Can a Forklift Fork be cut down to make a round bale spear?

[Xfaxman]

I added a bale spear to the Speeco Ultra Fork. The base is designed to bolt on and the spear is held in with a pin:

With a 5x6 bale, front SSQA or 3 point:

 

[Fallon]

Titan 6" Pallet Fork Hay Bale Spear Attachment 55 lb Capacity Skid Steer

Most farm stores sell the same spears for $50 or so. Just need to make some mounting lugs. I'm sure cutting forks will work. Probably going to end up with a rougher spear than getting a factory made one, or even just using an old axle shaft. Mounting the main spear in the center of the frame will give you much better safer results than a spear at the bottom of the frame.

 

[aczlan]

Titan 6" Pallet Fork Hay Bale Spear Attachment 55 lb Capacity Skid Steer

Most farm stores sell the same spears for $50 or so. Just need to make some mounting lugs. I'm sure cutting forks will work. Probably going to end up with a rougher spear than getting a factory made one, or even just using an old axle shaft. Mounting the main spear in the center of the frame will give you much better safer results than a spear at the bottom of the frame.

I am thinking of something like this one, but as a loader attachment:
Titan Clamp on Hay Spear Attachment | Dual Spear

Either using dual spears (but they are closer to $100 each near me), or 2 forks.

Aaron Z

 

[4570Man]

I think the truck axle is a lot more promising candidate over the forklift fork. It shouldn’t be hard to find one in a junkyard or scrapyard or towing yard.

 

[M5farms]

I think the truck axle is a lot more promising candidate over the forklift fork. It shouldn’t be hard to find one in a junkyard or scrapyard or towing yard.

Axles do fine but hard use they will bend . My spear will not bend . That's why I built this one .

 

[4570Man]

Axles do fine but hard use they will bend . My spear will not bend . That's why I built this one .

Your spear is a lot better design than just cutting the fork into a V. The OP only has a medium to large compact tractor. I think a big truck axle would take all the abuse it could offer.

 

[Renze]

Its a bad idea to cut down a fork, the jagged edges are crack initiations.

I bought extra strong bale spears for 15 euro a piece, put four of them in a fork so i can also stir trampled bale plastic out of the field when im out there putting a bale out.

 

[MH8675309]

A single spear will work OK but having a few short (10" or so) spikes under the spear and off to the sides will help you control the bale when you lift it. If you pick up a bale with a single spear it will spin unless you get it dead center very time (and who is that good?) and sometimes will spin anyway. Double spear is the best although I dont own one I have run a skid steer that had one and if you're going to be stacking these bales consider biting the bullet and buying a 2 tine.

 

[aczlan]

A single spear will work OK but having a few short (10" or so) spikes under the spear and off to the sides will help you control the bale when you lift it. If you pick up a bale with a single spear it will spin unless you get it dead center very time (and who is that good?) and sometimes will spin anyway. Double spear is the best although I dont own one I have run a skid steer that had one and if you're going to be stacking these bales consider biting the bullet and buying a 2 tine.

The spear that I have now is a commercially made 3-point hitch spear with two spikes like you mention on the sides. That works very well, but it does not let me stack them high enough and if I'm going to be building a loader attachment, I would rather put two spears or cut down forks on it so that I can use it for moving pallets as well.

Aaron Z

 

[Xfaxman]

The spear that I have now is a commercially made 3-point hitch spear with two spikes like you mention on the sides. That works very well, but it does not let me stack them high enough and if I'm going to be building a loader attachment, I would rather put two spears or cut down forks on it so that I can use it for moving pallets as well.

Aaron Z

Have you considered adding a QA plate to it so it will fit front or rear?

Here is a pallet fork frame that SSdoxie did: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/286916-combination-ssqa-pallet-fork-qh.html