Ford Transit or 14' trailer?

[Foxstang]

Just starting the carpentry business (I guess I'm a cardboard carpenter for the most part). Using a new 6x14 trailer right now behind the Ranger which allows me to make cuts in the trailer (I wear a resperator and use a portable dust collection system, MDF is terrible stuff) and it keeps dust out of the homes.

But I don't think I'd be able to have a mobile workshop using a transit unless perhaps the extended version which has a 12x5'ish interior, just ripping pieces of trim will be a pain with that setup albeit more rare to do... Besides that, not having an extra vehicle to take care of, insure and put fuel into saves a lot for a start-up. I won't be profitable right away. Trailer is only 7 grand but I can recoupe most of it if I go bust... A used transit is near 30k... ouch.

I just hate towing a trailer. But when I need to haul those 16 foot pieces of crown it comes in handy. I'm thinking if things go well, next year I'm getting a used extended transit. I looked into the Mercedes but maintenance is nuts on those.

[Spock]

do you want all that dust in the Transit?
Stick with the trailer for the messy stuff

[5.4MarkVIII]

sll the guys around here use trailers. but not much city driving. i agree with the above point about messy in the transit.

[Laffs]

We got away from trailers for our crews. Between the hassle of running yellow stickers and annual safety and all the regulatory shit, it's less to maintain, less worry of the guys damaging something, easier to park on streets, and means we don't need to have all the fleet trucks outfitted with trailer tow. We have some high roof vans, a few 16' cubes, and every crew has a couple full size pickups with rack systems. The high roof vans we LOVE for service crews, they far and away have to do the least running back and forth to shop to restock or grab tools.

That said if you're a solo artist, do what ever setup is the most efficient and organized for the way you work. Your time is the money here, any way you can work smarter and more efficient is cash in your pocket. Be that with a trailer, high roof van, converted ambulance, SUV, whatever.