Cutting Fork in half?

[AlanB]

Want a set of forks for my Dingo.
To cheap to buy new set at $400 to $550
Missed the ones at $350 because I was still reeling that I had just spent 5K at an auction on a machine I ran 5 minutes.
Used online stuff I find is often more expensive than new :confused2: and beat up to the point of being a big piece of scrap metal that the add always seems to say "great condition"

Don't want a full size set of forks as I think there weight will detract from the Dingo's limited lift capacity, and full size is not really needed.

Don't want a "tube" or rectangular type as I like the thinness of regular forks for many of the things we do, particularly reaching under a log or stone that is laying on the ground and picking it up.

So, the current concept is to take a standard 36" fork, make a pretty standard type rack (albeit a bit smaller) and cut the fork lengthwise making the one fork into two and spending an hour or two with the big grinder and a bottle of aleve.

Anyone ever done that?

 

[lwalsh]

Forks are made of high strength steel and heat treated after they are bent. Cutting lengthways with a torch or plasma would likely make them brittle/weak. If I were to attempt this I would get some narrow cut-off wheels for a 9" grinder and keep it cool mabey partially submerge the fork in water and take my time. This would also reduce clean up.

 

[magicheater]

These are new and may work for you

 

[EddieWalker]

I picked up a pair of mismatched forks for free from a client a few years ago with a similar goal in mind. One was much larger then the other, so I figured I could trim it down to match. I spent all of ten minutes on it with my grinder and realized that buying new ones was going to be ALLOT CHEAPER!!!!

Be careful on this, it's got "waste of time" written all over it.

Eddie

 

[jimcolt]

You can split them with a plasma torch....as long as the plasma is powerful enought to cut the thickness at a reasonable speed. I would suggest a minimum of a 100 Amp plasma...preferably closer to 200 Amps. 200 amps cutting with air will get you in the 25 to 30 inch per minute range and will have a HAZ (heat affected zone) of about .020" to .060". There will be a hardened (nitrided) edge of about .005", and there will be some heat infiltration into the rest of the fork...but not a high enough temp to affect the temper of the base material.

Cutting with a low power plasma will be slower, with more heat input. Cutting with oxy-fuel is even slower with more heat input.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

Forks are made of high strength steel and heat treated after they are bent. Cutting lengthways with a torch or plasma would likely make them brittle/weak. If I were to attempt this I would get some narrow cut-off wheels for a 9" grinder and keep it cool mabey partially submerge the fork in water and take my time. This would also reduce clean up.

 

[sandman2234]

You can add me to the list of people that despite being "cheap" in nature, would be hesitant in doing this. The pro's are severely outweighed by the con's, meaning the chances of failure are extremely high compared to the amount of work and the chances of reaching a satisfying outcome. My suggestion would be to build a set of tubular ones to fill in while keeping an eye out for the "right set". You might even be happy with tubular ones, especially if you use solid pieces in the corner. (fitted inside the tube)
David from jax

 

[jimcolt]

Here are the ones I have made....I have some with a 2 x2 forks rated for 1000 lbs (17" out from bucket), the ones in the picture are 2 x 3, rated at 1600lbs, and I also have a 2000Lb set made with 2 x 4 tube. I sell the ones pictured for $299/pair.

Jim

 

[Stampeder]

I'm with Eddiewalker and the others here on this. While I buy a lot of "old junk" and rehab it, I didn't with my forks. I bought a brand new set complete with the quick change mounting plate. It is seriously heavy and this is one project that needs to be left to those in the business of making them commercially. The loads you will be lifting are seriously heavy and the last thing you want is a fork to break or bend at the wrong time.

MY 2 cents......

 

[AlanB]

Things I left out that are relevant to my thoughts.

I have a set of chain on bucket forks that are tubular, the additional distance out and corresponding loss of lift capability, and the nature of being thicker because they are tubular, makes them not work so well for many of our uses (landscaping with stones in particular)

I also have access to (once it get's hooked back up) a 1" capacity plasma I just sold. (no three phase at the house and do not believe it would work well on a rotary convertor) So I was thinking along the lines of using it (and I should have mentioned that at the start, sorry)

The scrap yard I buy from, who is also incidentally the folks I sold the plasma too, has lots of forks laying about so it will be a matter of selecting the fork I want, cutting it then throwing it on the scale and paying 25 cents a pound for what the scale reads. If it all goes to phoooey, then I throw it back into the yard, and I am out some time, but got to play in the scrapyard a while with a big plasma cutter.

I have a Lincoln 55 plasma and a thermal dynamics baby plasma here at the house but I don't think either of them will touch a fork.

Oh, and magicheater, that would be the size fork I would cut down, or maybe the next size wider, or maybe two of those and cut 1" off of each.

As another side note, those same folks have the frame for the dingo's with those forks on them and they are the lowest / best deal I have found, and when I e-mailed them they were prompt and curteous. The thing that keeps me from spending $400 + on them is that I would hate to spend that money and still have something too large too work.

They appear in the picture to be near the size of my standard skidsteer forks (which I have) and I have also thought about making a Dingo to skidsteer adapter plate and using them, but again, you run out of lift pretty quick.

 

[hanson1999]

buy yourself a set of bale spears and use them as forks. will be plenty strong for your uses. thats what i use on my deere 2520 and they work great, and lighter than forks so leaves more for lifting!!!

http://www.agrisupply.com/bale-spear-nut-black-/p/49664/cn/2000005/

just a thought....

