Poured concrete Ballast box build

[countrybumpkin]

Well With all the talk about Ballast boxes it has gotten me into the mood to build mine finally. Not sure on final weight of the box yet, is the 150 lbs per square foot figure dried weight of concrete or wet?? The box is 40" wide , 24" tall, 16" deep. From my calculations I'm looking at approximately 8.89 cubic feet for a total of around 1330 plus the steel, Does this sound about right? Here are a few pics of what I have done so far. Still Have to add some wire and two pieces of PVC for holding shovels and rake handles.

 

[countrybumpkin]

With the frame in the form.

 

[JB4310]

Well With all the talk about Ballast boxes it has gotten me into the mood to build mine finally. Not sure on final weight of the box yet, is the 150 lbs per square foot figure dried weight of concrete or wet?? The box is 40" wide , 24" tall, 16" deep. From my calculations I'm looking at approximately 8.89 cubic feet for a total of around 1330 plus the steel, Does this sound about right? Here are a few pics of what I have done so far. Still Have to add some wire and two pieces of PVC for holding shovels and rake handles.

The weight is almost the same for wet and dry, that's the interesting thing about cement based materials, it converts water into a solid form, the weight of the water is still in there.

Cement hydration

That's alot of weight, what size tractor? I used pvc pipe in mine, but I'd suggest steel, plastic can break easily if it's sticking out like mine. Mine are 30 inches long.

I'd weld some cross pcs on the top link tube, so it's not just relying on the weld but holding in the concrete.

JB.

 

[FastPauly]

Looking good countrybumpkin:thumbsup:.....got an extra trailer hitch laying around the shop doing nothing? Could prove handy if it were growing out of the concrete for those trailer jockying chores.

 

[Deerlope]

Put some kind of a pin type hitch out the back. You just never know when you may need it and don't want to take the box off. Also put a chafer in the corners it will look so much nicer.

 

[KennyG]

This looks good. I've been thinking about something similar, but a couple of ideas I had (might be too late for you)- I've got a 2x2 receiver tube to put in mine. Also, I'm thinking of making the base low enough that it will sit on the ground with the 3 point all the way down to simplify taking it on and off. I would also suggest embedding a few screw in attachments. I don't know what they are called but you can get threaded couplers and if you have them just inside the form, you will be able to hand any kind of hook, loop, etc off the box by just bolting it on.

 

[fenix]

Very good job. Neat and well thought out. And the best part, it is
theif proof and will last forever.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to be using it on a Kubota L3410. The hitch Idea has crossed my mind, along with the threaded inserts, I am planning on bending up some round rod and making hooks for holding a chain or rope or even buckets. I may look into placing something in the corners to round them. The hitch is placed 13" from the bottom of the box so I can easily set it on the ground and the QH will release without having to set it on something.

 

[mdelmarcelle]

I just did something very similar. My suggestion, consider lining the form with plastic. It will help to keep the concrete hydrated. The wood will pull water away from it. I think that's what happened with mine because the surface of the concrete didn't cure quite as hard. But I duct taped small pieces of trim on the corners of the form to round off the edges of the block. The spots where the concrete was in contact with the duct tape cured very well and hard.

 

[midsetberg]

I just did something very similar. My suggestion, consider lining the form with plastic. It will help to keep the concrete hydrated. The wood will pull water away from it. I think that's what happened with mine because the surface of the concrete didn't cure quite as hard. But I duct taped small pieces of trim on the corners of the form to round off the edges of the block. The spots where the concrete was in contact with the duct tape cured very well and hard.

Just wet the form well with water before you pour the concrete. Lining it with plastic foil will also not look good, you will get marks in the concrete were the plastic is wrinkled. Then do not remove the form for some days, the longer the better for curing the concrete.

 

[k0ua]

I have always painted my forms with a couple of coats of old used motor oil.

James K0UA

 

[davesalisbury]

I have always painted my forms with a couple of coats of old used motor oil.

James K0UA

This suggestion makes a lot of sense given past experience...

