New First Choice Box Blade

[Will]

I saw all of your close up shots, so how about a picture of the whole unit? By comparing sidewall thickness, total weight plus what you've already told me, I ought to be able to figure out if I should trade up. Thanks again.

 

[JimMc]

The BB20 Series features 3/8" sides, the BB30 Series has 1/2" sides. From the pictures, it looks like Gary has the BB20, but I could be mistaken.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Will, here it is on my trailer as it was shipped. I don't have one here at home of it put together, but I should be able to get one posted tomorrow.

Look at the reflective quality of that powder coat finish. This is after being shipped to me and sitting outside on a heavily used crushed limestone (spelled "dusty") parking lot all night into the late afternoon of the following day. What you're seeing is that paint under a coat of white dust. Not bad, huh?

 

[Will]

It does look really good. At this rate we'll be discussing which type of car wax, liquid or solid, is best for maintaining that mirror finish. Is your model the 440 lb BB20-60? They have a lighter BB15 and heavier BB30 series too.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Another angle of it on my trailer...

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Last pic on the trailer...

I bought the First Choice BB-20 "Light Duty" unit. I'm going to be using it behind my Deere 4200 and went this way because of the size of my tractor. I'm sure Jim's correct on the 3/8" sides but I'll still be happy to measure it to be sure.

When you asked me about the 440 lb. weight vs. 541 lbs. I couldn't help but remember the shipper calling and telling me they had "a 500 lb. package" for me. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I'm guessing they rounded up (and probably billed shipping accordingly /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif ).

 

[JimMc]

As to the weight of First Choice ground engaging products, I feel it is very important to represent our products honestly. When we quote a weight, it is for the product only - no pallets, manuals, shipping materials or fudging. Shipping weights are normally 50 to 100 lbs additional to product weight, depending on freight method.

Keep in mind, this is not the industry's standard for advertising weights of products, but it is ours.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

That's a good point, Jim. What I was trying (rather poorly) to convey was my belief that the gal who made the call may well have rounded to the next highest round number to let me know it was going to take a forklift to get off the back of their truck when they showed up to deliver it.

 

[bmac]

Gary, forgive for asking what should probably be obvious. But, just how did you get this off the truck? Do you have forks for your tractor? Was it shipped on a flatbed or enclosed trailor?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Bmac, I picked it up at the shipper rather than have it delivered to my office. Their terminal is only a couple miles from my land where my big trailer is domiciled. Since I was going to have to go out there to get my trailer anyhow, I just went to the terminal and they loaded it onto my trailer with their forklift.

When I got to my place I parked the trailer and hooked a couple axle straps over the hitch pins and grabbed three one-foot-long pieces of grade 70 chain with clevis hooks on either end (incredibly handy items to have) and hooked them together and hooked one end to one strap, ran the chain around my backhoe then hooked the other axle strap to the other end.

I then eased the load off the trailer by gently raising the backhoe. I carried the pallet (by hand) into the barn and set it where I wanted the box blade then backed my tractor into the barn and eased the box blade back down onto the same pallet. Simple process, really.

It was almost easier to do than to explain. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif