A Service Shop on Wheels

Ivan Grove spent years carrying his tools from farm to field in a pickup. "For 10 years, I had a pickup truck that had a camper cab on the back. It was a struggle getting in and out of that pickup truck and stumbling over everything. It just didn't work out," Ivan says.

That's when the Hanover, Pennsylvania, farmer came up with the idea of a shop on wheels.

"I needed something more productive," he says. "Something where everything was with me and easy to access."

Thus came the Grove Farm Service mobile shop: a 16-foot enclosed trailer and a one-stop field shop. The trailer is fully equipped with all of the tools, parts, and equipment Grove needed while working throughout his fields.

On the inside
The shop includes everything you would imagine in a top shop, but on wheels.

An important feature for Ivan was the immediate access of controls in the shop. "I want to be able to walk inside and have the controls right there at my fingertips," Ivan says.

The shop is split up into different areas with items conveniently placed for working. Storage bins are used for stowing parts and bolts. There are also spaces for the hydraulic press, drill press, and hand tools. Two small libraries above and below the bench hold tech manuals for easy grabbing.

"We have a workbench heavy enough that we can beat on it. We also have torches at the back of the trailer. This way we can get them outside whenever needed," Ivan says.

The back door allows for easy accessibility in and out of the service shop, Ivan explains. "When winter weather comes, we can bring the door up, turn the heater on, and work in the warmth."

Nose bed access
Utilizing every bit of space in the trailer, the gear on the outside is positioned strategically in the nose bed of the trailer.

"We have the generator, air compressor, and electrical cords outside. There's also the air hose and buckets for oil draining," says Kenny, Ivan's son. "Since that gear is up front, we don't have to worry about noise or heat in the summer in the back of the shop."

The need for more space
With the addition of a plasma cutter and use of more power tools, the Grove's are draining their generator. Ideally, they would like to get a bigger generator. "Instead of a three-cylinder generator, we'd like to run a four-cylinder generator," Kenny says.

Kenny explains how more room in the trailer would be ideal for their service trailer. "We're at 16-foot now and would easily move up to 20-foot if we could," he says.