Boom Pole Build

[BayouMan]

With the weather starting to get nicer, I just had to start getting into my shop and do something. I am going to build a boom pole to fit on my pallet forks. I have sketched up a design and am open for suggestions on doing this properly.

To give you some background, I have a JD-2640 with a Bush Hog loader. I am basing my design on a friend of mines boom pole.

My very rough sketch:



My friend's boom pole:



The next two pictures show cutting the 2" x 3" x 1/4" box tubing and the various pieces I have already cut out for brackets, to pin the boom to my fork frame, visible in one picture.

What do you think?

Mike

 

[beenthere]

I'm thinking I'd like one too.
Looks great.
and am envious of your shop.

 

[BayouMan]

Beenthere,
Thanks for the compliment. I really enjoy my man cave. I was fortunate to be able to build it before I retired and it gets used almost daily.

One question I have about the boom pole, is do I need to use some sort of stiffeners on the two sides of the pole? If you are lifting something and happen to be on an incline, the weight would tend to pull to that side. May be a moot point, since I don't think I could lift anything over 500 lbs out at the tip.

I will post additional pictures as I make progress. I did finish drilling 8 ea holes, 1" diameter, using a hole saw on my drill press. These were the pieces that will enable me to pin the end of the boom to my fork carriage and the two lift point tabs. I had read that on TBN and boy does it work well!

Mike

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Nice design.

I doubt you'd be tempted to use it on more than a 10degree incline. Your 2x3x1/4 tubing should be plenty stout.

 

[Damifino]

"One question I have about the boom pole, is do I need to use some sort of stiffeners on the two sides of the pole? If you are lifting something and happen to be on an incline, the weight would tend to pull to that side. May be a moot point, since I don't think I could lift anything over 500 lbs out at the tip."

I would think the forks going through bottom will give you all the lateral support you need.
I built a boom pole for my fil and supported it with a 2" piece of angle that rest on the bottom lip of bucket.
I thought I would need to anchor for the same reason, so far have not needed to and have had 600 lbs swinging on end of boom with no problems whatsoever.

That will be a nice setup your building.

 

[Runner]

BayouMan,

That looks like it should handle just about anything you could hang on it. I agree with the others, lateral stability looks fine as-is.

You might consider building in a little upward angle on the pole just in case you can't curl the forks enough to raise it as high as you might want. I think I built in about a 10 degree upward angle on mine.

Best of luck on the project.

 

[beenthere]

Beenthere,
................One question I have about the boom pole, is do I need to use some sort of stiffeners on the two sides of the pole? If you are lifting something and happen to be on an incline, the weight would tend to pull to that side. May be a moot point, since I don't think I could lift anything over 500 lbs out at the tip.
.................Mike

I too think the stability of the boom pole is fine....but stability of the tractor will be of more concern. Keeping the uphill side rear wheel on the ground will take some good counterweight and awareness. But am sure you already have that figured into the equation.

 

[dex3361]

i made a SSQA by 3PH adapter so that I could use my boom pole on the front or back. I will differ from the other opinions here and say that you should put bracing on the pole. I will not pretend to be an expert on the subject
(though I have stayed at a Holiday Inn) but most look similar for a reason and with a lifting device it pays to err on the side of caution. I am probably over thinking but I would put 2 forward angled pieces instead of 1 and tie them in to the base of the other angled braces. Here is a pic of the one I have cobbled together.

 

[jbooth]

I will start this with the statement that I don't have a tractor so my remarks are based on winch truck experience. It appears the old gin pole/A pole used on winch trucks would be a natural for three pont booms or front mounted poles.
All that would be needed is an A frame mounted on the bottom links/attachment point and a stiff leg or just a chain from the top mount. By using chain/chains as the upper stiff leg the angle of the pole can be changed readily. If chains are used as the upper stiff leg a safety device would be required to prevent the A pole from coming back to far and endangering the operator or equipment. Those safety devices should have been required on winch trucks also but were left off in most cases. I am going to butt out now as I don't really don't have any dogs in this hunt. I do intend to build a lifting device for the front of my skid loader as soon as time and funds allow.

 

[Jerry/MT]

With the weather starting to get nicer, I just had to start getting into my shop and do something. I am going to build a boom pole to fit on my pallet forks. I have sketched up a design and am open for suggestions on doing this properly.

To give you some background, I have a JD-2640 with a Bush Hog loader. I am basing my design on a friend of mines boom pole.

My very rough sketch:

View attachment 159682

My friend's boom pole:

View attachment 159683

The next two pictures show cutting the 2" x 3" x 1/4" box tubing and the various pieces I have already cut out for brackets, to pin the boom to my fork frame, visible in one picture.

What do you think?

Mike

I don't understand the purpose of the two angled supports that come up from the where the lift arms attach. I think they are redundant. I also think you should consider having an angle on the pole so that when the boom support is verticle the pole is at an angle to the horizontal by about 30 degrees.