I just made mine out of aluminum L-stock from the hardware store, which appears to be what Unirac used. Did you see this thread? Post #35 has my photo, but there is a lot of good discussion throughout the thread.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=1034
As for opening the trailer, first determine if you need the panels to be up in the air. Quite often I just place mine on the ground, though only in campsites where the risk of theft is small (surprisingly this is not always the wildland campgrounds). If I want them up, I open the front shell, then set them on the roof of the rear shell and open it. It makes the rear shell a bit heavier, so my wife helps me lift it when I am feeling anemic. The problem with putting them on the roof is that it is hard to re-aim them as the day goes along.
Bill