Back in younger (much) days when I worked bridge construction, form oil was used (seemed in smell and consistency to me a lot like hydraulic fluid) so the forms would release from the concrete. We'd mop or roll it onto either steel or wood forms. From time to time I'd also swab some on my work boots ;-).

Seems to me old motor oil would work just as nicely. Roll/paint it on the inside of the form so the concrete releases when you're done. Love this project, btw.

 

[moored4]

Your thinking this one out! It should serve you well! :thumbsup:

 

[jake98]

Anyone ever put a QH on the back of one?

 

[JB4310]

You can use the 5000 psi bagged concrete, will hold up better.

There will always be something you wish you did after the crete sets

jb

 

[countrybumpkin]

Yeah I've seen the plastic lined forms and what happens, guess I could paint it dark purple so it would look like a big raisin. :laughing: I found some steel tube laying around I may use instead of the PVC, but not sure, afraid they may rust real bad inside over time, it would be nice to use for weight over the PVC, but at least the PVC would stay clean and smooth. I had not thought about the oil idea, I was looking at using some white roofing paint sealer we had laying around. I am going to see what I can find around to put in the corners to round them a little, the trim idea was what I had in mind to look at, I was going to make the form a little bigger and round the corners quit a bit but I'm trying to keep it as compact yet heavy as I can. I think I'm going to set it on a trailer and haul to a plant instead of mixing all this by hand.

 

[rjmack]

nice build:thumbsup:

what about the idea of putting a couple pieces of 1/2x6x6 plate flush with the back side and tied to the skeleton... that way you could have a couple imbeds to weld to after the fact? grab hooks, tool bars etc. or maybe one on each end too?

 

[k0ua]

Be sure to put that 2 inch reciever in the back. I did it not knowing what I was going to use it for, and wound up using it to put a small sprayer on easily, and am thinking about a salt spreader for next winter. I too am taking a keen interest in your thought processes building this project, very similiar to all the things I tried to think of when I built mine. Good luck with it.

James K0UA

 

[JB4310]

nice build:thumbsup:

what about the idea of putting a couple pieces of 1/2x6x6 plate flush with the back side and tied to the skeleton... that way you could have a couple imbeds to weld to after the fact? grab hooks, tool bars etc. or maybe one on each end too?

I like that idea! This ballast box is gonna be a Swiss army knife by the time we finish with him. :laughing:

Be sure to put that 2 inch receiver in the back. I did it not knowing what I was going to use it for, and wound up using it to put a small sprayer on easily, and am thinking about a salt spreader for next winter. I too am taking a keen interest in your thought processes building this project, very similiar to all the things I tried to think of when I built mine. Good luck with it.

James K0UA

I didn't put a receiver tube on my JD steel box when I filled it with concrete, cause I figured I wouldn't want the heavy box when moving trailers. But now I think I'll weld one on, still probably only use it for occasional trailer moving, but they are so handy for other things like you mentioned.

I am a nut for those receiver hitch tubes, I have them on everything, my loader bucket, my two 3pt QH's just mounted one on my lawn tractor for a tool carrier I rigged up.


As far as what type of pipe to use for shovels rakes etc, just had another thought. We're worried about plastic breaking and metal rusting, how about a pipe just used as a form, before the concrete sets, twist the pipe around to loosen so it could be removed, then the hole in the concrete could be re-sleeved if the pipe needed to be replaced.
I used 1.5 inch pipe, most tools fit, but some of the new plastic handled tools don't, so I would say stay with 2 inch, even a skinny handled tool wont slop around much, about 30 inches seems to be a good height.

JB.

 

[Red Horse]

nice build:thumbsup:

what about the idea of putting a couple pieces of 1/2x6x6 plate flush with the back side and tied to the skeleton... that way you could have a couple imbeds to weld to after the fact? grab hooks, tool bars etc. or maybe one on each end too?

That is a great idea. attached are pix of mine- I later welded the top half of a Mack front spring "u" bolt to the verticle but hooks would be better. Also if I ever build another one, besides the ideas others have had about shovel holders, I think I would cast some heavy pipe in place to create leverage points to stick a pinch bar in to help muscle it on and off the three point hitch.