Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

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SteveHGraham
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I got my box painted and filled. It's supposedly 5.3 cubic feet. Based on warmstrong's figures, that would be around 530 pounds.

I only got 350 pounds of sand into it. I can do a little more, but not much. Maybe 375.

Either my sand is suspiciously light, the box is smaller than the ad says, warmstrong is wrong, or my math is wrong.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

All I can tell ya, is 2700-3000 per yd3, has been reliable. That's for hauling it, in fear of the DOT, hoisting it, don't wanna overload hoists, and you certainly don't want to overload a whimpy Bell Jet Ranger. Worked some jobs where choppers of various sizes & flavors were the hoist.

Maybe some of that fancy dancy corn flake sand?

:) Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I think the box is smaller than 5.3 cubic feet. It has two vertical pipes in it to hold tools, so that takes some space away, and then there is the possibility that people in marketing did the volume calculation.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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liveaboard
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by liveaboard »

I ordered a water cooled marine AC unit once. It was shipped from the US [a 220v 50hz model built for the EU market].
There was damage to the ventilator scroll, a huge indentation where it had been dropped upside down.
But this thing was shipped in foam that was sprayed into the box; and had formed into the dent.

Some moron had packed the unit and shipped it all the way to Europe, damaged.

My FEL couldn't quite lift what I wanted to lift. So I gave the PRV preload screw a little twist.
Well, a big twist.
I added a pressure gauge to the hydraulic system so I can keep an eye on how far I'm overloading it.
I was already popping hoses before, so nothing has really changed.
earlgo
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by earlgo »

Steve if you need the extra weight, just wet down the sand in your box with water from a hose. The extra water weighs approximately 7#/gal, so you might be able to add a hundred pounds or so, depending.....
Just a thought.
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
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steamin10
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by steamin10 »

Water 8.34 lbs per gallon standard.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
earlgo
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by earlgo »

Steamin10 you are absolutely correct: 8.34#/gal/ That is what I get for using an outdated brain.
It is, however, 7.48gal/ft^3 or if you will, 62.4#/ft^3
So by wetting the sand, Steve will gain even more weight than originally inferred, depending on the moisture content of warmstrong's sand figure.
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

My figure is for dry sand.
And 8.34 lb/gal of water is also what we always used.

Diesel fuel is 7.1 lb/gal. Maybe that's the trail your memory took Earlgo....
:)

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
earlgo
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by earlgo »

Warmstrong, maybe so. I did 'hydraulic flow" calculations for distillation and cracking towers for nearly 10 years in the late 80s and 90s, so who knows what stuck in the spout?
Thanks for straightening out the brain cramps. :lol:
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
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steamin10
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by steamin10 »

Not all sand is the same, White silicatious sand is the lightest, black sand that is magnetic is iron based oxides and quite heavy. So there can be a variance on a full box of any sand because of content. Ask gold miners about wash plants and getting things to stick or not. Gold being heavier than lead, and black sand staying with the gold to be magged off. Even concrete can vary in weight because of air entrapment and the kind of stone used. Granite being heavier than limestone. So take your pick on head busters for facts.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Sand or Concrete for Tractor Ballast Box?

Post by SteveHGraham »

Before I bought this thing, someone advised me to get a plastic drum, fill it with concrete, add points for the tractor to connect, and be content. I should have done that. I thought I was going to get a nice heavy ballast that also held tools, but I ended up with a light ballast that only works if you fill it with concrete AND a huge amount of scrap steel, which I do not have and which is not free.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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