Round tubing Vs. Square

[jgolden]

I know that Square tubing is the most popular for home built trailers. Has anyone built or seen one built from Round tubing? Maybe with some nice bends in the tubing???

I'm trying to picture one in my head, but the round tube idea might not work??? Possibly more work than it's worth???

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Way more work than it's worth. Square tubing is more efficient (strength/weight) in bending than a similar round tube. Rectangular tubes are even better. The only thing round tubing is better at is torsion, and bending when you don't know the axis it will be coming in at. Also, round tubing is available in much stronger alloys which would trump all else, so there is that, but it's very expensive.

It's also WAY more work because every joint needs to be bellmouthed.

 

[ExpoMike]

x2 on what Rob said. Round tube can look sexy but it requires SO much more work with joints. Unless you have a really good fish mouth cutter, it's a PITA to do, having done some roll cages myself. Other thing is trying to mount any flat siding is much harder with round.

BTW, if you want "rounded" corners with square tubing, do a series of cuts on the inside of the curve but don't go thru the outer part of the tubing. You can then "bend" the curve into the tube and weld up all the cut points. A fair amount of work but you can get the curved edges that you could do with round tube.

 

[jgolden]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking the same thing. The traditional square tube build is so basic, straight forward and functional that it seems silly to reinvent the wheel.
jg

 

[ntsqd]

You can also buy bender dies and shoes made to bend square tube. If it is small tube then HF offers a small bender patterned on the Hossfeld design that can probably make the bends.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Square/rectangular tubing also makes it much easier to weld/drill/mount the other parts to it.

Jason T.

 

[cowboy4x4]

I will be going the sexy route. My trailer frame is square (bought that way) but I am going to be adding additional boxes and storage to it and they will be round. Putting on any box is no different, it sits over the round or square, you can weld flat sheet on it just the same if you want a deck. You will want to have a tubing notcher though for the joints. It can be done with a chop saw but its not as clean. I'm partial to tube thats why I am doing it.