Tractor mounted ballast and chainsaw box

[Gordon Maney]

I use a four wheel drive utility tractor as my mule in the trees. I would like to build something for it to carry two saws, log chains and related items, including oil and fuel. My thought was that I would build a new ballast box for the tractor with accommodations in it to properly hold the saws.

What other items, based upon your experience, would you accommodate in such a box? It will be about 5 feet wide and 18-24 inches deep, 24-36 inches tall, made from 1 inch plate, with enough concrete as necessary to bring the total weight up to 1,500 pounds.

I am curious as to your opinion on this. Should I just make rectangular spaces with some dividers and cover all the surfaces with old carpet? Keep in mind that when moving over the terrain, traveling along, there could be some bumping around of the tractor and the contents of the box. Or, should I make this up so the saw bars are clamped to hold the saws still? I will be using this to carry a Stihl 460 and an 009 [someday to be replaced by a 260].

I have also considered fitting a good sized bench vise to this ballast box somewhere, as well as fittings to attach log chains The reason is that when I have done chain filing, it has worked well to put the chain bar in a big vise. I know there are things called stump vises, but I wonder if people actually use them. Do you just put the saw on the ground, or the tailgate, and file away?

The neighbor farmer’s kids never used to waste a moment, and when they were not sawing, they were filing. They had no vise. They just sat on the ground.

Any thoughts?

[JimmieD]

I'd like to have a Hi-Lift type jack in there if it was my rig. They can literally be a life saver, as changing tires, lifting unusual loads [even a fallen log pinning someone] or as an emergency winch. with a 50:1 power ratio they have the moxie to really make life simpler.

JimmieD

[fuzzyalex]

I have a Stihl farm boss (i don't recall the model right off the top of my head) and I usually pull up two stumps to sharpen it- one to sit on and one to rest the saw on. I got it a couple of years ago - Stihl is the BEST, worth every dime!

When I got it the salesman must have shown me 5 different kinds of chain sharpeners but recommended the files, and now that I am proficient I don't think the other methods could be much faster unless you are doing multiple chains at a time.

BTW- Stihl had a sale where if you buy 3 chains you get one free but I don't know if they are still doing that (it might have been a Bobcat of the Rockies deal).

I was thinking about mounting one of the chain sleeves to the side of my truck to hold it in a handy place where it would not fall out. I was thinking of using a couple of straps to hold the plastic sleeve at an angle (45 degree) so the saw would not fall out on the bumps.

[MoparNorm]

Stihl is quality

I've had a 32" Stihl for 25 some years now, it is stihl (ha!ha!) going strong! Sometimes after a long day of cutting I'm too tired to drain the tank. I put it away like that one time and didn't use the saw again for several years.......after I pulled it out to use it, it started on the second pull, normally it fires on the first.
I've seen dozens of cheap saws that are a joke to use, the Stihl is the best!
MN

[dr9487]

Gordon, with those dimensions with 1" plate you shouldn't have to add much concrete. Another idea, pick up some lead wheel weights and put in the bottom of the box. They don't take up much space and are easy to remove if you decide you don't need the weight. 1 square foot of lead weighs 725 lbs.
1" in the bottom of a 24"x60" box would be about 600 lbs.