 

[Taylortractornut]

I just split a 48 inch fork to make a set of forks for a customers 2305 JD. I have a table burner in my shop and I have a fence on it that runs up to a stand that has another pattern holder for a straight edge. I can burn 10 inch plate and 2 inch is a wal in the park. I hung the top leg up and cut the fork down the middle. I also then laid it on the table by the top leg and cut it down. I was 1/8 inch off the cut but that was due to the pucker on the side of the fork heel the customer and I didnt realize. After I split the fork he put it on his frame. It has picked up several logs sinche then.

 

[AlanB]

buy yourself a set of bale spears and use them as forks. will be plenty strong for your uses. thats what i use on my deere 2520 and they work great, and lighter than forks so leaves more for lifting!!!

BALE SPEAR 39 W/ NUT, BLACK - Agri Supply

just a thought....

And a great thought that one is.

I love these boards.

Thanks to all others as well. Have to conjure on this a bit more and see what I stumble into that I can stand to buy. Just found a tore up tooth bar, bent with several broke teeth, bought it for $30 and will cut out the section I need for the toothbar for the Dingo for about the price of one weld on tooth. As my motto goes, eating the elephant one bite at a time.

 

[glc24]

Forks are made of high strength steel and heat treated after they are bent. Cutting lengthways with a torch or plasma would likely make them brittle/weak. If I were to attempt this I would get some narrow cut-off wheels for a 9" grinder and keep it cool mabey partially submerge the fork in water and take my time. This would also reduce clean up.

As stated by Iwalsh
I don't care what you use,it's going to create alot of heat,probably enough to ruin the integrity of the steel. Why take the chance of a possible accident.

But then again,maybe I'm just too safety conscious............NOT

Greg

 

[Renze]

buy yourself a set of bale spears and use them as forks. will be plenty strong for your uses. thats what i use on my deere 2520 and they work great, and lighter than forks so leaves more for lifting!!!

BALE SPEAR 39 W/ NUT, BLACK - Agri Supply

just a thought....

Thats a very good idea: If two of these tines can carry a damp bale, they will sure be able to withstand the lift capacity of a Dingo.. The Dingo lifts 750kg at most, i suppose ??
I'm sure that a box of abrasive disks to either cut, or touch up the standard fork, are more expensive than the two tines with welding bushings. And if you bend or break one, you can just order a new one (or directly order a spare with them) instead of having to do the trick again.

Cutting a high grade fork lengthwise will take lots of beer...

 

[dfkrug]

Anyone ever done that?

I have, twice. Along with TaylorTractor, that makes 2 of us.

My forkframe is my most-used implement, and it has served me very well
since I built it years ago. I have maxed out the lifting cap of my tractors
with it with no problems, many times.

When I first looked at buying a forkframe to fit my tractor (at that time,
a Kubota L2550), I was dissappointed by the cost and the weight.

So I bought a pair of short industrial forks.....6.5"x2"x36", as I recall, and
I had my steel disti (PDM) cut them on a table for $100 each. They
could not cut the corners, however, so I paid a pal with a Stihl 14" cutoff
saw to get the corners.

Then I cut off the ears and welded it up into a fixed frame, set at exactly
the spacing of my FEL arms. The total weight of the frame was just under
200#. They are not adjustable, but that has been no real problem. Now,
they are just over 200#, after adding a 3-pt hitch to them. I have used
them on a L2550DT, a L2500DT, and now my Kioti CK30. I also set the
loader curl cyl pivot farther from the boom pivot so my lifting cap using the
curl circuit is greater than before.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I used the reasoning that commercial forks like Paynes, Forktach, abby and others that use tubing were stout that the cut for if it was weakend wouldnt break or bend. Mine have maxed out the loaders and 3 points many times. I used to run a set of tube type Abby bucket hooked Forks that mounted on a 580 Case TLB. I moved over i50 tons of water main pipe with it and no problems. Later used a narrowed down set on the same loader to move another 100 tons. The torch cuts pretty quickly plus I misted water on eater sides of the cut.

 

[sandman2234]

While your rummaging around the scrap yard, keep an eye out for a fork off a slipsheet lift. They are at least 3 times as wide, and a 1/3 the thickness of a regular fork. Capacity seems to be in excess of a ton, since most pallets weigh at least that for normal grocery store items. One of those would be easier to cut down, and allow you more lifting capacity if you cut one in half. Typically they are four feet long forks, or close (*never measured one)
David from jax

Google Image Result for http://www.secondhandlockers.com/1%20New%20Site/forklifts/mhe-us2.jpg

 

[gpflepsen]

Check out some forklift repair shops in your area, and ask if they have any old block forks laying around. They are not as wide and usually not in demand. I found a set near me for $100/pr.

 

[AlanB]

Dang, two more great ideas, I will talk to the stone place, or better yet, SWMBO will talk with them as she buys from them regularly, I bet they have some of those forks that are too worn for them, but would be fine for me.

Sandman, what are the slipsheet forks used for? Never seen them before, looks like a box factory in the background. We have a box factory here I have bought from on occasion so I will ask them as well.

Thanks guys.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

One mild steel 1x2 solid in the flat will hold about 300lb at 36" or twice that as a distributed load.

Here are the specs for Toro forks:
Fork Material High strength steel
Physical Characteristics Width 31"
Adj. width between tines
Length 40"
Height 29"
Weight 162 lbs.
Maximum Lift Height 61"
Operating Capacity 335 lbs.