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The PERFECT Ballast Box???

18K views 74 replies 27 participants last post by  Jer 
#1 ·
So sometime during this cold, long, lonely winter I'm going to fab up the Ballast Box to end all BB's. So far the features I'm planning are:

Angle Iron Frame with 1/4 or 3/16 metal walls

Filled with Portland

Box large enough to properly ballast my H310 Loader - I'm thinking 2000-2500lbs.

Caster wheels x4 to move it around when off.

Tubes/Pipes on the side for shovels, etc

2-5/16 gooseneck ball up high

2" bumper pull ball down low, but offset so that I can see it when backing up to trailer.

Anyone have any other things they'd put on there perfect multitasking ballast box??

-J.
 
#2 ·
wow...
but a few things
fridge for beverages
stereo
chair and sun shade for breaks to enjoy above:lol:

perhaps a square box type indent in top for chains or other non round type items
Kens bolt on hooks??

sounds like a great project. enjoy the build oh yeah green paint, yellow flames.....(OK I am getting carried away, sorry)
 
#6 ·
....enjoy the build oh yeah green paint, yellow flames.....(OK I am getting carried away, sorry)
Hey, I patented that idea.....:lol:



Jer, go for it, flames and all. I can't wait to see it.:thumbup1gif: Maybe have a fitted lid over the portland for a better finished look?
 
#3 ·
I like the flames idea...... I'm doing it.

Are you thinking a tray type thing for chains?

-J.


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#4 ·
Yes exactly
 
#5 ·
I'd like 2 drop in "pins" in each rear corner that would engage the handles of my large wheeled trash and recycling containers please!
 
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#9 ·
A tool box with seperate compartments and a lid to keep the rain off of the chains. A place for chains, pins, clevis etc. Chainsaw holder.

Depends on what you all need to take with and have available. We cut a lot of wood so probably a grab hook for a chain to skid logs.
 
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#10 ·
I kicked around this very project idea for a while but other things came up.

My frame was going to be 6x3x3/8" angle around a pre-made box with 3/16" thick sides. The lower hitch pins need to be supported on both sides. I planned to put two pieces of channel on the bottom so the box could be picked up by a forklift if needed and fill the box with steel. I wanted the box to be as compact as possible, yet still heavy enough to work on the 5320. The physical dimensions of my box were just a little smaller than a small JD ballast box, but weighed about 1,800 lbs without any frame or supporting structure.

Trailer hitches are a good idea, chain storage is good too. It's really hard to go wrong with storage in general. :good2:
 
#11 ·
All great ideas!!!

Added to CAD drawings:

Rifle storage (zombie rifle, of course)
Chainsaw holder
Tray and tray cover
Pole, for "dancing"
Flames (not for dancing)
Fire extinguisher next to flames - oh the irony....
Hooks

How about a tube for a telescoping flag pole? Hmmm???

I like the pin storage idea, but those live in my tractor toolbox cause they always need to be there....

Who am I kidding.... I can't CAD....where's that damn pencil???

Hahahha

-J.



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#12 ·
Who am I kidding.... I can't CAD....where's that damn pencil???

Hahahha
I call it MAN-CAD, MAN being for Manual :laugh: I'll take my .09 mechanical pencil and graph paper any day over trying to draw on the computer.
 
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#13 ·
My thought rather than add this or incorporate something or another is to, remove lets say 2" from the Depth of the box. The height and width seem fine. Most people don't actually load up their loader to max capacity requiring all the ballast. Shortening the box would help in numerous ways. I know the length helps in the leverage......Bla, Bla, Bla.
 
#14 ·
.....I'm listening.... how does it help?? Do you find it too long out the back??

I was actually thinking this AM that I may intentionally make it deeper. I have my own personal reason - my somewhat new dump trailer has a deckover on it, and it is threateningly close to the back of the cab on my 5075, so I want to push it back.

Kenny, shall be do a group buy on our MANCAD tools??

-J.
 
