A couple more updates.
I was commuting Monday with the trailer. There is a portion of my trek where I rode through a field that has overgrown weeds. One of the QR levers on an axle was pulled loose and I didn't catch it. I was riding at a good pace on a busy road and the trailer bounced on a bump in the road and the wheel came out of the flanges and jammed. I didn't wreck, but that was a very hard pull dragging a tire with a good bit of weight as an anchor. Luckily it was a quick fix and nothing was damaged. All I found was a bit of a nick in the hub where it rubbed one of the edges of a flange. That and some excess tire wear where the tire dragged.
On the subject of weight - we have a pallet scale that I can wheel the trailer on to etc. As of right now the bare trailer (with one set of frame poles) is 58lbs. The truck box I am using at the moment is 30lbs. So that is 88lbs for the trailer + box. That is pretty heavy, but looking at what all it is and what I can do with it (enclosed/weatherproof/lockable box in that mix) - that is something I can live with for the time being. It also gives me a good benchmark for my "from the ground up" design later. I am sure going to aluminum I can shave a good bit of weight off of that.
With the gear I had with me the total weight was 134lbs. For a trip that is pretty light - I had no camping/cooking gear, much extra clothes, water supply, etc, etc. So I don't know how to estimate the rest of it. At some point when I gear up for a trek I can weigh everything else just for sake of discussion. It would be interesting to see.
Next up on the axle frame is taking out the flat spot in the frame. I am going to extend the angle up so there isn't any flat to catch a sign post etc. if I cut a corner too close.
