SSQA fork attachment.

[torch]

I've still got some clean-up and painting to do, but here's my version of a light-duty SSQA fork attachment.

Forks are 42" long, made of 2"x4" x 1/4" rectangular tube. Frame is 3/8" thick horizontal members and 1/4" vertical. Hangar is 1" round bar. I estimate the total weight at 100 lbs and a capacity of at least 500 lbs. which is what I try to limit my little B7100 front axle to.

 

[Stomper]

Looks good. Should work great. I like how you made the forks

 

[torch]

Mounted it and tried it out this morning. Works great!

 

[Stomper]

Looks great. Nice job

 

[sdk1968]

looked at this several times & am taking some of your idea & putting it into play with the QA set up im working on...

thank you for being willing to share.

will post mine when its finished & we can keep sharing with everybody!

 

[torch]

looked at this several times & am taking some of your idea & putting it into play with the QA set up im working on...

I'm flattered. Let me know if you have any questions -- not that I am an expert by any means. But it seems to be working within the light-duty envelope I was aiming for.

 

[Al T]

Nice old sled as well...

 

[torch]

Thanks. It's a 1969 Olympique 320AS. Not particularly fast and kind of tippy, but lots of torque, lightweight and skinny -- it will go anywhere without benefit of a groomed trail. I was out riding around on it with my youngest grandson this afternoon. Lots of fun.

 

[torch]

Some other random photos of forks in action:

Video clip:

https://picturehosting.verhey.org/Kubota/forks/forklift.webm

 

[InTheWoods]

I like this design, and am planning to do something similar.

Now that you've been using it for a few years, would you change anything? I don't see a way to lock the forks in position - is that ever needed?

 

[torch]

I have never needed to lock the forks from sliding side-to-side. Friction alone has always been adequate.

They can rotate on the pipe. That was deliberate, my reasoning being that using them outdoors on un-levelled ground, it was desirable that the tips could float independently when inserting them into a pallet. And that does kind of work -- however, they won't tip down below the balance point of about 45° from vertical, they just swing on the pipe.

The odd occasion when that becomes apparent, I keep thinking I'll add a stop, like a piece of angle iron around the bottom horizontal frame member, to limit the travel. But it's so rarely an issue, I just haven't gotten around to it. Generally the only time a limit would be nice is when removing the forks in the winter when ice has the SSQA halves sticking together.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Nice job for sure.

I particularly like the "tallness" of the 'back stop" without blocking too much of the view.

 

[torch]

Yeah, it doesn't provide much protection for the operator (or more likely, the tractor hood) when hoisting small loose materials but if I ever need that I can always throw a piece of plywood or another pallet up against the backstop for the duration. I've done that to move pallets of split firewood to the maple arch, although in that case, I actually attached the two pallets together, braced at 90° so I'd have something to pile the firewood against.

I normally keep the load pretty low, no higher than needed to reach the bed of the truck, and the tallest thing is a 45 gallon drum, which isn't going to fall through even if I did somehow lift it all the way up and back.

The advantage is both better visibility and lighter weight.

 

[mikester]

FYI if someone is wanting to do the same kind of project I recommend talking to your local forklift suppliers/repairs. Often they will have used forks and racks you can pick up cheap ie. scrap prices due to customer employees flame cutting holes on the fork tips for chains and rendering the forks "unsafe" due to uncertified modifications. Legally they can't sell these forks as lifting devices once they're modified

Probably a safer option than fabbing up homebrew forks.

 

[jaxs]

FYI if someone is wanting to do the same kind of project I recommend talking to your local forklift suppliers/repairs. Often they will have used forks and racks you can pick up cheap ie. scrap prices due to customer employees flame cutting holes on the fork tips for chains and rendering the forks "unsafe" due to uncertified modifications. Legally they can't sell these forks as lifting devices once they're modified

Probably a safer option than fabbing up homebrew forks.

Large , old , not so popular tractor 3 point lift arms make good forks. Semi truck springs include straight leaves that work. I grab high carbon ,heat treated and alloy metal when I come across it at recycle yard.