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#19 ·
I would like to have a small and dense ballast box, as I am storage space challenaged. I started collecting wheel weights from local tire shops, scrap lead prices or free. I dreamed of melting the lead down into bricks so that it could be removed if needed. Using lead would also allow me have more space in box for storage. I typically hang my suitcase weights inside the box for storage and extra weight.
 
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#20 · (Edited)
You should call your BB "The Neutron Star".......

There are youtube vids of dudes doing backyard smelting and pouring in homemade, simple, furnaces - I bet you could to that if you wanted.

Space is not an issue for me - well, outside space at least - so Portland is the way I'll be going.

-J.
 
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#21 ·
When I did commercial const, I helped some brick layers build an xray vault. It was in the basement of a hospital and they built the thing with lead bricks. They built the walls about 2 ft thick as I recall. Lots of bricks. It was unreal what those things weighed. If you could get your hands on some of those you could build a very compact BB.
 
#22 ·
Bloody hell!!! Was that an X-ray vault or Fermi's lab??!! I think you worked on the Manhattan Project!!!

-J.


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#24 ·
Fair enough.

I'd better take off that name tag.

-J.


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#25 ·
Well, I think you have your Rosie HandCAD figured out. Now we want to see ALL the pics! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :munch:
 
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#27 ·
My new BB has just been named, thank you Levi....

Pics once she's powder coated.....likely in March....

-J.


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#26 ·
My ballast is removable so in a pinch I can use it for something else. Anyone that can fab a high end BB from scratch can have removable ballast to utilize it for other tasks. The rest sounds great and you know once its painted (flames and all) there will be something else you wish had been added. jmtc
 
#28 ·
LIKE ANTI-NEIGHBOR MISSILES!!! Or a landing spot for my drone!!!

-J.


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#38 ·
This would be handy:
Green Emblem Logo Recycling





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#39 ·
#40 ·
I had one on the roll bar of the 4720!!!! Still looking for a mount on the new one.....


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#42 ·
Very nice!!


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#47 ·
Weddings over, my busy mind is looking for things to do.....

How much weight would you guys hang off the back of a 5075M?? I'm gonna sketch up my ballast box....

-J.


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#53 ·
Okay off the track but my comment about your picture with the new bride in the cart with the MGD,,, now I know why;

Very good point.

My friend, Scott Barron, told me once that he loved a beer with a pop top - Moosehead it was - and I've agreed ever since. MGD is my favorite at present for 'regular' drinking. You guys should track down some Innis & Gunn if you can. Small Scottish brewery that ages there beer in scotch, and now rum, casks. Very tasty. I really like the Whitefish Brewery stuff too.

I wanted some wall mounted openers a couple years back - and bloody hell are they hard to find!!! I ended up ordering from a website that was far from helpful, and weren't interested in selling me the 5 that I wanted - they wanted to sell me no fewer than 25 - so I bought 25 and now I hand them out to friends I really like (ie - ones that bring my $hit back when they borrow it).

We're getting distracted here from the greatest Ballast box the earth has ever seen here, but while we're at it if you want a cool drink holder for your machines, for your water bottles, RAM mount makes a great one that's sort of gimballed so it remains upright over bumps and humps. That way your water bottle gets less foamy when the water shakes in it, and stays tastier. It'll even hold a red solo cup, if you prefer your water mixed, with ice.

-J.

:bigbeer:
 
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#49 · (Edited)
Ok, wise-ass......why don't we just use gold bricks??!!!

Let's keep the budget under 10K!!!!

I'd love one on my 5M, but that is an absolutely impossible justification!!!!


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#50 ·
Ok, wise-ass......why don't we just use gold bricks??!!!

Let's keep the budget under 10K!!!!

