Utility Trailer Build - Boat Trailer to Utility Trailer Conversion - 6x12 trailer

I purchased a used boat trailer from my neighbour and converted it into a 6x12 utility trailer, mainly to use as a side-by-side trailer for a Polaris Ranger but always good to have a utility trailer around.
The welder used was a Lincoln 140 MigPak with .035 flux core wire.
1/8'' angle iron and 3/16'' angle iron was used to create the utility frame.
1''x6'' hemlock wood was used for the trailer deck.
PPG durethane dtm 95-3300 used for the paint.

[@doug_ro9629]

This is amazing, I got an old boat trailer on my back yard and you have inspired me to get done something like this and put to practice my wedding too. Amazing work.

[@jonathanstriden4846]

That is some fine fiddle playing in the background song. Great job on the trailer too. It looks like something I can do

[@beanieweenie9543]

To be a newbie welder you did one hell of a job and built a awesome trailer. Knowing how your metal will warp and tricks to keep it to a minimum will come with more time welding. Awesome project!

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for saying that. Much appreciated.

[@johnnnny]

The 'It Works!!!!!' cheer from your kid at the end made all that worth while for sure. HAHA

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for the kind words man.

[@johnnnny]

Interesting, last night I was looking at snowmobile trailers and thought "small boat trailers are so much cheaper, I should just buy one of those and slap a wood deck on it". That got me into this youtube search. Yours looks FAR better than what I was planning. LOL. I'd for sure keep that winch, that would be a great feature.

[@psychwardradio1238]

Got a boat trailer for free from a buddy, thanks for the video, now I know exactly what I’m going to do with a few minor changes for my utility/motorcycle trailer build !

[@garymccarver5006]

For someone who claims to not know how to weld, those are some very good looking beads. Your warping was caused by progressively going down the line welding each piece in succession. If you would have skipped around and from side to side, it would have eliminated the warping, or at least reduced it. Nevertheless you did a great job. I have converted a few boat trailers to utility trailers over the years, but I think you found out as I did that by having to pay retail for the metal and other supplies, you can buy a commercially built trailer for nearly the same price. But you had the satisfaction of doing it yourself and ended up with a much stronger and more rigid frame. Cudos to you for taking on a great project.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thank you for the nice reply and advice.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Here in Canada trailers seem to be more expensive. I'd have to spend over 4k to buy a trailer of the same size as the one I built. Or 2500$ for a used one that is rusted out, needs bearings and tires.

[@LordSmellrick]

Im a professional structural welder. The only reason that one piece of angle iron pulled away after welding is because of heat input. Metal expands and contracts and moves as you weld. Its no big deal for your application. Regardless, the trailer looks good, and looks professional. Good job man!

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Hey, thanks for commenting!

[@aaronwood3540]

You did a fine job with that conversion. Better than most ive seen. Enjoy the bragging rights of saying you built it.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Hey thanks for the kind words, honestly.

[@aaronwood3540]

I meant it. You really did do a good job. You added in braces like you should have and built it up to compensate the strength. Only thing i seen you didnt really need to do was all the screws. Really only need one row just ahead of the axle. The angle in the front holds that in and a piece of strap holds the back. So you just spent some extra time drill a oot more holes than you needed too. Other than that you did it about as right as it can be done. Be proud.

[@michaelbradford4444]

Today I'm getting an old boat trailer from a yard care customer of mine and I plan on converting it in order to haul my walk behind mower . I needed an idea on how to go about doing so and your video is the only one I've seen and the only one I need to see because you showed me all I need to know....good job and a big time TY !

[@michaelneumann770]

This guy did an amazing video ive watched this a dozen times to help myself with the 16ft trailer im doing. Thank you for telling me the angle size and giving me the ideas on what to do.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for saying that.

[@michaeljohnson9805]

You mind dropping a video after your done. I have a 16 ft bass boat trailer that I’m doing the same thing with. I’d like to see the results you get if you don’t mind.

[@ruja22789]

i just bought a boat trailer for $200, was gonna go a different route but after watching your video I'm going to do the same thing, thank you very much for the inspiration and ideas

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Glad I could help. Thanks for leaving a comment. Good luck with your project.

[@BryceWeldz]

You did really good especially for using that 140. I have the same machine. I'm in highschool and build trailers for competition. Just a tip if you do something again, instead of using a string line to set the verticals, tack the corner pieces on then tack the top rail on and then set the verticals in the middle. You can tack the verticals to the frame and rail before you fully weld and that will help keep those verticals from pulling.

