50 inch brush fork build (with quick-release lever)

[MossRoad]

Its only flat on the bottom.

 

[Colonel Monk]

Can't tell from that picture I posted, but these forks tend to BEND in an arc several inches in front of where they are attached to the mounting plate, not at the joint.

They were only $250 from the factory and have been one of my most used tools, and I'll be the first to admit I abused them for things they are not intended to do.

If I were to build my own forks.... I wouldn't! I'd go to one of several used forklift dealers near here and pick up a set of used forks and adapt mounting to my machine. Unless I got the steel for real cheap, it would be much cheaper and a better use of my time than reinventing the wheel.

That's a great deal. I'm guessing lifting at the end is what caused the bending, right?

If you don't mind changing the angle of attack, and have your own welder.... If you abuse them in the opposite direction and straighten them out, I'd think a rib of plate under the fork thru the bent area, and tapering off maybe a third of the way in from the tip, might add enough rigidity to solve that problem. Depends on what you're forking up.

I think building brush forks is totally doable as long as you're not trying to do stuff with them they weren't designed for. I've actually been more worried about bending the lip on my bucket with forks. I've seen designs that don't have chain binders to the top of bucket to relieve the stress at the bucket's blade, and I'd be really hesitant to lift anything heavier than brush without those binders to bring the load from a "bending load" to a tension load to the top of the bucket.

 

[Sodo]

I was kinda planning on doing them on the short side so that they'd be tough to bend. Main reason would be lifting logs and moving waste to burn piles.... What's the reason for wanting them so long?

Longer tines carry more brush. If you tip the bucket back they are equal strength to short tines. I have found that I like them long.

No questions about the quick attach huh? I've always wanted it and now that I have it I take them on/off several times a day. It rules!

 

[MossRoad]

That's a great deal. I'm guessing lifting at the end is what caused the bending, right?....

Nope. In straight lifts of too heavy of a weight, the rear of the tractor just comes off the ground. What bends them is getting them wedged in something (the ground, a stump, etc...) and then operating the dump/curl function.

Anyhow, don't want to hijack this thread.... just want folks to be aware of how easy it is to bend things like this.

 

[MossRoad]

Longer tines carry more brush. If you tip the bucket back they are equal strength to short tines. I have found that I like them long.

No questions about the quick attach huh? I've always wanted it and now that I have it I take them on/off several times a day. It rules!

Yes, quick attach is fantastic!!!
When you get it down to 15 seconds, we'll talk some more...
http://www.mossroad.com/PT425Videos/PT425_15S01.WMV

 

[Colonel Monk]

Longer tines carry more brush. If you tip the bucket back they are equal strength to short tines. I have found that I like them long.

No questions about the quick attach huh? I've always wanted it and now that I have it I take them on/off several times a day. It rules!

That makes sense about tipping bucket back, thanks for clarifying. I guess my thought is I'd have no problem with just brush with longer tines, but for firewood duty (a big use of them on our property) I'd need the logs back toward the bucket before lifting.

I get the quick attach. Very cool and useful.

 

[Sodo]

Been using the stick rakes on the brush fork, for land cleanup. First I used them in drag mode, and drug up huge piles of sticks, blackberry brambles, and english ivy. Backed the brush hog over the piles and "reduced" them to mulch, which I scooped up and dumped over a bank. In the end I got tired of mulching, and needed to just push some stuff back into the weeds and get the heck out of there. So turned the stick rakes around. It's much more difficult to push than to drag. I kinda thought it would be a little more difficult, but it's very much more difficult.

Here's som pics. I built these 5 stick rakes one year ago, each one attaches to one fork tine with a pin.

Can see that one of my tines is bent. I'll bend it back it someday.

 

[MossRoad]

Been using the stick rakes on the brush fork, for land cleanup. First I used them in drag mode, and drug up huge piles of sticks, blackberry brambles, and english ivy. Backed the brush hog over the piles and "reduced" them to mulch, which I scooped up and dumped over a bank. In the end I got tired of mulching, and needed to just push some stuff back into the weeds and get the heck out of there. So turned the stick rakes around. It's much more difficult to push than to drag. I kinda thought it would be a little more difficult, but it's very much more difficult.

Here's som pics. I built these 5 stick rakes one year ago, each one attaches to one fork tine with a pin.

Can see that one of my tines is bent. I'll bend it back it someday.

View attachment 399201

View attachment 399200

View attachment 399199

Nice! The main problem with pushing is if you lock the float on the FEL it will dig into hills and ride over valleys. But if you put it in float, it will eventually dig in, lift the FEL and the tractor will tend to want to walk up over the implement. I've seen some with gauge wheels, like snowplow feet. Someone over in the Power Trac forum has one. Maybe ask them how well it works.

 

[arrow]

That makes sense about tipping bucket back, thanks for clarifying. I guess my thought is I'd have no problem with just brush with longer tines, but for firewood duty (a big use of them on our property) I'd need the logs back toward the bucket before lifting.

I get the quick attach. Very cool and useful.

Monk you might be better off with a pair of these for tree duty. 3/4" steel cut to shape in order to curl the logs toward the bucket.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Useful ideas here. I like the front mounted tines for cleaning up and I like those 3/4" teeth for long heavy stuff.

 

[Xfaxman]

Been using the stick rakes on the brush fork, for land cleanup. First I used them in drag mode, and drug up huge piles of sticks, blackberry brambles, and english ivy. Backed the brush hog over the piles and "reduced" them to mulch, which I scooped up and dumped over a bank. In the end I got tired of mulching, and needed to just push some stuff back into the weeds and get the heck out of there. So turned the stick rakes around. It's much more difficult to push than to drag. I kinda thought it would be a little more difficult, but it's very much more difficult.

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Yep, much harder and I can't use float when pushing the 5' landscape rake.

 

[bellboy]

Would it be possible to get more pics of the quick attach? How did you attach the 5/8 rod to handle and so forth?

 

[Sodo]

5/8 solid rod is welded to 1/2" sq tubing. Sq tubing has a 1/4" hole in the end where the lever peg inserts. Double-nut is set so the pegs are kept engaged all the way thru the hole in the sq-tube.