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alternative is to flatten the tires.. Again, going for 'this is too much darned trouble...'

Another tip... depending on your trailer, you might want to remove the hitch, again, tough to tow without a place to hook it up. (some if not all ball hitches are bolt through affairs...), speaking for long term 'storage'.
 
Carol I have mine on a 2 5/16 ball and I don't really see what the ball size has to do with it. The security comes from the loop over the top. Mine isn't just like the one shown but close. A battery powered grinder can cut through hardened steel in minutes. If they want your tools an ax can go through the trailer skin in moments. Any lock with a cylinder can be picked in a moment. All that you can do is make your neighbor look like easier pickings...

Garry
 
A hitch lock is good deterrent, but can be cut. For the kind of stuff you're storing I'd consider a car alarm system inside the trailer where the speaker is not easily disconnected or damaged. A vibration switch (too much movement) or a mercury switch (if tongue is lifted too high) or both should be used to trigger the alarm as well as door trigger switches on any entrances. Can always charge its battery from the coach or from a trickle charger when parked.

A coworker almost had their trailer stolen on a recent trip. Only thing that saved it was the motorcycle parked in the front half made it too heavy to swing off and onto their hitch. I suggested the same for them, not sure they've done anything since it will most likely be next spring before they do use it again.
 
Darren, you just gave me an idea. The tongue will indeed be heavy but this trailer has a welded on crank hitch lift. I'll take the crank handle off the lift mechanism and add a wrap around padlock there! And put a ball lock on. That ought to do it. Thanks! Now I will have to go out and look to see if that is doable.

Now to think about breaking into it.

Batteries in Arizona and Nevada are a short term investment. I have to replace my flashlight batteries in the car every month in the hottest months!
 
Well seems some of my rv research may come in handy.

first check out this online store. Prices are great and service even better.

http://www.etrailer.com/Locks/Diversi-Tech/DT25013.html

I have linked to same lock as Gary just for price comparison but do a little digging on that site they got all sorts for trailers hence the name Etrailer.

Now you mention the trailer jack. Well what i did with my travel trailer was to take the hassle out of hooking and unhooking with an electric jack.
The beauty is if there is no power that sucker aint going nowhere.
I tried to look ahead in this case. With all due respect you a tad older than i am and for the $150 odd dollars that they can be had for i would consider fitting one to your trailer especially if you considering putting a battery in it. Then when you park set it up so the battery is disconnected when locked.
This will save your arm and shoulder from heavy duty winding and no need to lock anything like the winder.

I recently put our new travel tailer out to storage and in doing that i set the jacks down and put a healthy chain through the two wheels each side and locks.

So again to speak to Vaughns point, my trailer is a heck of a lot more hassle to steal than the others around mine that were set ready to be hooked up and taken.
Btw if you dont have the scissors jacks on your trailer you could fit 4 to each corner underside for not much loot and then you raise or lower them with a 3/4 socket fitted to that impact driver of yours.
I used my Dewalt 18v and it worked magically. Never had such and easy time ever before as i did with those jacks. Sharing the load on the jacks will help stability and take some weight off the tires too. If u can make em lock down the good luck to the thief thats gonna try tow a trailer away with an electric jack thats down and dont operate and 4 locked down jacks.

Then i am with Darrem on the break in aspect. Just add a voice annunciator to the alarm to imply that u are watching. :)



Sure is fun project you got going. Lots of prep work to get setup but as i say to Linda its a one time deal do it right first time. It will take a little
investment but will be worth it in the long run.

P.S. Another thanks to Jim Delaney....i think if i am not mistaken it was Jim that gave me the idea of using a drill to lower and raise them jacks.



Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2
 
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Trailer nearly empty. Now I need to spend evenings planning what goes in it and how.

Update: I am going with the 16' trailer for now. Its here. Its mine. Its paid for. And it already has electrical in it. Two 110V circuits. One for lights and one for a plethora of outlets down either side, all in EMT. The 220V issue will be addressed later if necessary.

The intention for the shop is to be able to turn mostly smaller items. Also to make flat items, like boxes and breadboards. No large items or cabinets are intended. That said, let's see if I can stay focused on that goal.

We have already addressed security issues and I know what I will do there. Going with the over the hitch lock, shielded padlocks on the back, and three barred latches in the inside of the interior door. The hitch lift will become electric more for my convenience, rather than security, but the hitch will be heavy. This does mean I have to go in the back initially. Also the wheels will be cabled together and to the frame. You have to defeat two locks to get it ready to hitch and then you have to pick it up to get it hitched. Once you've managed that, you will have to defeat two twisted steel cables that run through the wheels and are also attached to the trailer frame.

Next up is planning the woodworking tools. Since we do our best woodworking with sharp tools, thought I would address that equipment first. I have a one inch belt sander that I use for turning tools. I really like that method but I am open. I have a 6" high speed grinder. I have a WorkSharp. I also have oil stones, water stones, ceramic stones, and Scary Sharp. Along with diamond paddles and sticks. Not to mention files of various and sundry shape. Then there are strops, rouges, shaped stones, etc. I sound like a woodworking store! Yikes. Now I could manage all of them but there is also an overall weight issue.

So, given my intended projects, what would you keep, sell, buy, etc.?
 
sharpening stuff to save, take and look at each batch carol and ask what will it sharpen? then find the set or combo that will do it all and do it well.. sell what is extra.

one more thing,, on trailer stealing, remember that a pair of bolt cutters will go threw alot:(
 
sounds like you have the security part down about a well as it can be handled. An un attended camera is about the only other thing I could think of. either with local storage or wireless to the RV depending on range. Of course this would be for after the problem but is getting pretty simple and cheap.

The heavy tongue with no crank handle may be your best deterrent.

Garry




i
 
Well Carol i am still on the curve up on the sharpening scale so i have yet to get the worksharp or many fancy stones. I would look to versatility. Keeping the grinder allows you to do spinny tools as well as flat tools then for the volume of sharpening activity you gonna be doing i would stick to scary sharp. Thats what i do. Scary sharp means lightweight and grinder gives you flexibility. Probably some would argue they love their worksharp but then can one do turning tools on it, i dont know. Only thing i can think of is that Scary sharp means manual hand work and looking forward maybe the worksharp would be easier on hands when they become more plagued with arthristis as age takes hold in our lives. At least thats what i am thinking. Strops I would keep they dont add much.



I admire your willingness to make some of these pairing down decisions. I am trying to do the same just in general with a load of stuff i have collected over the years especially stuff from travels and it aint easy. Dont know how i would do in paring down in my shop. I cant stand to throw away an old junkie screwdriver i never use. :) But the pressure is building. Its one of those things i think one has to be in the mood for. Then go at it. :)
 
Ain't easy, Rob.

As for all my sharpening stuff, I tried to figure out what I didn't use or used the least. Looks like the only thing I'm 'losing' will be the ceramic stones and the water stones.

Now I am looking for the plans someone posted for the WorkSharp that added to the the top surface and stored the wheels. Can't find it. Help! Was it Glenn?
 
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