Pallet forks - light, camera, action ?

[Reg]

OK, this time it wasn't ME.

We have a problem from time to time with "finding the holes" between the bottom and top boards
of the pallet.
If we come in low it can wreck a pallet or shove it around, rarely expensive,
If we come in with the forks high and the pallet is loaded the consequences can be BAD and expen$ive.
Yesterday somebody came in for a loaded pallet with the forks high.
In all fairness the guy is GOOD with the tractor, but the day was bright with a LOT of fresh snow on the ground and he entered a dark building.
It has happened before, it will probably happen again WHATEVER we do, but we want it to happen less often.

Fork lift cameras exist, they are expensive and try to solve ALL the problems of warehouse handling with visibility blocked by the load.

I would like to adapt something like an automotive back-up camera (cheap) and a couple of leds, perhaps mounted on the brick back at fork level, i.e. to "see the floor and pallet the way the forks see them".

So, who else has been through this ?
What did you come up with ?

 

[seville009]

I would think it would simpler to pull up to the pallet, hop off the tractor and see how the forks line up before moving the forks in.

Just like hooking up a plow or trailer on a truck

 

[jjp8182]

I've got a couple things I've considered using for that purpose, but haven't as of yet since most of the stuff I deal with is usually other implements or things that are pretty hard to damage.

The first is actually just a small convex mirror that could be attached to the top of backstop in order to see the fork tips. The other would be to re-purpose my iBall backup camera; which isn't the cheapest, but was the only backup/trailer alignment camera I found that was a truly wireless camera (only connection required is a 12v outlet for the monitor).

If I'm on level ground, I use the same trick that I do with my buckets and just watch a flat spot on the pallet forks to see when it's level. It's actually easier to do with the pallet forks as the top of the backstop is pretty much parallel to the top of the fork tines on my set of pallet forks. ....unfortunately that doesn't help a whole lot on uneven ground, but after the tips are in I'm also not sure how much either of my other ideas would help on uneven ground either.

So looking forward to seeing what other suggestions come up.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have always hated the forks on our JD 6200 with 640 loader. Can't see a friggin thing. Then a Mennonite used "MY" tractor and got those forks spot on, first try, unloading a pallet from a truck, They must have X-Ray vision or something.

I love my Wheel loader much better as you can see the forks, except when the load is in the way. When unloading a skid from my pickup, one. I get out a million times to be sure, but sometimes press down and watch the pickup suspension to get an idea of where I'm at.

Best thing is to have spotter. Yeah, I know, the Mennonites would have a good laugh.

 

[Diggin It]

I would like to adapt something like an automotive back-up camera (cheap) and a couple of leds, perhaps mounted on the brick back at fork level, i.e. to "see the floor and pallet the way the forks see them".

Some of the Chineseum backup cameras have LEDs built into them. Look for the ones that mount to license plate frames.

 

[s219]

Do a search for the classic TBN thread "backup camera for $50" for equipment info, and there are some bucket / fork cameras in there too. I rigged up a camera for use with my forks, and it was about $40 for the camera and screen from Amazon. Works great and if it gets damaged or breaks I'd just buy another.

 

[Captain Dirty]

. . . but the day was bright with a LOT of fresh snow on the ground and he entered a dark building.

Would someone who is "snow-blind" be able to see the screen if there were a camera?
Seville009's suggestion would also give a little more time for the eyes to adapt.

 

[PILOON]

Some time back I went the Camera route 4 my snow blowing activities.

I purchased an 'offshore' unit in the $50-$100 range and it can handle 2 camera inputs.
While they claimed o deg operation I have had no problems down to -30 deg.

If open station U might want to simply make a hood of some sort to shed water. Cabbed , no problem.

I mounted my camera on a magnet base so accidental nudges don't get costly.

LOL, for snow blowing I never look back.

I also trial rigged for the 2nd camera up front 4 fork and loader operations and liked the good precise visibility but since I very rarely use the forks I did not install permantly.
INMHO, a good investment,

 

[countrybumpkin]

A lot of info about using cameras for what your wanting in this thread.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/316927-backup-camera-50-a.html

 

[tomplum]

Yep. We set up a front and rear camera when we first got the tractor. Amazon special. I put them on magnetic discs so that they could be moved into position. A small switch at the reverse pedal did the switching. It worked good for leveling, working with the bucket and pallets for that matter. The rear camera had gotten damaged and I never replaced it.