[@yvesf5355]

I think you did a good Job ,and the people that are looking at these videos are interested in learning ,and that is what your explaining ,thing's to try to avoid doing ,and trying to correct them good job and thank you

[@Efra-tesa0818]

I barely got my 7×12 trailer stolen by my neighbor so I bought me a boat trailer like yours and I'm planning on build it exactly like the one that you have. Thanks for the idea.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

How did it work out?

[@Efra-tesa0818]

@@iveneverdonethisbefore8390 just great.👌 Thanks

[@cloudcity00]

Thank you for sharing. Brother n law just gave me a boat trailer. This vid is a good starting point for my project. 🤘

[@seymourscagnetti1413]

Nice build. Very lucky to find a boat trailer excellent condition. Judging by the brand name "Glastron", it is probably top notch trailer. Cheers.

[@jorgegonzales878]

Wow! Great job, you made it look easy.

[@tonewitch]

Nice job. It’s a lot easier to wire wheel all your material before making your cuts so the metal is prepped for paint basically right after done welding.

[@tixok]

That came out great

[@painlesscotton]

Great job!! thanks for showing the lessons you learned on the project! you educated everyone!!

[@johnhendrix4034]

You did a Awesome Job !!!!!

[@djeldorado1]

After seeing small utility trailers for over a grand and few boat trailers for couple hundred bucks. Only makes cents to buy a boat trailer and adapt it for my needs of hauling small trees & lawn debris. Nice video & fabrication definitely helped me with my build planning

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Glad I could help.

[@michaeljohnson9805]

Looks damn nice. I plan on doing the same thing with my 16 ft bass boat trailer.

[@room2three7]

Great looking trailer and good video bud! Thx.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks 👍

[@joejoe1738]

You did a great job man your trailer looks good. Thank you for the video

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for commenting

[@jacemusgrove3073]

Looks great! No worries about being bent here and there. Once you use it and drag it around off-road, it'll look bent anyway.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Hey thanks for commenting.

[@TheADRIANOVALENTINO]

My God you did a bloody great job for your first time. very neat and professional 👍👍👍

[@thelees1000]

painting all those corners would have been super annoying also. Good exercise in patience. Well done.

[@JB-mf1zc]

Mighty fine job!! God Bless!! 🙌

[@lukebroderick2215]

helped me out!!!

[@lukefranco68]

Your welds are really nice

[@gilsongallego2328]

Excellent job. Looks good and its functional. Thanks. I'll be starting my pop up camper frame soon.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Nice, how did it go?

[@aguayo184]

Very well explained really appreciate it

[@devinpitts6460]

Awsome build. Had a few ideas in mind for mine found your video and you did EXACTLY what I was thinking about doing.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Glad I could help

[@CHRISINMCNEILL]

Nice job!

[@DADPOOL4044]

From what little I know of welding, the angle iron will flex out as the weld cools when 1 side is free. You can compensate by pushing in a little past 90 degrees while welding. As it cools, it will flex out to 90

[@guyh.4553]

Ooooooh! Wouldn't have thought about that center droop. I guess one way to have fixed it was to weld the struts onto the top cross bar 1st then Weld to the boat. It turned out great! Like what you did. Gives me tons of ideas for what I want to do.

[@peterb5082]

The PPG Durethane is supposed to be a great product and can be applied over light rust. Nice job and the last scene with the kid is pretty cute.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Its actually really good. Very durable.

[@antsnmypants3066]

With that cheddar u will afford a trailer just fine. This was the only video popped up.

[@Chris000279]

Nice job. Fixing to do the same project.

[@Travizzlee]

Hell of a job

[@robertjames6255]

Nice one !

[@nospin1394]

Informative. What would of been a fun little thing to do was to put a wall clock in the frame so that the sped up editing of you welding and painting would of shown the real time it took.

[@danielpadgett2831]

Awsome job looks professional to me

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for commenting

[@kovuk9]

Just some food for thought for taking care of the loose rust, get a cheap Needle Scaler if you have an air compressor it will save you a lot of work with the wire brush and with the angle grinder.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Where were ya two weeks ago! Haha

[@paulyanez5198]

We’ll done

[@aaronwood3540]

The weld heat caused that to lift. When you welded that angle it heated up and what us welders call drawed on you. The heat caused it to do that.

[@berniemac8413]

Nice build! Your welds look pretty good.. are you using gas or is that all flux core welding?

