Sheetmetal trailer top

[Belgique Basterd]

A friend of mine asked me to build a trailer top for his horse trailer, he wants a round nose design as in the picture below, forming the top itself is not a problem since that's only sheetmetal bent in one dimension, the two corners in front I can't figure out how to do.

See picture below, the long section and the middle section in the front is simple to make. The corners in front however I'm at a loss as to how to make them? Is it even possible in a home shop, or are those pieces formed/stamped in a press?

Thanks in advance, Christof.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Hydroforming would be ideal, but streamline style seems pretty doable

 

[lilredex]

If you cannot form them, you may have to resort to this method...

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Patch-a-Rusted-Lawn-Mower-Deck/


(No picture showing BTW)

 

[metlmunchr]

If you were in the US you could buy the round front section pre-formed from http://www.acetrailers.com/Fenders & Body Components.pdf Page 14

Unless there's a similar component supplier in Europe, it would require a hammer and shotbag and an English wheel plus a very large amount of experience and skill.

I'd say the great majority of US manufacturers of horse and livestock trailers with a rounded front or rounded corners buy those parts from a few outside sources like the one above. Some of them also have an angular top front section where the top slopes downward and the sides angle inward to match. This is fairly simple to form in a brake and actually looks (IMO) more modern than the rounded top fronts that have been around for 60 years or more.

 

[joe49]

/\/\Good resource./\/\

 

[mrolds88]

Wow! Great catalog!!!

 

[Belgique Basterd]

Thanks for the info guys, that is indeed a great catalog, on the hunt for an European equivalent, but so far no luck!

 

[bradpac]

Not sure they're big enough, but I've used wheel barrows a couple of times to make some boxes and dog houses with rounded corners. Might would work if you split it in half with a little massaging, as long as you're doing steel.

 

[mrolds88]

Another thought is to look for an Airstream trailer resto board.

 

[Belgique Basterd]

Anyone ever made corners like this and has some tips. Did an attempt but failed, the problem is probably in the geometry of the triangles I'm cutting, any and all tips are welcom!

This is where I'm at now, the first 'pie cut' already installed, dimensions are just a wild guess, if I put on a seconde identical pie cut it goes ok, but a third one is impossible to install without kinking it. Pretty sure the problem is in the dimensioning of the pie cut/triangles, but have no idea how to do it.

Thanks.

 

[Kenstone1]

An Airstream's roof uses many riveted metal strips to make the corner, not what you are looking for.
Most auto builder shows on TV use sand bags/hammer and smooth them out on an English Wheel.

You could cut the curves out of fenders or car roofs at a junk-yard.

The front corners on a V nose cargo trailer I had only one welded seam in each corner, looks like a wedge of material was removed, the edges rolled in and welded ...but I didn't it.
Sorry Pic is not close-up and I don't own this trailer any more.

Open the thumbnail pic, click on it to open it in a separate window where you can make it bigger to see the seams.

Go look at new trailers to see how the corners are fab'ed.

 

[Kenstone1]

Anyone ever made corners like this and has some tips. Did an attempt but failed, the problem is probably in the geometry of the triangles I'm cutting, any and all tips are welcom!

This is where I'm at now, the first 'pie cut' already installed, dimensions are just a wild guess, if I put on a seconde identical pie cut it goes ok, but a third one is impossible to install without kinking it. Pretty sure the problem is in the dimensioning of the pie cut/triangles, but have no idea how to do it.
Thanks.

Wow big curves
Looks good
I think the triangle/pie slice tips need to join up at the upper corner in the roof for better results.
This guy, Ian Roussel, fabs/forms a lot of stuff with basic shop tools.
Regretfully a lot of vids to wade thru:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=full+custom+garage+full+episodes
Use thin cardboard/poster board as a template, wrap it over the corner and trace the edges of narrow vertical pie shaped piece, to determine the shape needed, cut it out, transfer it to metal.
good luck,