I'd love one on my 5M, but that is an absolutely impossible justification!!!!
You're married now. I've used Babycakes a few times when that little extra is needed and it's easy on, easy off. :lol:
 
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#54 ·
JER! :whip: :lol:
 
#51 ·
So sometime during this cold, long, lonely winter I'm going to fab up the Ballast Box to end all BB's. So far the features I'm planning are:

Angle Iron Frame with 1/4 or 3/16 metal walls

Filled with Portland

Box large enough to properly ballast my H310 Loader - I'm thinking 2000-2500lbs. I want this much weight for the 6415

Caster wheels x4 to move it around when off. Delete it stay on the tractor or park outside

Tubes/Pipes on the side for shovels, etc Put them inside with drain holes

2-5/16 gooseneck ball up high Delete (I don't see the need)

2" bumper pull ball down low, but offset so that I can see it when backing up to trailer. Delete

Anyone have any other things they'd put on there perfect multitasking ballast box??

-J.
wow...
but a few things
fridge for beverages
stereo
chair and sun shade for breaks to enjoy above:lol:

perhaps a square box type indent in top for chains or other non round type items
Kens bolt on hooks?? No hooks might encourage someone to pull from to high a pull point

sounds like a great project. enjoy the build oh yeah green paint, yellow flames.....(OK I am getting carried away, sorry)
I kicked around this very project idea for a while but other things came up.

My frame was going to be 6x3x3/8" angle around a pre-made box with 3/16" thick sides. The lower hitch pins need to be supported on both sides. I planned to put two pieces of channel on the bottom so the box could be picked up by a forklift if needed and fill the box with steel. I wanted the box to be as compact as possible, yet still heavy enough to work on the 5320. The physical dimensions of my box were just a little smaller than a small JD ballast box, but weighed about 1,800 lbs without any frame or supporting structure. Thumbs up to the fork channels

Trailer hitches are a good idea, chain storage is good too. It's really hard to go wrong with storage in general. :good2:
So have you built it yet? I need one too :greentractorride:
 
#58 ·
Just as reference, here's what I did with the slightly used JD box I found a few years ago for my 790: Had some old RR rail for the runners & added a 2" receiver tube. Bolted that to the box; Machine Machine tool Tool Wood
filled with enough scrap iron (some lead) up to 8" below the top & bolted in an old grainery door at the top of the fill, making a tray for chains, small tools, etc.; Machine Tool Machine tool Tool accessory
Two plastic conduit tube on the outside for long handled tools & a lower set of 3-pt pins to raise it for trailer loading; Green Transport Grass Rolling Vehicle
layered 1/4" plastic chainsaw sleeve on the other side & some small "D" rings in case I need to tie something down; Vehicle Agricultural machinery Machine Tractor
Total weight is a little over 600 lbs., recommended for the 790.
 
#72 ·
Just as reference, here's what I did with the slightly used JD box I found a few years ago for my 790: Had some old RR rail for the runners & added a 2" receiver tube. Bolted that to the box; View attachment 49903 filled with enough scrap iron (some lead) up to 8" below the top & bolted in an old grainery door at the top of the fill, making a tray for chains, small tools, etc.; View attachment 49904 Two plastic conduit tube on the outside for long handled tools & a lower set of 3-pt pins to raise it for trailer loading; View attachment 49905 layered 1/4" plastic chainsaw sleeve on the other side & some small "D" rings in case I need to tie something down; View attachment 49906 Total weight is a little over 600 lbs., recommended for the 790.
Like the old RR rail you used.
If I remember right, iron weighs nearly 500 lbs per cubic foot.
Have about 25 foot of it from my grandfather, farmers used to use it to level out the top of rows
before planting sugar cane.

Used about 3 feet of it for a front weight on the tractor, makes one heck of a front bumper too.
 
#60 ·
I was bored in my flight. So I doodled in my head.

I'm making a 44" tall, 48" wide, 18" deep box, with 38" of Portland in it. total weight will be about 3000lbs, and I'll have room on top for chains and schtuff. Cat2 pins. 4 tubes for tools. Maybe a chainsaw holder.


.....and flames.


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#61 ·
Just curious, when you say you are putting in portland are you talking about concrete or just cement? I mixed up concrete using portland in my bb.


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