Forks Chain Forks Deal on E-Bay

[jwhite]

I also got a set from that same person on e-bay last year (about November). Excellent construction, shipped well via UPS for about $80 to West Virginia.

Just remember you need to buy a couple chain binders to hold them on. I picked up a couple at a local hardware store for about $12 a piece. I am probably going to convert to using a couple of those heavy nylon strap binders instead to be a little easier on the bucket paint.

I have the HD bucket on a NH TC-33D. Max load so far has been 4 pine logs at once, 12 Feet long and 8 inch dia. No bucket bending has occurred.

Jay White

 

[PaulT]

I just completed making a set of these for myself. The bill of materials included:

Scrap metal c channels for forks - $10 (local scrap yard)
1/4 inch chain 6 ft * 1.30/ft - $7.80 (Quality FF going out of business sale)
1/4 inch non-racheting load binders $10/ea - $20 (harborfreight.com)
Sawzall blades 5 pack - $15
Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer - $7.50/qt
Rustoleum flat black spray paint - $3.50/can
Cheap paint brush - $1

Total cost of materials - $69.80 for 2 forks

I used a friend's welder (at my house - my electricity) First welding job, woohoo/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

I will post a pic tonight. Only required 4 4" welds and some cutting and grinding. If my sawzall battery would cut more than 8 inches at a time before recharges, I could have finished each one in about an hour and a half, including painting time.

 

[TonyC]

Thanks, Paul. Making my own is still a possibilty. The catch is the actual forks. Just how strong is the C Channel as opposed to heavy solid forks? How well have they worked for you? I would love to see the photo.

Thanks!

 

[PaulT]

Well,

I haven't tested the load yet (other than my 200lbs standing on both forks). When I bounced on the forks, the whole tractor moved, and it got light in the back end. The forks obviously didn't deflect with 100 lbs on each fork. I'm not too worried about it, since my LA-402 loader is only rated to a little under 900#. I figure that either I will lift the back end or open a relief valve before I will bend the forks. I think they are 4x2 c channel mild steel. There is considerably more material in the radius of the corner than at the edges, so it is pretty strong. I would guess that 500# for each fork is not unreasonable. They are only 40 inches out from the bucket edge, so there is less leverage than a longer fork would have. Pics later tonight.

 

[PaulT]

Jump over to build it yourself by clicking on <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=buildit&Number=130891&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&vc=1#Post130891>this link</A>. That is where I posted the pix of the forks