Forks

[sreeb]

I use bucket forks as I have a tractor with a pinned on bucket.

I think they are fine if you have a heavy duty bucket. I wouldn't use them with a light duty bucket.

I think a key for length is that they are long enough that you can see the ends of them when seated. Otherwise you are just stabbing in the dark.

 

[EddieWalker]

I was surprised to read that, as that is something I do all the time with my pallet forks and its no big deal to do at all.

I bet I've moved brush and logs a thousand times with my pallet forks, I just move the forks as far apart as they will go and drive under the load.

Most sawmills use pallet forks or pallet forks with a matching grapple, just as I do all the time around here. I switched from a dedicated grapple to my pallet forks.

SR

Moving cut logs with forks probably would of worked a lot better then an entire tree with the stump still attached. Something about driving across a field, and keeping it on a set of pallet forks, was just more then I was capable of doing.

 

[RjCorazza]

When organizing pallets, forks longer than the pallet can cause problems. Holes poked in buildings, damage a pallet behind the one you are moving. A receiver is VERY handy.

Yup. "Out of sight, out of mind" almost resulted in holes in my new barn. Fortunately I got off the tractor and looked when first loading up my pallet racks.

 

[Xfaxman]

When organizing pallets, forks longer than the pallet can cause problems. Holes poked in buildings, damage a pallet behind the one you are moving.

Yep I have to be very careful with these 6 footers:

unless they are going in the long way:

 

[Jaygyver]

I would suggest buying the size forks for what you use it for -most of the time- then get the fork extensions for the rest. They're easy to get on and off. Driving around with 5' or 6' forks all the time can be a bear.
You do NOT want to bend one of the forks, it sucks trying to pickup a pallet or anything flat off the ground.

Like it's been mentioned before, you lose almost 3/4 of your lifting capacity at the end of your forks. The "crane" guys at the Navy shipyard I worked at had a formula of how far over or near tip of the load they picked up with the forks had to be and how long the forks had to be. After 40+ years as a freight hauler I kind of giggled at how we were SUPPOSED to to it.

Hint:
Spray some bright paint on the tip of the forks and at the base of the forks so you know where the tips are and how far you can slid into the shorter pallets so your forks don't poke into things. Or if your taking a bunch of shorter pallets off a trailer just throw a board at the base of the forks and then you can go by "feel".

For me, I ended up buying just the rack, I think it was rated at 3 or 4k and put my 48" forks off my old Hyster forklift on it. My tractor probably has half the lifting capacity but I do tend to abu... I mean use it to the fullest usage possible sometimes so I usually buy a little heavier items for the "durability". The weight difference between the lighter ones and mine wasn't much of a difference and I wanted something to last awhile if I..um... over used it.

 

[ning]

I've got 48" forks. My primary use is probably moving brush piles, and 48" is a great length for that - wouldn't want shorter.

48" definitely sticks out behind most pallets so you've got to pay attention - and they really swing wide when you make turns. Drive carefully.

I think 48" tines are just about 100# each, 42" are about 90# each, 36" about 80# each. As you can see, length isn't going to affect your lifting capacity much, unless you try to put a heavy weight at the end of the 48".

Personally I like the 48", though I can imagine buying some 42" tines for careful movement of tote cages full of heavy wood.

 

[skramer360]

I bought a light duty set of forks for my tractor rated at 3000lbs. My tractor has a loader capacity of only about 1200lbs. I did manage to bend one of the forks when a (too heavy) log rolled and was just on one fork. Keep that in mind when considering fork capacity. I also primarily use mine to move logs and brush and I got the 48" ones and I wouldn't want them any shorter.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I bought a pair from VEVOR, I think. Bolt on, but cheap crap. Threads stripped out quickly. They sent me my money back, minus $25, and I get to keep the forks. (I see a project coming my way)
I bought another pair from Titan, I think. Much better construction, I can crank them down without issue. I can (try to) lift as much as I can, and no smiles on bucket. But then again, my bucket seems to be thicker and of better construction than the JD and Kabota ones in same class tractor.

 

[edgarrian]

Forks don't need to be super long. My forks are 42 long. I can move brush and logs just fine. I have 8 acres of wood and our house is centrally located in the middle. We have a fireplace so im cutting wood often. Basically I cut up fallen trees into 8 to 10ft long. I take them to my stoned staging area. Where I will then use my forks to pick up the logs and put them on my elevated log holder. At this time I cut them into rounds. Once I get so many piled up and then use the buck to scoop rounds and take to the splitter. I have the bucket about waist high so its very simple to go from bucket to splitter.

When it comes to moving brush. Forks do a good job. Is a grapple nice to use. Sure but is it necessary. No. Skill of operator plays a big role into what a machine can do. Ive been around equipment all my life. I run a 352 excavator for work which is a big machine. Ive ran bigger. Plus farming. So an experienced operator can make tasks look very easy. For instance I have neighbor who bought a tractor a year or two ago. He's still got a long ways to go before he becomes proficient.

 

[MJZ]

Forks don't need to be super long. My forks are 42 long. I can move brush and logs just fine. I have 8 acres of wood and our house is centrally located in the middle. We have a fireplace so im cutting wood often. Basically I cut up fallen trees into 8 to 10ft long. I take them to my stoned staging area. Where I will then use my forks to pick up the logs and put them on my elevated log holder. At this time I cut them into rounds. Once I get so many piled up and then use the buck to scoop rounds and take to the splitter. I have the bucket about waist high so its very simple to go from bucket to splitter.

When it comes to moving brush. Forks do a good job. Is a grapple nice to use. Sure but is it necessary. No. Skill of operator plays a big role into what a machine can do. Ive been around equipment all my life. I run a 352 excavator for work which is a big machine. Ive ran bigger. Plus farming. So an experienced operator can make tasks look very easy. For instance I have neighbor who bought a tractor a year or two ago. He's still got a long ways to go before he becomes proficient.

Forks don't need to be super long. My forks are 42 long. I can move brush and logs just fine. I have 8 acres of wood and our house is centrally located in the middle. We have a fireplace so im cutting wood often. Basically I cut up fallen trees into 8 to 10ft long. I take them to my stoned staging area. Where I will then use my forks to pick up the logs and put them on my elevated log holder. At this time I cut them into rounds. Once I get so many piled up and then use the buck to scoop rounds and take to the splitter. I have the bucket about waist high so its very simple to go from bucket to splitter.

When it comes to moving brush. Forks do a good job. Is a grapple nice to use. Sure but is it necessary. No. Skill of operator plays a big role into what a machine can do. Ive been around equipment all my life. I run a 352 excavator for work which is a big machine. Ive ran bigger. Plus farming. So an experienced operator can make tasks look very easy. For instance I have neighbor who bought a tractor a year or two ago. He's still got a long ways to go before he becomes proficient.

Thanks. I think I will go with 48 in h forks. 99 percent of brush is cedar. Nothing huge. Up to 10 inch or so at base. I too cut a lot of firewood. I just have to walk it out of the woods. I typically cut the rounds and put in bucket or truck bed. We will see how else I use the forks. I've already strapped a couple things to the bucket. Forks will be handy.