just an fyi- I reached out to Ramball to see about getting one if his feeders this past summer and I feel like his feeders
are well made but due to inflation/pandemic etc. his prices have gone way up.
He told me his 600 lb feeder was now $1200 and that a lot of people decided to go another route.
I hope prices go back down but I am not sure that will happen.

Unfortunately I don’t see them going back down. We use 12 gauge sheet on our feeders which is currently in a 5x10 going for $305. It takes 1.3 sheets to do one feeder. With the feeder components, angle iron, hardware, sheet metal breaks and powdercoat, they’re sitting at around $780 before factoring any labor and profits. 2 years ago that number was around $465.

Mike's (Ramball36) feeders will be there long after you have to replace others.

Agreed

This is the first time I have ever hear of Ramball feeders.
Where are they sold?

He's on this forum. Scroll up 3 posts from your post here and send him a PM (Ramball36).

Hey, I know this thread is old, but I really like the looks of the Ramball feeder and some of the others that have that type of predator guard. My question is what type of spreader cup do they use and what keeps a coon from reaching in and turning the spreader cup. Thanks

Lots are built that way now. Simply the distance is too far for their little evil paws to reach the spinner.

Thanks Creekrunner, I kind of figured the distance was to far for them to reach plus being able to get up there, but those rascals will try anything. Do you know if most use the round dished shape spreaders or rectangular with flaps or the diamond shaped spreaders. Just wondering.

I'll have to look at mine. I know it's not the rectangle with flaps.

Thanks, I know the best spinner plate I have found on traditional theaters is "The Eliminator" but then I still have to put a predator guard on because I have beer problems. If the spreader plate is within reach they will bend the plate to let the corn come out.

I've got both HB and AS feeders. No complaints with either. I believe they are all 600#'s. Both are pretty indestructible. Ground fill feeders are the only way to go. I use HB protein feeders which I fill from the back of my truck.

I really like stand and fill and the ones with plates and not a cage. I think the coons can still reach in and get to the spinner plate though. They have to really want to and have long arms but it seems like they do. They arent just draining it but it seems like they get some out. Any one else notice this? Mine are Bucees.

I have Llamco and the Bucees feeders as well. I don't think they can reach the spinner plate but
what I think is happening is that even with plates there are spacers separating the plates and there
will be a little corn hitting those and when the motor stops spinning there are a few kernels laying on the plates
and that is what the raccoons are going after. I looked at that when testing the feeders and noticed the few kernels
left on the plate. Just my 2 cents.

BMan, no doubt there is a little corn on the plates thats easy to get to. It just seems they are getting to more than that. I monitor usage closely and some feeders that go through more are the ones with pics of coons. Maybe I need to put cam on video for awhile and see if I can tell anything. Sorry if this is getting off topic.

For deer, there is no need for a cage or plates. Use the eliminator and your coon problem is solved.

you ain't the Lone Ranger.

My problem's gin.

The very few bears that come up into west Texas will destroy any feeder, if they so wish. I little cage over the spinner and motor isn't going to stop them. I doubt they're that different than NC bears.

I expanded my bottom plate just outside of the feeder walls before I ever put them out just for those long arm bandits.

The most recent feeder purchase was the Low &Throw. That thing will sling some corn. I wouldn’t suggest you hit the test button while in shorts. No cage to worry about. A monkey might have a long enough reach to get to the spinner, but no coon or squirrel can. Way better feeders than anything I’ve had before.

I did a lot of looking and researching feeders, and the Lamborghini (I keep typing the right name, but spellcheck insists on Lamborghini)…so the Lamborghini Low and Throw is my first choice in feeders now.

Thanks, kk30, thats what I figured I would do if I ever figure out if they are actually able to reach that far.

Great information, keep it coming. Creekrunner, I have found old metal milk crates work best for bears on my exposed motor/timer box on the bottom of the barrel. Have even made some out of expanded metal.

I really like our 4 1000# feeders we got from Ramball. Two critiques on them that we are dealing with now -- the plates aren't long enough to keep coons out and we have one that has a weld issue on the top cross bars where the chain to the lid connects.

Let me be clear that these aren't deal breakers and I still REALLY like Ramball's feeders, but I'll provide more context below so people are aware.

Spinner plates: We have been trying to figure out how we have a feeder that is dropping so much corn. Based on the pictures, though, it appears it was not a fault of the feeder itself and more so the masked bandits that are getting to it every night. At first we thought they were just scooping corn off the lower spinner plate, but it turns out they are actually spinning it and getting corn out. The coons went through 1000 lbs of corn in about 3-4 weeks while spin times were only 2 sec twice a day. To add insult to injury, they kept doing this, leaving the corn on the ground, because they were picky little bastards and only wanted the roasted soybeans.

Top cross bar: At the top of the feeder, directly under the lid, is an x-brace that connects to the corners and has a chain attached to it to prevent the lid from going all the way over. We have been careful from the get go to not slam the lid open, however just the lid resting open at the 12:30 position if looking at it from the side has been enough to almost 100% break the weld. No easy way to fix this short of putting a d-ring around the intersection of the four and reconnecting a chain. These welds need to be reenforced better IMO even though only one of our feeders is demonstrating the weakness.


A bonus pro tip that would be awesome on it -- fit a metal cover over the battery box so you don't get corn in it. Would be nice if they came with something that just slips on and has a milled slot for wires to go through if necessary (we drilled a hole in each of the tops for an upgraded solar panel to fuel lithium batteries

All of mine are Ranch KIng's. Best feeders i've ever owned. They come with the Eliminator plate and the motors are inside with all wiring. Solar panel is flat on top of the feeder and all wires are run inside the feeder to the battery that is secured in the lid. I haven't had an issue with any of the 7 that I have in the last 6 years. And they sling corn in a spread pattern. I also use their timed protein feeders and they have been outstanding.