Forever ago I posted a few questions about the best setup for a ballast system made of scrap I beams I scored from my local welding shop. I finally set aside some spare time and got the project started.
I'm using a Lincoln Idealarc that I got dirt cheap at an equipment auction. I also got 50 feet of 2/0 cable and 30 feet of 1/0 that didn't pass insurance inspections at the welding shop for a few bucks and a case of beer.
A few cutting discs later and the attachment points are completed. The second I beam will sit on the first, and has been cut to allow the lower arms room to pivot as the box is raised and lowered. I put the attachment points in the middle of the box's center of gravity to decrease the clearance on the back end, as per 284 International's advice.
The beams weigh 65 pounds each and are roughly 32" long, 7" deep and 7.5" tall. I'm going to stack four to begin with. I'll insert a few receiver tubes into it so I can attach a trailer hitch. Maybe also fab up a box/bed that will attach to the receiver tube for use to carrying brush and the like. I'll also work out a way to attach some digging shanks to the back of the box. I'm going to make the shanks out of an I beam, so the deepest digging depth should be somewhere around 25 inches.
I'm using a Lincoln Idealarc that I got dirt cheap at an equipment auction. I also got 50 feet of 2/0 cable and 30 feet of 1/0 that didn't pass insurance inspections at the welding shop for a few bucks and a case of beer.
A few cutting discs later and the attachment points are completed. The second I beam will sit on the first, and has been cut to allow the lower arms room to pivot as the box is raised and lowered. I put the attachment points in the middle of the box's center of gravity to decrease the clearance on the back end, as per 284 International's advice.
The beams weigh 65 pounds each and are roughly 32" long, 7" deep and 7.5" tall. I'm going to stack four to begin with. I'll insert a few receiver tubes into it so I can attach a trailer hitch. Maybe also fab up a box/bed that will attach to the receiver tube for use to carrying brush and the like. I'll also work out a way to attach some digging shanks to the back of the box. I'm going to make the shanks out of an I beam, so the deepest digging depth should be somewhere around 25 inches.
What in the duce does that thing weigh????