Anyone know where there's a stash of old Marston Mat or other 'sheet
goods' in So-Cal?

Need to rework my old flatbed - the plywood rotted out again, to
where the Oddysey FL350 was pretty much tires sitting on the
framerails. Shop crane and a 6' nylon lifting sling solved that
little dilemma... ;-)

At one time it was a Trail-Rite sailboat trailer with a keel beam
and four bunker pads. I axed off the rear bunker bases with a
Sawzall, put a 2X4 on the keel support 2X8 for center support, and
dropped on 3/4" CDX Plywood. Made ramps from 12" cable rack, some
1/2" U-bolts for tiedown anchors.

I'm going to have to redo it again, might as well do it right this
time... Clean up the rails and go get some angle for floor stringers
and steel tube for side rails. Rebuild the rear drop ramp, place a
couple of swivel-down or built-in drop jacks for loading. Put on
real side rails and D rings, make a 4" square tubing rear bumper with
oval grommet mount lamps.

Decision time #1 - What to use for a deck, and where to get a decent
deal.

Whether to use plywood again (properly weather treated this time),
or expanded metal, or diamond-tread steel floor plate, or Oak plank...

I'm leaning toward 6' x 16' 1/8" diamond-plate with cross stringers
every 16" to 24", but then I have to flip the whole thing up on it's
side to paint the bottom...

(Shop crane again. Or a chain-fall from a big tree.)

Problem #2 - Anyone got any surplus/reasonable 1-1/2" square tubing
and angle? Mill lengths are OK, the trailer is 20'4" long - they just
put a curve into two 21-footers and welded on the coupler.

I really should prune the stupid thing, but no matter how many times
you cut it the trailer still ends up too short...

Problem #3 - (PAGING TOM GARDNER) Brush wire gage and style
suggestions needed for loose chalking paint & light derusting of 4"
C-channel + final fresh weld and steel prep for paint. Will need cup
and end styles for various areas.

Numbers like 4862A83 or 4775A146 are acceptable for the quantities
needed, UPS can have them here between the sneeze and the Gesundheit.
;-) 4-1/2" DeWalt angle grinder (5/8 thread) would be my weapon of
first choice - unless you think I should go buy a 7" for the top...

-- Bruce --