After posting a story about a tool trailer modeled on one built by Ron Paulk (Andy’s Amazing Tool Trailer) I received an email from Bruce Hokel about the trailer he outfitted for his construction business.
The trailer is Hokel’s “home base” during big builds, a 22-foot V-nose that has been turned it into a tool crib and supply house on wheels. It has 6,000-pound torsion axels with a ramp in back and a 36-inch door on the right front side. The trailer is designed for transport and storage and is not intended to be used as a workspace. The idea is to set up for work in the building or just outside the trailer—though the trailer can also serve as shelter. According to Hokel, he and his crew have weathered many a rain shower perched on upturned buckets just in from the ramp. As soon as the rain stops they can roll out their tools and get back to work. On large projects the trailer might be left on site, though more typically it would be hauled to and from the jobsite every day.
The design of the interior is similar to that of trailers we have covered in the past, but a few things stand out. The doors on many of the storage cabinets have Plexiglass (clear acrylic) panels so it’s easy to see what’s inside. And Hokel created dedicated spaces for hauling a metal brake and a small supply of lumber and scrap. Most of the trailers we’ve covered are 14 feet long; this one is 22 feet long, so it can carry a lot more.
Hokel is a GC in Sioux City, Iowa who specializes in concrete flatwork and masonry. He stopped building entire homes (too much stress) but still builds garages, additions, and other structures. His company also installs doors and windows. He owns skid steers and other equipment, but the trailer is his pride and joy. The company name is not painted on the side and yet the trailer still serves as advertising. People walk by and see what’s inside, and think “anyone who can keep things this well-organized is probably worth hiring.”
