Source for small debris forks?

[Lil Foot]

So your patience paid off! Sounds like you will get what you need, and good weight and delivery.

Yup, I was getting pretty discouraged, but things are looking up.
Additionally, it should come in handy when we rake pine needles before fire season. Currently, after we rake the needles into a piles, we manually pitch fork or manure fork them into the dump trailer. This should easily fork up the biggest piles, with no wear & tear on the back.

 

[D2Cat]

Maybe you can devise a method to rake the needles into a pile, pick up the rake, then back them into a container of some kind. Then move the entire container. Or park your trailer in a low spot and push them into the trailer that way, depending on the tailgate/ramp.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yeesh $380 is about 500 Canucks, and I could easily make you FIVE 'forks' for that pile of coins....
really, printout a pcture or two of what you want, and your bucket, goto a local welder/fab shop. easily done in a day for maybe $150 ?

 

[Lil Foot]

The local guy I have used in the past has retired, the guy who bought his business wanted $500, without paint, and "When I get around to it."

I keep telling people that businesses in the Phoenix area are different from nearly everywhere else. Most don't care if they get your business, and they certainly don't care if they get any repeat business, so they treat everyone like crap.
There is always someone else (more like 50 someone elses) with more money than sense who doesn't know any better who will step up, bend over, and get screwed.
There are currently 3000+ people moving to the Phoenix area every week.
Example: Local SxS dealer owns virtually all dealerships in the state, so they overcharge on everything.
Asked them for a no BS, out-the-door, cash price quote. $15,555
Drove out of state and bought the exact same one for $8102, and got a helmet and 5gal fuel can thrown in.

I could also make one myself, but with the caregiver thing, trying to maintain 3 properties, 7 vehicles, plus all the other crap, I need another project like I need a hole in the head.

 

[Lil Foot]

Maybe you can devise a method to rake the needles into a pile, pick up the rake, then back them into a container of some kind. Then move the entire container. Or park your trailer in a low spot and push them into the trailer that way, depending on the tailgate/ramp.

Myself and my two neighbors all have short sided dump trailers. (20"-24")
Neighbor across the street uses a big plywood box attached to his FEL bucket, rakes piles into the box, then dumps the box over the side of his dump trailer.
Next door rakes the piles into his FEL bucket, and dumps in the trailer.
I'm hoping I will be able to just drive the forks under a pile, lift, and drive to the trailer & dump.

 

[Tim Horton]

In my "Good Ideas" note book, I have a rough sketch of something similar to the pictures D2Cat posted..
The plan is it will bolt between the pallet forks on my FEL... Kind of a slip on and secure in place set up..
I can do a lot of work with a set up like this and a rope to secure things a little as to buying a grapple set up of any kind..

My 5 cents of opinion...

 

[Lil Foot]

I have been using my pallet forks for clearing old logs/slash etc., but have found that they are just too long. (42" in front of bucket) (see pic)
To dump into the trailer, I have to raise the bucket to it's highest position, then curl the bucket down, but the forks touch the trailer floor (or the previously dumped load) before or just as the stuff starts to slide off the forks. Then I have to get off the tractor, climb onto the trailer, and "help" the load off the forks.
I won't be able to carry as much with the shorter forks, but off-loading should be a lot easier and more efficient.

 

[Lil Foot]

The saga continues.
Ordered the forks, and got a confirmation e-mail acknowledging order, 1 to 1 1/2 week delivery, & payment.
10 days went by, so I phoned for a status update. No answer, sent e-mail, no answer. Over 3 three days, sent a total of 3 phone calls, and 2 e-mails, no answer. Decided to wait till Tuesday (2 weeks) then cancel payment.
Received an e-mail this morning apologizing for the delay, and that forks will go out next week.
We shall see.
I'm a little more lenient on such things during this virus thing, but certainly this isn't the 1 to 1 1/2 weeks I was quoted.
I'm telling myself to be more patient, as is Mrs. Foot, but it's hard waiting for a new toy that's late.

