new project - pallet forks

[banditbooker]

well, after finishing my first project, a dump cart http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/211560-my-dump-cart.html, i decided to start on my pallet forks i've been wanting as well. heres some pics of what i did today after i got home from work.

 

[jakdeere]

Nice, where'd you get the forks and that top bracket for the forks to slide in?
What u figure this thing is going to weigh?

 

[banditbooker]

thanks, i got the forks and top and bottom plate from an ebay store called atvxpress. each fork weighs a little over 70 lbs. so im gonna guess the whole thing will weigh close to 200 lbs maybe a little more.

 

[unfinished]

Looks good. In case you haven't considered, you may want to bump the bottom of the frame out a few inches so you can get enough curl with your forks.

 

[buggyman1]

Looks good. Is it gonna be a quick attach?

 

[banditbooker]

thanks guys, and yes unfinished, i have considered that and i will add more pieces to it to move the bottom pins back and away a little. i just needed this part square for the top and bottom fork plates.

buggyman1, it will be quick attach for a john deere. the same style thats on the bucket in the pictures.

 

[banditbooker]

hey guys, heres some more pics of what i did today. i have to get some more material because i want to add a brush guard on the top. the angle im using for the top hook is just temporary, i have regular john deere type hooks coming next week. (hopefully). i wanted to get something on there to see how it works. and so far i like them. hopefully next weekend i'll be able to finish it and get it painted. as foor the weight, im guessing it'll be more like 300 lbs. ill have to weigh it when i get it done.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Nice work! Those are some nice forks. :thumbsup: Are you going to weld flat bar on the left and right of the frame so the individual forks cant slide off?

 

[banditbooker]

thanks johdeere3720, if you look closely at the two pieces at the top and bottom that look like they tie the corners together, well they tie the corners together and also keep the forks from coming off too. the part on the fork that hooks over the top and bottom plates is the part of the fork that will hit the stops.

 

[foggy1111]

I have a question regarding the JD QA pins. Are these pins simply surface welded to the frame you are building....or do you drill a 1 1/8" hole first...and insert the pin into the hole before welding it?

I have a JD QA project going on a different build and I thought I saw some drill the holes prior to welding. Advice?

 

[kennyd]

I have a question regarding the JD QA pins. Are these pins simply surface welded to the frame you are building....or do you drill a 1 1/8" hole first...and insert the pin into the hole before welding it?

I have a JD QA project going on a different build and I thought I saw some drill the holes prior to welding. Advice?

Drilling holes is the best way...

 

[kennyd]

thanks guys, and yes unfinished, i have considered that and i will add more pieces to it to move the bottom pins back and away a little. i just needed this part square for the top and bottom fork plates.

buggyman1, it will be quick attach for a john deere. the same style thats on the bucket in the pictures.

You have way to much angle there IMO. And you added a lot of weight that is not needed. You only need about 2 1/2", 3" max.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I bought that same set of forks and rails 2 years ago from ATV express. I built a frame for them to pin on to my ford 7209 loader on a ford 3910. I know the forks are only rated for like 2500 lbs, and i know that exceeds what my tractor can/should carry, but I know they are severely underrated. I have lifted logs with them that were MASSIVE (think wet/green red oak at 36" diameter and 10' long) while a trailer backed under it and I set it down. Aside from that just using them as a prying agent on my loader to move or unroot things I have literally tested them out and they are well built. For what it's worth grease your top rail now and then (just smear it on) and if you leave the stops up and set them in between the cutouts they really don't slide.

 

[foggy1111]

Drilling holes is the best way...

Thanks Kenny.....drilling it is! :thumbsup:

 

[banditbooker]

yeah, foggy, i drilled mine except the biggest bit i have is a one inch bit so since i was making the bottom pins out of round stock i just turned it down to one inch where it went through the 1/2 inch plate and the rest i kept at 1 1/8 inch.

your right kennyd, i had that thought after words but i usually draw a plan up on autocad to help visualize everything better, but this particular project i just decided to "wing" it. so what i did was take the same angle that was on my bucket. who knows, maybe that extra curl angle will come in handy one of these days, because it still has plenty of dump angle.

thanks for all the comment guys.