ve9aa
Well-known member
Equipment
TG1860, BX2380 -backblade, bx2830 snowblower, fel, weight box,pallet forks,etc
I unintentionally hi-jacked another thread, but thought it best to repost here by itself, as that thread is about JEremie bx2200 not me.,
I couldn't find a photo, so whipped up a really cr@ppy picture in Windows-Paint(tm) just now for anyone else who wants "$20 pallet forks".
I am no artist.
One end of the (red) strap is "hooked" to the TOP lip of my bucket (not really shown)and other end goes through a really big eyebolt. Big red squares are the ratchet handles. I might have even gone all the way around the bucket one time. (Can't recall - been 6 months since I've used this method) as I recall I went to remove my SSQA bucket and couldn't as the straps prevented it.
As long as you are not doing any side-to-side motion, I find the forks stay in place and are very strong.
I used some really big straps I bought on sale at Costco that were rated at some enormous amount, like 5tons or some such. I bet they are 3" wide or wider.
Similar to these straps.
Only 1 thing I would do differently if I built again would be to use longer pipes. The one I had was maybe 9' long, and you lose some length due to the fact part of it is under the bucket. I used pretty big pipe. I think it was 1-3/4 or maybe 2" galvanized fencing pipe that I cut in half, at a very sharp angle. You can see the sharp end prevents digging into the ground. (or bottom wood on pallets). If it's not obvious from my horrid sketch up, the forks go UNDER the bucket.
I didn't have extra (eyebolt) nuts, but if I had, I would've adjusted them so there was almost no bolt threads sticking out the bottom of the pipes as anything that hangs down catches on the ground and it doesn't take long to rip up your lawn. It was a minor annoyance. This would be a real driveway killer if you were on asphalt or concrete (compared to real forks). The other thing you might try is only bolting through 1/2 the pipe (nut on inside of pipe) or maybe adapt a U-bolt instead of a through bolt.
I wanted max strength so I didn't try either method, just in case.
Overall I was very impressed with myself on just how well it all worked (except for not much in the way of being able to "see" out front like real forks. For $20 it was awesome to use, until my real forks arrived from my dealer. I didn't lift anything super heavy. I lifted my utility trailer, some light logs, some pallets with maybe 200lbs on them etc. and the "forks" never moved, nor bent. Worse thing that happened was I ripped up a little lawn and driveway until I figured out my through-the-pipe eye-bolt threaded ends were dragging on the ground.
Like I said, not my idea. Got the idea from the Bob Kelland youtube channel, but used all different parts from his, but the idea was his. No doubt, he got the idea from someone else too, for all I know-LOL
Link>> bob kellands forks
I know I am not the first to do this kinda thing. I am sure many others have made forks like this, probably for a long time.
I couldn't believe how easy it was to fab up.
Hope this helps. Someday I'll put it all back on and document it for those guys that want a $20 solution, but for now, the real forks do most of the work.
I also "made" (
made is a bit strong) a "bale spear" when I wanted to pick up a giant roll of very heavy fencing, using an 8x4x4 pressure treated post. "Poor mans bale spear" (w/o a pointy end, lol)
I couldn't find a photo, so whipped up a really cr@ppy picture in Windows-Paint(tm) just now for anyone else who wants "$20 pallet forks".
I am no artist.
One end of the (red) strap is "hooked" to the TOP lip of my bucket (not really shown)and other end goes through a really big eyebolt. Big red squares are the ratchet handles. I might have even gone all the way around the bucket one time. (Can't recall - been 6 months since I've used this method) as I recall I went to remove my SSQA bucket and couldn't as the straps prevented it.
As long as you are not doing any side-to-side motion, I find the forks stay in place and are very strong.
I used some really big straps I bought on sale at Costco that were rated at some enormous amount, like 5tons or some such. I bet they are 3" wide or wider.
Similar to these straps.
Only 1 thing I would do differently if I built again would be to use longer pipes. The one I had was maybe 9' long, and you lose some length due to the fact part of it is under the bucket. I used pretty big pipe. I think it was 1-3/4 or maybe 2" galvanized fencing pipe that I cut in half, at a very sharp angle. You can see the sharp end prevents digging into the ground. (or bottom wood on pallets). If it's not obvious from my horrid sketch up, the forks go UNDER the bucket.
I didn't have extra (eyebolt) nuts, but if I had, I would've adjusted them so there was almost no bolt threads sticking out the bottom of the pipes as anything that hangs down catches on the ground and it doesn't take long to rip up your lawn. It was a minor annoyance. This would be a real driveway killer if you were on asphalt or concrete (compared to real forks). The other thing you might try is only bolting through 1/2 the pipe (nut on inside of pipe) or maybe adapt a U-bolt instead of a through bolt.
I wanted max strength so I didn't try either method, just in case.
Overall I was very impressed with myself
on just how well it all worked (except for not much in the way of being able to "see" out front like real forks. For $20 it was awesome to use, until my real forks arrived from my dealer. I didn't lift anything super heavy. I lifted my utility trailer, some light logs, some pallets with maybe 200lbs on them etc. and the "forks" never moved, nor bent. Worse thing that happened was I ripped up a little lawn and driveway until I figured out my through-the-pipe eye-bolt threaded ends were dragging on the ground.Like I said, not my idea. Got the idea from the Bob Kelland youtube channel, but used all different parts from his, but the idea was his. No doubt, he got the idea from someone else too, for all I know-LOL
Link>> bob kellands forks
I know I am not the first to do this kinda thing. I am sure many others have made forks like this, probably for a long time.
I couldn't believe how easy it was to fab up.
Hope this helps. Someday I'll put it all back on and document it for those guys that want a $20 solution, but for now, the real forks do most of the work.
I also "made" (
made is a bit strong) a "bale spear" when I wanted to pick up a giant roll of very heavy fencing, using an 8x4x4 pressure treated post. "Poor mans bale spear" (w/o a pointy end, lol)
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