Finally ... Talked about it ... been talking about ... got a start!!!

[blueriver]

I have threatened to build one for along time ... so many out there just hard to decide which one, how big ... soooo I just decided its time go ahead and draw it out, cut it out and just weld the darn thing together. I'm doing this between customer jobs and other builds so it may be a few weeks before its done.

 

[TripleR]

Looking pretty darn good so far, very good work.:thumbsup:

 

[foreman Etexas]

Looking good:thumbsup:

 

[BigTee]

Great start, it's looking good.

 

[Xfaxman]

:thumbsup: How wide? Lid, none, one, two?

 

[FarmWrench]

Great...... Now I'm in the "can't see the pictures" club. Whatever it is congratulations on just doing it!

 

[Tomtint]

We see those on CL up here in the 900-1000 range, 72" wide. By the time you are done with that, time and material, what would the cost be ?

 

[blueriver]

Thanks everyone ... Its 72" wide and will have two lids ... and if you can't see the pictures its a grapple!!!!

I'll have right at $700 in material ... plus my time ... if I could have found a heavy duty well built one in the $1000 range I'd snatch it up. However I'm using T1 hardened steel ... alot of them I look at also cut corners on the hitch design ... no backing plates and the SSQA top only goes over each side about 18" ... I also up'd the cylinders to 3" instead of the 2" that most have.

I always get accused of over building .... oh well ... its probably 100 lbs heavier than anything on the market that you'd compare to. Which can be a downfall for smaller tractors.

 

[blueriver]

I got a little time between customers to get some more done ...

These are the hydraulic cylinder mounts, cut to fit the top rail as well they are cut to fit the top portion of the SSQA ... they also drop over the front rail not only will they really support the action of the cylinder, they tie all of it together.



This is the SSQA bottom where the pins lock in ... instead of just welding to the frame I put a 3/8" by 4" plate the complete run of the hitch ... this ties into the bottom rail, each tine as well as the hitch mechanism



A view from the front. I'm also doubling the jaw brackets ... probably could have just used one with a grade 8 bolt but I think two will be better with a machined pin.



Just another view ... I added a 3/8" by 2.5" flat along the top behind the angled top of the hitch ... this tied in the top rail into the top of the tines ... Just a little more support.

 

[bindian]

BR,
What's your tine spacing? Ya know I drool everytime I see photos of your plasma cutting.
hugs, Brandi