Clamp-on bucket forks

[MadReferee]

Here is one of the latest creations from the shop of MadReferee. This was made for another TBN'er.

These are clamp-on bucket forks. The actual fork is 36" long and extends under the bucket by another 13". The nice thing about this design is that it fits over a bucket toothbar frame so you do not have to remove the toothbar to use the forks.

The forks are made from 3" x 1.5" x 3/16" bar channel and the top plate from 3" x 3/8" flat bar.

This project is easy enough so that a beginner at welding can make it with no problems.

I will make available a materials cut list and design sheet in a week or so for those who may want to build it yourself.

 

[MadReferee]

Here is picture #2.

 

[MadReferee]

Here is picture #3.

 

[MadReferee]

Here is picture #4.

 

[MadReferee]

Here is the last picture, #5.

 

[MMM]

Nice work. What do you figure the load capacity to be?

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Nice work. What do you figure the load capacity to be? )</font>

I would guess at least 1000 lbs and probably much more. Clearly more than a small CUT's bucket will hold/lift. That bar channel is real strong stuff (the inside corners are webbed) and I think the bucket will deform/bend before the forks will.

 

[DannyD]

See post on the bucket receiver.......ditto here please.

Very cool work.

 

[MadDog]

Real nice piece of work, Mad. Bet you saved a bundle compared to the Paynes forks I bought, but then, again, when I bought 'em I didn't have a welder and wasn't thinkin' about getting one.

Doesn't look like a beginner's welding, either. I hope I'm close to that when I've finished the welding class I'm taking this fall.

 

[have_blue]

You know, I thought I was going mad there for a moment. I KNOW I posted to this thread, and even had a reply. Now both my post and the reply from Mad are gone.

Anyone else having problems?