Stand and Fill - legs or skids?

Trying to decide which is more favorable for my new feeders. FYI the legs are about a 5’x5’ footprint, skids would only be 4’x4’ or so.

I voted skids because they are easier to move around. Put enough angle on them to stabilize.

I voted skids, but I gotta say, I like the legs an awful lot. 'Guess 'cause the pictures remind me of the lunar lander. I watched it live, you know.

X2

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Offer both if you can. The skids are great to move but removable legs would allow you to transport that feeder in a vehicle/trailer that it might otherwise be difficult to do it in.

Skids with some method of putting down t-posts or rebar to prevent hogs or cattle from moving them.

Hog won’t move a feeder that big and I cow would have to be really mad at it to do it.

Skids offer more stability and you don't have to worry about a leg sinking. I'm still digging the Rambal36 feeder I bought a couple years ago! Its operated flawlessly.

I agree with the skids, but if you could get a remote that would move it, I would then prefer the legs because I think it would be need to fly it around the lease spraying corn.

Guess I'm going with skids! Pics to follow

Either way its a really good lookin feeder!

I try not to move my feeders much so no vote or preference, but man that looks like a stout feeder. Well done

With skids, wouldn't you end up with some corn under the feeder that the deer could not get to?

Skids won't really change much compared to what's pictured above except some angle iron connecting two legs together. With the plates, there's not much corn under the feeder at all and what is down there is usually picked up by the smaller critters. I am however going to drop the height a little bit, with the skids being a smaller footprint I want to lower the center of gravity some more.

I like the skids on my current one I can't wait to get my new one.

I'll go answer C, offer both. Legs for the base price, skids for a $25 or $50 upcharge.

I really like the fact that your legs are removable and this is one of the first ones I've seen where that is clearly viable. It also makes it look much easier to move around and install in the field by a single person. For skids, maybe pre-welded left hand and right hand sides that attach with the bolts you have in the picture. Plus crossbeams that would run from the left to the right using a similar bolting approach. Since the legs bolt on, I would probably build the entire thing on it's side or upside down and then tilt it over. So cross bracing would be a must.

If skids would allow you to hook it to your 4 wheeler or UTV to move it then skids...but otherwise, legs.

It will be the other way around, legs is more fab time and materials.

Worth doing both options if you can. Being able to remove legs is a nice to have.

I knew you'd Judd this up!

Skids with holes in them for tying them down. Looks like a good design.

You could also do removable skids to make it easier to transport.

I like the legs rather than a skid. Can you tell me what the capacity is and will you have one around 1000 lbs.? Also what gauge material are they made from?

Thanks

1,000 Lb. on Skids - probably more like 1100 lbs


1,000 Lb. on Legs


600 Lb. on Skids - prob more like 650



These things are heavy and expensive. Some of yall are gonna roast me when they go up in the classifieds!

All critiques and suggestions are welcome, I'm not changing a thing once I get these all going so I want to hear it all!

Would it help with stability if the legs attached higher up the box?

Maybe a couple of D-rings on the skid version so it can be towed/drug to a new location.

Honestly, how often will they actually be moved once a blind location is chosen?

Looks like improvements were made on an already great product. Interested in the new pricing.

That would help it out by lowering center of gravity, but these are already pretty low. It's only about 16-18" to the bottom varmint plate. I am not going wider on the footprint because it's as wide as it can be while still being able to sit between fenderwells on a truck.

I'll be putting tie loops on the crossmembers to hook on to.

Any cut outs to see corn level?

How is the solar panel going to be attached/placed?

Can you get to the timer without opening the top?


Does look nice...

Is there a way to make them with legs, and have the legs fit into some sort of receiver on the skid legs?

Hey on mine...could you use USA steel versus the Korea steel you used on those


Seriously, they look great.

Those of us who made suggestions are getting a discount right? I'm thinking somewhere in the 120% to 150% range???

Not with the legs being angled, they would have to be straight. Only option for a bolt on skid would be a flat piece that bolts to the bottom of the feet. But I think I'd be getting a little complicated going that far.

What's the battery orientation going to be?

I ask because the Ranch King feeders had a problem with batteries sitting sideways when the lid was closed and it caused acid to leak all over the inside. They've since remedied that.

Those look great!

The batteries sit upright like they do on all other feeders. Solar panel will either mount flat to side or flat to lid. I am leaning towards the side just for water seepage reasons over time.

I like the design. I would go with skids. And anything that someone has to put together someone WILL get it wrong.

I have had one of yours with skids out for 3 years now with no issues. Easy to move as well.

we build ours with skids

Now that the orders are placed, I am looking forward to getting my 2 units. I already have places noted on the ranch where they will go. Ramball, I really like the looks of these feeders. I haven't seen any that will compare to these. My two oldest feeders are about 40 years old and still going strong but I got those back in the day when you had pins to mark the spin times and the batteries were the old 6 volt lantern batteries. Quite an improvement. Once I get these going I plan to add varmint plates to several other feeders if possible or just replace them with more of these units.

Can a squirrel fit its evil little corn eating body into the thrower mechanism? If not, your design is the best I’ve seen.

I like the look of your feeders. As for skids/legs, I’d go for the skids if given a choice.

How is the top attached? My stand and fill types (T Hanger, I think) have hinged tops, but the hinges on one have broken. The top is so heavy that it won’t blow off, but i’m Irritated about the hinges.

One other thing. If it had lifting lugs/hoops on opposing sides, I could lift it with the tractor bucket to move it, even if it was loaded. You have internal cross bracing, so it appears that lifting it loaded would not deform the feeder body.

The gap between plates is 1.5", and it's about 14" to the spinner. I think if a squirrel got in there he probably couldn't get back out.

Lifting lugs is a neat idea, I would probably only do it as an add-on though. The cross bracing up top keeps them nice and square.

How would a fellow find out about Ramballs prices and dealers that are closer than San Angelo? I am looking for another feeder. Thanks Daniel

Send Ramball36 (Mike) a PM and ask directly

He & I just had a long talk about his feeders. Thanks Daniel

Those things are tanks

My uncle switched to skids because he can easily move the feeders a few feet to higher ground when animals create mud holes underneath them....don’t have to unload to move and legs don’t sink....

He raises exotics plus has low fenced whitetail hunters...

I have one of each, the last one is with skids for the river bottom, that way I can easily drag it to higher ground in case of flooding

You get what you pay for...Jes sayin...

Those are buy once, cry once feeders....

Have you considered a heavy expanded metal screen bottom for the battery box instead of a solid sheet so any corn that gets in can fall through....

Yep, Last feeder most people will ever need

What price range are you looking at?

PM Ramball and have him give you a quote, mine were part of a large lease/group purchase

Was just curious about the general price range, $500, $1k, $1,500,....not a quote...

600 lb $750-$900

1000 lb $1150-$1300

Cheaper price is the skid feeder, the removable legs cost more bc they’re a pain in the rear to fabricate!

More than reasonable for a feeder built like that....anyone that would roast you over those prices is a friend having a little fun or a complete idiot that needs to stick to plastic 25 gal drums....

Until you have to unload one by yourself, you really don't appreciate exactly how heavy duty they are. I will be buying a couple more of them in the near future.

I want one with a U1 size battery box, I want to mount 4 cellular cameras to the legs so I can see what is coming to the feeder and also what is avoiding the feeder pen.