Ballast box design

[KennyG]

2nd on the oil to make the forms release. It will also smooth the finish. Use some cheap caulk on the box seams to make the finish smoother on the corners also. I would put some reinforcement in the block since it's pretty easy to do although it probably will be fine without it.

 

[94BULLITT]

View attachment 316753Sounds good, but just a suggestion. If you are going to permenatly fill it with concrete why not just skip the steel and build a wooden form and just cast the cube.View attachment 316752 If I where to remake this one I would use a drawbar with a 2" receiver and the tubes for tools as you suggested.

That is how I am eventually going to make one. I can't figure out why almost everybody buys a ballast box on fills it with concrete :confused3: I keep eyeballing the bust bags at Lowes that are 1/2 price.

 

[Grand_Pooba]

FYI if you tap the sides of the form with a hammer or mallet as you go the sides wil be nice and smooth. If you look at the picture of mine see if you can tell where I forgot this step. Also instead of rebar I just set in scrap metal I had for added weight and strength.

 

[Bundi]

Question. I have two 5 gallon buckets full of old nails and screws my uncle left behind. They are a bit rusty and not worth anything. Can I use them in my Concrete?

 

[k0ua]

Question. I have two 5 gallon buckets full of old nails and screws my uncle left behind. They are a bit rusty and not worth anything. Can I use them in my Concrete?

I thought about that (after the fact) on my ballast barrel, I think it would be fine in it, but I am not so sure in an non contained open concrete "block". I would be afraid it might weaken the concrete and make it fall apart. Not a problem with the barrel, but just not sure on the open ballast.

James K0UA

 

[countrybumpkin]

Do a search for ballast box and you should find more than you can read in a day. It will give you tons of ideas. I built mine using a form made of OSB board and a 2x4 to screw it together. I put two pipes in it for shovels or what ever also.

 

[Fred Barbour]

I just had a thought on ballast box design. Why not use an old water well pressure tank. Some old ones are two feet across, just zip cut it to the height you desire and your in business. We use them for portable fire pits when out in the bush with the horses. The people who replace water well systems generally have a pile out back of their businesses and would love to get rid of a few, at least that's where we get them.

The older ones have a steel bottom to hold up the rounded tanks. The new ones have plastic and therefore are no good for fire pits or ballast boxes.

Fred

 

[k0ua]

I just had a thought on ballast box design. Why not use an old water well pressure tank. Some old ones are two feet across, just zip cut it to the height you desire and your in business. We use them for portable fire pits when out in the bush with the horses. The people who replace water well systems generally have a pile out back of their businesses and would love to get rid of a few, at least that's where we get them.

The older ones have a steel bottom to hold up the rounded tanks. The new ones have plastic and therefore are no good for fire pits or ballast boxes.

Fred

hm... I asked them to take our old one away.. I had already built mine with the 55 gal barrel ($9) but it never even occurred to me that it could be used for ballast forms.

James K0UA

 

[Sfrankland]

Here is one I built out of 1/8" plate I had laying around. I made it so most of the weight is on the bottom and sticks in toward the rear axle. I added a 2" receiver so I could move my trailer when snow clearing. When I filed it with concrete I added a lot of scrape steel to the mix. It weighs around 750-800Lbs.

 

[pizzaguy]

Just finished mine. Thank you to kOua for his pics in an earlier thread