FEL Carry-All

RedDirt · Jun 16, 2008

I've seen many posts for 3pt carry-alls but I don't recall any for the FEL. Maybe I just missed them. Here's mine.

I'm doing an landscape irrigation project and need the FEL and BH AND a lot of parts, tools, etc. I got tired of loading everything into the bucket, go to the diggin's, unload, work, reload, move...you get the picture.

The design is simple. Just a decked pallet with a pair of skids spaced apart for the bucket to slide in. Skids are 4x6, w/all-thread through skid, spacer and pallet, attached to a flat 2x4 on top of the pallet. I put shoes on the end of the skids to keep the loader from splitting the skids.

This was a fun build because I hardly used a plan or a tape measure. I'm normally a heavy user of both so this was rather refreshing. I just grabbed a spare pallet and some scrap lumber and started building from a napkin sketch.

To load:
Bucket level an inch off ground
Bump skid plate. (unlike common bucket fork complaints, you can see the carry-all move)
Raise bucket until carry-all starts to lift (note the pallet cantilevers the skids)
Drop bucket a tad and drive forward until carry-all moves forward...raise bucket.

I purposely left the sides short of the front. This provides a work bench at any convenient height. Now when I'm doing the plumbing end of the job I get to stand upright like a human instead of groveling around cutting and gluing manifolds on the ground!

Project start to finish, including scrounging lumber/plywood racks, a little over three hours.

IXLR8 · Jun 16, 2008

Interesting... I could have used this last weekend. I have an idea what I will be doing this weekend.

Thanks for the photo's.. they answered some questions I had after reading your post. I see you have hooks on your bucket, do you see any need to run cable/chain from the front of your Carry-All to the hooks to make it more secure/stable and take some load off the cantilever?

mikim · Jun 16, 2008

cool thing about that is - as you're working a project with it - if you need the bucket - you simply lay down the pallet and pick it up after....quick & easy....down and dirty .... great job. If you secured it a bit more, put higher sides on it (removable) with a hand rail....you could use it as a manlift.

vic4news · Jun 16, 2008

Nice work. I like how you designed it to slid on and off the bucket instead of
having to bolt it on.

Vic

SkunkWerX · Jun 16, 2008

Nice design RedDirt!

Gives me some ideas for transporting firewood.
No forks needed!

It's been said before, but the simple designs are among the most intriguing and ingenius.

PILOON · Jun 16, 2008

Neet!
I also did a similar concept but used scrap metal (old bed springs) to haul firewood that I'd cut on site and haul to the wood pile.
Similarily mine slips into the bucket with a wire rod floor (lets the bark fall out of the gaps).
Hooks or flanges slip under the bucket lip and 2 short chain lengths hook onto the bucket corner hooks.
This allows me to cart 4 times more wood in the bucket from the cut site to the stack and without all the dirty chips and sawdust etc.

RedDirt · Jun 16, 2008

IXLR8 said:
\ I see you have hooks on your bucket, do you see any need to run cable/chain from the front of your Carry-All to the hooks to make it more secure/stable and take some load off the cantilever?

I figured I could use the bucket hooks if/when needed, like heavy loads, or if I wanted to dump something like firewood, etc. For it's current use the loads are light. As mikim and vic4news observed the big plus with out any required hook-ups it's simple to pick up, move, and drop off. No getting on/off a couple times to make up connections.

Although I built it for ease of transport, it will invariably get other uses. Even though the load is trying to split the pallet/skids apart, the way it is through bolted I think chaining to the hooks wouldn't be needed until the load exceeded a couple hundred pounds...and maybe not even then. I'll try to do a load test tonight and report back.

IXLR8 · Jun 16, 2008

RedDirt said:
I'll try to do a load test tonight and report back.

Just don't test to failure.

RedDirt · Jun 16, 2008

IXLR8 said:
Just don't test to failure.

Testing would be easier if I had some redi-mix sacks around; that's how I tested my HF shop hoist. Alas... all used up.

I loaded up 25 gal of fuel and my 40# chop saw as far out on the edge as I could get them, then me at 160# bounced up and down on the edge. Passed with flying colors. If gas/diesel weighs in the neighborhood of water, 8.3#/gal, I figure this should be close to 380# - 400# static not including the carryall itself. With the bx rated at 463# lift I think I'd fail to lift before the carry-all failed. I'm sure I'll find out someday which goes first. My bet is on the pressure relief valve.