 

[Lil Foot]

The saga continues.
Asked for an updated delivery date on 11-11. No response until 11-14, when I was told "end of the week".
I again asked for clarification- "Which week?".
He answered on 11-16, and I was told 11-20.
Well, here it is 6:30PM on 11-20, and no forks.
Sent another request, asking for info on where the forks are.
It has now been 24 days.
I'm about ready to cancel payment.

 

[Lil Foot]

Got a response tonight:
"This thing has been lost somewhere here in Michigan.i had been keeping an eye on it and it has not moved from Wyoming MI for 3 days, I did call ups and they put out a search for it, I'll let you know what I hear, if it is lost which has happened before I'll send you another one, thanks again Greg.."
OK, assuming that is true, wouldn't it have been considerate to let me know that?
I was hoping for a birthday present, maybe it will be a Christmas present.
I guess all the bad things I did in the past are catching up with me. Karma can be a bitch.

 

[sheepfarmer]

In my "Good Ideas" note book, I have a rough sketch of something similar to the pictures D2Cat posted..
The plan is it will bolt between the pallet forks on my FEL... Kind of a slip on and secure in place set up..
I can do a lot of work with a set up like this and a rope to secure things a little as to buying a grapple set up of any kind..

My 5 cents of opinion...

Got a response tonight:
"This thing has been lost somewhere here in Michigan.i had been keeping an eye on it and it has not moved from Wyoming MI for 3 days, I did call ups and they put out a search for it, I'll let you know what I hear, if it is lost which has happened before I'll send you another one, thanks again Greg.."
OK, assuming that is true, wouldn't it have been considerate to let me know that?
I was hoping for a birthday present, maybe it will be a Christmas present.
I guess all the bad things I did in the past are catching up with me. Karma can be a bitch.

I was curious about clamp on forks, so I have been following this. The supplier's area code is Grand Rapids. Wyoming MI is a suburb of Grand Rapids. So your forks have not made it very far.

 

[Lil Foot]

Got another e-mail this morning, nothing new on mine, but he said this has happened before, most recently with a 72" rake.
Sounds like someone at UPS has a sideline selling clamp-on debris/manure fork/rakes.

 

[Lil Foot]

And it continues.
After several nicely worded, unanswered e-mail requests for an update, (what I want to say is WHERE THE F ARE MY FN' FORKS?!!! ) I called again today.
He said there has been no response from UPS. He has decided they are officially lost. (ya think?)
He claims he has started building me a new one, and that it will ship out on Wednesday, Dec 2nd.
He guesses 5-6 days ship time.
I asked about tracking info, and says he didn't put tracking on the 1st one because his computer was down.
(If that's the case, how did he decide the first one had not left Wyoming City MI for three days?)
It has now been 33 days since he confirmed the order, not the 1 to 1 1/2 weeks he promised.
I'm beginning to think something is rotten in MI, but Mrs Foot, the Eternal Optimist, says to give him some more time.
He says he will put tracking on the new forks.
Forgive me if I'm not all re-assured to hell.

 

[D2Cat]

Hey Bill, Keep the faith!

You know the definition of the eternal optimist? That's the person who goes after Moby Dick in a row boat, and takes the tarter sauce!

 

[Lil Foot]

I had not heard that one!
I like tartar sauce, but not sure about whale....

 

[Lil Foot]

Well, maybe things are looking up.
Got an e-mail from PayPal with a transaction number and a tracking number.
Maybe my karma isn't so bad after all.

 

[Lil Foot]

Well, after 5 days of the tracking showing it sitting still in Wyoming, MI, today I got an update showing it in Goodyear, AZ, about 17 miles from here. Scheduled for delivery tomorrow, the Dec 7th. Fingers crossed.

 

[D2Cat]

Hey Bill, quit telling us about it.....show pictures!!

 

[Lil Foot]

Count on it, if it ever gets here!

 

[Lil Foot]

Checked tracking early this AM- said "Preparing for Delivery". Yay!

Somebody has got to be F'in with me.

Checked a few minutes ago: