]

About the legality of men working in the trailer while traveling......
If they were sitting down in automotive seats facing forward with seat belts on while in transit would that make it legal?

[Doc Weaver]

Originally posted by Kevmeister:
About the legality of men working in the trailer while traveling......
If they were sitting down in automotive seats facing forward with seat belts on while in transit would that make it legal?

I am not an attorney, but I believe it is illegal to ride in a trailer, period. Even if the stock car movies do it.

Doc Weaver

[BUonM22?]

In Michigan I think its legal to ride and therefore move around in a fifth wheel, but don't know for sure on a tag-along trailer.

[geofkaye]

...unless you are NASA $$$.....I don't think one could hold tolerances in the back of a moving trailer bumping and swaying down the highway....I can not hold a cup of coffee at 65mph in the cab-much less over the road in a trailer.....have you tried to walk around in an airplane?...maybe it is time to get into a trailer going down the highway and experience the problems associated with doing anything much less machining.....[ever tried SEXXXX in a moving trailer?...FORGETABOUTIT!] If you are near Cincinnati Ohio I'll take the chance and give you a ride up I-71 to I-70 and back down I-75..... I'm sure it will convince you that there is another plan that might work better.... geofkaye....