[@steveb.2874]

You did a fantastic job on your ute trailer. I just got a great deal on a couple of large boat trailers with brakes myself that I'm converting into a utility trailer and camping trailer. One is a dual axle the other is a torsion suspension single. Does anyone have any suggestions on which trailer might be the best choice for the camper. The dual axle has a load capacity of 4,000 lbs.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Thanks for commenting.

[@junglegaf8104]

The long pieces of railing that run parallel with the exsisting frame rail, isn’t moisture going to get in between the 1/8 angle iron and the existing rail causing it to rust?

[@EduardoJimenez-rk8nw]

👍

[@lmt-adventures620]

Super solid build! If it was me I would have trust the whole thing enough to remove some v-shape cross beams just for weight.

[@rolandorivera427]

👍🏿

[@Kyle-ev4fk]

I think I would have added a second axle and maybe some length to it.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

I did, watch the next video haha

[@SuperSaiyanX-0014]

Why did you put the "$ Dollar Sign" to thr right side of the numbers? That was kinda weird lol. So say if you already had the trailer, it would have only costed you around $600 to build? I own a boat trailer and want to do this.

[@robinnorman1170]

Did you grind the paint off where you were going to weld at?

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Yes, definitely.

[@claytonelliott5056]

I would have used a old king size metal bed frame I got lots of that type of metal already saved up for free

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

haha

[@Dragnet2]

Am confused……didn’t you say that you didn’t know how to weld? (0:35) time stamp…. 👀 like you welded just fine to me

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Ha yes, well it was truly my first time welding, only a couple lines on a scrap piece of metal beforehand. I did, however, watch a few KZbin videos and took from them that surface prep, machine settings and a good quality machine is key and that was indeed true.

[@patrickoshea9527]

How much did you have tied up in this?

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Its in the video, at the end. I think it was 1500$ CAD

[@mattcollier1712]

tack everything before you weld.

[@bee2333]

Was boat trailer galvanized?

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

No

[@bee2333]

Galvanized boat trailer?

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

No

[@louiselavoie3262]

Sold your trailer boat buy à New trailer = no troubles

[@jt9498]

Ya made a good lookin' practical use trailer. Now...one thing that bugs me....why put the $ after the price? Doesn't make sense to me! It belongs in front of the price, as in $20. It's always been this way. Go to any store and you'll see the $ in front of the price.

[@hipolitorodriguez702]

Don't get me wrong but I think you can buy one with $1500 same dimensions no? But you did a really good job thoug👏👏👏

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Not here in Canada anyways, cheapest 6x12 new is 3000$+ and that’s a sh-t one from a big box store. A used one is 2000$ for something that needs bearings, tires and is rusted out.

[@rocknral]

I think you are stretching the truth a bit about never welding before. That's got to be the best novice welding in history! Especially those verticals!! Btw... Just prime it with Penetrol. No prep needed, and will not rust. Finish with oil based enamel with 25% penetrol added. Will last for years. Use penetrol on timber deck as well. Will last 3 times longer than used motor oil.

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Definitely hadn’t welded before other than a few test runs on some scrap steel. Thanks for the kind words. I’ll have to look up penetrol, never heard of it.

[@rocknral]

@@iveneverdonethisbefore8390 Wow, you are a natural mate! Penetrol is on KZbin... here's one link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jom8q3qQoLR-d5Y

[@stevenbeatty3872]

That grinder needs a guard ffs

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Nah. Just gets in the way.

[@cecilroberts4828]

Great Job but you could have bought a 6x12 utility trailer for $1500.00 and before you say no you couldn't think about your labor time most welders charge $45 an hour I bet that was at least 30 hrs worth of work. @$45 per thats $1350 in labor add that to your $1585 and you have a $2935.00 trailer. been quicker and cheaper to go to tractor supply and paid 1500 bucks and just drove away with it. but to each his own

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Two things; you cannot buy a 12x6 trailer for less than 3000$ here in Canada, take a look. And two, this was a project to learn how to weld.

[@rickyhalcomb1690]

i thought this joker said he didnt know how to weld lol lol

[@lupemunoz2674]

YOU COULD'VE BOUGHT ONE MADE ALREADY FOR THE OVERALL PRICE YOU PAID....SMH

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Not even close, not in Canada anyways. Unless you want a used rust bucket that need tires, bearings and a deck.

[@MrThorMNFinest]

Looks like crap bro. Absolutely terrible ! 🤬🧐🤬🤬🤬

[@iveneverdonethisbefore8390]

Lol why?