professor solderflux

Today after work I decided to bring my AC unit and crank-up mast over to the shop of my master welder ahead of the snow storm we're supposed to be getting. Brian and his crew have done some creative work for me over the 12 years I've been in Brainerd, and he's a master at fabricating just about anything out of steel. He does a lot of custom trailers, and is working with me on transforming my $300 Fleet Farm trailer into a reliable shelter carrier. I am trying not to think about how much this trailer is going to cost in the end, but I know I don't want to be hauling all my future radio gear down the road in something that's going to come apart at 65 mph! Peace of mind is worth something too.

I wish I had been able to take some photos of the unit coming out of the box, but I was trying to stay ahead of his crew by attaching the aluminum base plate to the shelter AC mounting bracket with new stainless fasteners. It was kind of like exhuming a mummy. From the outside he unit was crated in wood, then covered with foam pads, then enveloped in a sealed mylar bag. Inside the bag, taped to the unit with the stickiest OD duct tape I've ever seen, where 5 dessicant gel packs. I'm not talking about those little tea bag size things you get in your cell phone box; I'm talking "Military Size"! Each was the size of one of those sports chemical ice packs--no rust on this unit!

The unit slipped into place fine, but the zippered cover on the outside rear (an improvement in design since the model original to my shelter) prevented using the turnbuckle support clamp as before. I'll modify this clamp to engage the AC handles (also a new feature) instead of wrapping around the back side. (See original shelter AC photos at the beginning of this thread if this isn't clear)

Anyway, now with this beast mounted on the shelter rear, and the 100# mast, and generator mounted on the front of the trailer, I'll have a good indication for final placement of the new 3500# axle to arrive at about 175# tongue weight.

I'm looking for a plastic jerry can for generator gas, does anyone have one for sale? I heard there was someone that had picked some up in Canada?