First Welding Project: 3PH Forks / Ball Hitch v1.0

[DanR67]

Hi all,

First off - thanks to all the great ideas I've picked up here - some amazingly creative and talented people here at TBN!

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Ok - when I got my Kubota B7610 this past spring - one *task* that was to be performed involved the storage and handling of wood pellet fuel that I burn for supplemental heating. This meant I needed forks to move pallets of pellets (Dr. Seuss, anyone? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) to and fro.....

After scrounging around two local scrap metal yards for properly sized pieces - I came up with the following design:

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The frame is made up basically of:

6" x 6" angle iron (bottom cross member)
3 1/2" x 3 1/2" angle iron (top cross member)
3" x 4" rectangular tube (vertical members)
1 1/2" x 4" C-Channel (top link extension)

The 3PH capacity is @ 1100 lbs on the B7610 - so all steel is 3/8" or better - the lower link pin mounts are 1/2" thick.

The top and bottom cross members were found "as is" - just had to cut the 3" x 4" rectangular tube so that the distance from the top to the bottom edges was just less than the distance between the "hooks" on the forks - in this case 16 inches.

I didn't completely finish the notches on the top rail for locking the forks in position - just made a series of cuts with the chop saw - just need to clean out the scrap with my grinder....I did complete the outermost two to give me the most stability when picking up pallets.

I used the 6" x 6" angle iron at the bottom to give the widest area to mount a ball for towing my garden / clean-up cart around the yard. As the top rail will take the most load - the shorter sides (3 1/2" vs 6") should flex less - but I reinforced the ends of the top cross member just to make sure.

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Finally - here's the forks in action:

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and results of my efforts on Saturday / Sunday afternoons: 12 tons of pellets re-stacked and about to be stored:

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This is version 1.0 - I just received a couple hydraulic cylinders from Northern Tool - one 3"x6" - one 3" x 8". Already I'm going to have to modify this a bit for attaching the cylinder (pin diameter / width is different frin top link) in place of the top link for tilt control - but tonight I think I figured out a relatively easy solution.

Then I'll just have to test out "range of motion" - the *losing cylinder* goes to FEL grapple project I'm starting next.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

All this was made possible by this monster welder I bought from the welding shop where I purchased the forks:

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Haven't welded in about 20 years - nice to make something really useful - even the wife complimented me!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Disappeared just as fast when I mentioned the soon-to-be-arriving top link hydraulic cylinder /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif )

Hope this helps someone with their project too!

Cheers,

Dan

PS Anyone in the Central New England area looking for some forks - I've got several more pairs of forks. It was too good a deal to leave them - send me a PM for size info (5"x 42" and 6" x 48" I think?) & make me an offer! D

 

[Robert_Parent]

Thanks for sharing your project. I always enjoy seeing and reading how others solve unique and interesting problems.

 

[joes_427_vette]

Great Job !!!!!!!
A set of forks is on my wish list too. After viewing yours I wonder how much additional work it would be to make it work on the fel as well. My TC 45 didn't come with a quick tach so it would be a matter of making mounting brackets. Bet my 250 gallon water container would fit very nice on the 3 point while the fel could stack the 12 foot high pallet racking in the shop. Like you commented, great ideas and free engineering. It don't get any better !!!!!!!!!!