ATTN: Heavy BOX BLADE Experts.....Give us your opinions please.

[EverythingAttachments]

So why ask?

Because Ted sees that there is interest. If there is interest, he's interested....simply put.

The topic wasn't intended to compare our existing blades because they're not in the same class or price range.
I just wanted to make that clear in the previous post, that's all.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

How about a rollover box blade?????????

I asked him about a rollover. Ted's just not crazy about them. He's more interested in the style like the Gannon that Brian(MtnViewRanch) likes.

 

[jenkinsph]

If I were in the business of building boxblades and wrestling with these questions I would make these changes.

thicker, heavier side plates !/2" or 5/8"
use box tubing with thicker walls
use 6"x5/8" double edged blades
heavy plate for clevis connections

all of these heavier components will add alot of strength and weight without adding much labor. In my locale steel plate sells for about .60/lb and I am in the middle of nowhere with more shipping costs than the eastern seaboard. This should allow for a reasonable markup cost while offering a better quality product. Heavy box tubing does cost more/lb than plate but not that much more.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

So why ask?

Also, don't get me wrong. It's not like Ted's gonna be designing and building this against his will. He's not happy unless he's out designing new attachments. Ted would MUCH rather be out at the factory designing new attachments or out in the field using them than sitting in an office.
Since there is a demand for this box, he wants to make one. When he makes one, he wants it to be as good or better than the best.

 

[Ken45101]

In my eyes, those Gannon and FFC box blades are a totally different class of HD which is different from any of the blades that we currently make.

Your naming makes it sound like it is.

I don't think that the regular guy with a tractor, especially a compact, doing work around his home/hobby farm, is going to be shopping for a blade of that caliber.

Note, this website is "tractorbynet" not "compacttractors.net"

I started out years ago with a 45 hp tractor and got tired of constant trips to the local weld shop to repair TSC implements (that was before they added hp ratings, 30 hp, to their implements.) I have now upgraded to bigger tractors. I'm sure there is a market for the small, compact tractor stuff, but many of us here have 60-100 hp tractors. Besides, you make skid steer attachments and those should not be in the "compact tractor" range.

If your desired customers are compact tractor owners, then you should make that clear on your website.

 

[Xfaxman]

Thanks for all the opinions. Keep em coming. A good boxblade discussion is always fun and helpful.

In my eyes, those Gannon and FFC box blades are a totally different class of HD which is different from any of the blades that we currently make.

I don't think that the regular guy with a tractor, especially a compact, doing work around his home/hobby farm, is going to be shopping for a blade of that caliber.

Ted is going to make this blade, I think, mostly because he can; not because he thinks we'll sell a lot of them.
I think that our heaviest existing blade with(or without) thicker steel will out-sell this larger breed by far.
I hope you guys will prove us wrong though.

We haven't had any issues selling the current blades we offer nor have we had any issues with them.
I am also confident that our Severe Xtreme Blades provide a better value than about any box blade on the market at the same price point.
Travis

The one thing that I noticed is all of the "preferred by members" box blades including me, are High Back models. That is something for Ted to consider in his design.



Will Ted show us the design before it is finalized so we can critique it?

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Your naming makes it sound like it is.



Note, this website is "tractorbynet" not "compacttractors.net"

I started out years ago with a 45 hp tractor and got tired of constant trips to the local weld shop to repair TSC implements (that was before they added hp ratings, 30 hp, to their implements.) I have now upgraded to bigger tractors. I'm sure there is a market for the small, compact tractor stuff, but many of us here have 60-100 hp tractors. Besides, you make skid steer attachments and those should not be in the "compact tractor" range.

If your desired customers are compact tractor owners, then you should make that clear on your website.

I just wanted to make it clear about the different classes. Hey an F250 is super duty, right?
Not compared to this:


I don't know that we have a desired customer. We welcome them all, but many of the threads that ask advice about boxblades are started by guys with compact or utility tractors that are 60hp and less.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

The one thing that I noticed is all of the "preferred by members" box blades including me, are High Back models. That is something for Ted to consider in his design.

View attachment 332391View attachment 332392 View attachment 332393

Will Ted show us the design before it is finalized so we can critique it?

Those are actually the top 3 that he looked at I think.
He told me this morning that he got a lot done on it yesterday, around 80%.
He may show it before it's finalized.

 

[jenkinsph]

I just wanted to make it clear about the different classes. Hey an F250 is super duty, right?
Not compared to this:
View attachment 332394

I don't know that we have a desired customer. We welcome them all, but many of the threads that ask advice about boxblades are started by guys with compact or utility tractors that are 60hp and less.

"but many of the threads that ask advice about boxblades are started by guys with compact or utility tractors that are 60hp and less"
While this may be true there are countless others who have larger equipment needs and don't need to ask as many questions as someone new to tractors. So is this thread about building a heavy duty boxblade or not?

Hard to know if you can sell enough of these to make it worthwhile to EA but good luck with it.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

This thread is about HD boxblades. I just wanted to point out that the boxes like the Gannon are a different animal than the ones we currently make.
I also believe that the boxes like the Gannon are generally overkill for many compact and utility tractor owners.