Ballast Box Build

[Depmandog]

Hey all! Decided that I needed a ballast box for my L5030 Kubota. Looked around for a while, trying to find one...but all I could find was too small or expensive. So I decided that I needed to build one!

The first order of business - replacing my stolen welder. Hello Craigslist. Found this near new AC DC tombstone for $200. It's now mine

 

[Bob77064]

Good deal, it looks new.

 

[Depmandog]

I want to incorporate a trailer hitch receiver - almost flush with the concrete. To do that, I have to design a way to insert the pin - inside the concrete.

I purchased some square tubing sized to allow the hitch to slide in. Measured how far back to drill my holes, making them slightly oversized.

Now I am welding tubes - a long one that will penetrate from the receiver hitch thru concrete to daylight; and a short one on the other side.






Here I am setting up to weld the long one. It's been a long time since I welded. This isn't going to be pretty

 

[Depmandog]

Good deal, it looks new.

I went ahead and took off the cover of the welder, which I needed to anyway to install the correct plug. While I was in there I gave it a good cleaning.

He even threw in a good half box of rod.

Went to Harbor Freight and with the online coupon and sale price - got the auto darkening helmet for $36. You can't beat that with a stick!!

 

[Depmandog]

I needed to weld shut the end of my short pipe. That was fun! Ok, might have had to try this twice. I kept melting my pipe!!

 

[kebo]

I want to incorporate a trailer hitch receiver - almost flush with the concrete. To do that, I have to design a way to insert the pin - inside the concrete.

I purchased some square tubing sized to allow the hitch to slide in. Measured how far back to drill my holes, making them slightly oversized.

You probably already did this, but be sure you try a couple of hitches in that 2" ID sq tubing to be certain they will fit before you get it all welded up. Have seen some 2" tubing that you couldn't get a 2" hitch to fit inside it.

 

[Jose G]

cut a round piece of steel and weld around it.

 

[timrj]

I want to incorporate a trailer hitch receiver - almost flush with the concrete. To do that, I have to design a way to insert the pin - inside the concrete.

I purchased some square tubing sized to allow the hitch to slide in. Measured how far back to drill my holes, making them slightly oversized.

Now I am welding tubes - a long one that will penetrate from the receiver hitch thru concrete to daylight; and a short one on the other side.



View attachment 298334


Here I am setting up to weld the long one. It's been a long time since I welded. This isn't going to be pretty

So your going to have the tube going thru from one side for a long hitch pin right.

 

[RAYJAY]

following thread need to build one myself as for the tombstone welder .. I would of bought a used mig first since i bought the mig have not even touched the tombstone its like 9 years already ....

Jeff

 

[vtsnowedin]

Do you have a sketch of your plan?

 

[Thomas]

The bench vice looks have some history..one tough vice.

 

[Depmandog]

So your going to have the tube going thru from one side for a long hitch pin right.

Yes, I will have a long hitch pinch to hold the hitch into the receiver. I will have to fab some sort of lock to keep the pin from sliding out when in use.

 

[Depmandog]

following thread need to build one myself as for the tombstone welder .. I would of bought a used mig first since i bought the mig have not even touched the tombstone its like 9 years already ....

Jeff

Well...I am not supposed to weld period. Have a medical stimulator implant that interferes with the pain receptors. The leads rest against the spinal cord. Stray voltage apparently is not advisable...

Had this thing ten years...you know - the heck with it. I am going to take it slow, keep the ground between me and the rod - and live life a bit .

That said, I don't have the flexibility to contort to weird welding positions - so I am limited to "bench" type welding. So - I went cheap in the welder - knowing it wasn't going to get much use.

 

[Depmandog]

Do you have a sketch of your plan?

I do - but it's in my head

Bought a cat II drawbar from TSC. The square tubing for the receiver will weld into the drawbar, which will be orientated on its edge. Two pieces of angle will run up from the drawbar to form the 3 pt connection.

I will also run angle iron on an angle from the vertical angle iron to the horizontal steel tubing. Once the concrete is poured, I doubt if this angle is necessary - but it will provide structure before and during the pour.

 

[vtsnowedin]

When I keep plans in my head I lay pages down in some corner then forget where I put them!! Are you welding up sheet metal sides or sticking that drawbar through a plastic juice barrel?

 

[Depmandog]

The bench vice looks have some history..one tough vice.

The vise is a good Wilton one. When the old Allis Chalmers plant closed down, they auctioned off what was left. I got several workbenches, and this one had the Wilton vise. Think I bought this one for $50.

The table is approx 4 x 10'. I built a maple top on one end for woodworking, and put a 3/8" steel plate on the other end for metal working. Love my bench. Will get some pictures of it later.

 

[Depmandog]

When I keep plans in my head I lay pages down in some corner then forget where I put them!! Are you welding up sheet metal sides or sticking that drawbar through a plastic juice barrel?

No, I use to be a carpenter in my younger days. So I have some 3/4 ply that I will form up for the pour. I have a quart of Kubota orange that will spruce up the concrete next spring. Gonna let this thing cure for quite a while before painting.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I'm thinking about making one with a black plastic barrel. I'm going to fill it about two thirds full and let the top link connection come out the side near the top of the concrete. The space left on top will be for tow chains etc. and the screw on top will keep things dry.

 

[Zebrafive]

Are you welding DC reverse polarity? Works best for me.

 

[timrj]

Yes, I will have a long hitch pinch to hold the hitch into the receiver. I will have to fab some sort of lock to keep the pin from sliding out when in use.

Well to lock a hitch pin in place you can make a 90 degree handle at the end of your pin, and mount a hook on the out side of your box thin all you do to lock the pin is rotate the handle of the of pin into the hook. Should work just fine.