Go BottomBucket forks
 | brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin 
|
2004-07-10 90505
Hi ya'all, I just finished making a set of bucket forks for my TC40'2 HD bucket. Is there anything I should be aware of when using them? Wondering if anyone has ever had anyproblems with damaging their bucket (of course caution and common sense will be used while using them).
My main use for them will be to move attatchments in and out of the garage (on skids) as so not to wipe out the garage with the bucket while manuvering impliments into their place for storing. Any advice will be welcome, thanks guys!
Tom
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
|
2004-07-11 90526
As you say, common sense would likely save the bucket from damage.
How things are placed in the garage might be an issue. For example, heavy things that need to be all the way on the forks may need clearance for the forks to extent past a pallet. Since loaders lift in arcs, things placed tight against a wall have to be moved out before they can be lifted. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-11 90529
I have found that manuverering 3 point impliments into position with the back of the tracor is very risky, My garage is 28x34 and has "2" standard garage single car doors on 2 different sides (90 degrees apart) I find that when trying to swing a impliment to a position I need to give special attention to my front bucket as to not hit anything. Its real easy to forget about that almost did it again last weekend, so that is why I need a new system.
I figure I can haul then in and out and hook up and dismount out in the open.
These bucket forks clamp on and I have incorporated a "back support" system as to spread the pressure out a bit more. Was wondering if anyone has ever bent a bucket at point of connection between the fork and the bucket? ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2004-07-11 90538
I wonder if keeping the implements on pallets that have casters would help? They probably could be moved around by hand and lined up with the door to minimize maneuvering with the tractor.
Juggling implements in my shelter tent is a problem. At 14' wide there's no room for maneuvering. At least the tent has doors on both ends. Some implements front and some back so I don't have to take everything out to get if I need to hook up the first one I put away last year. Still, I'm tired of juggling implements and really want to build an equipment shed. It will definitely have a door in the front and also along one side. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
 | beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
 Pics
|
2004-07-11 90593
I built a set of bucket forks for my 7800. I definitely had the same concern about the load at the lip of the bucket where the forks clamp on. My forks run the depth of the bucket with pads at the back edge to dump the uplift reaction into the vertical back of the bucket. At the leading edge, the forks actually clamp to a piece of 3"x3"x3/8" tube steel that runs the length of the front lip. The 3" tube steel spreads the reaction at the front of the fork across the lip to the bucket walls, eliminating any bending moment in the bucket lip. The tube takes all the bending and dumps in into the bucket walls.
The system works great. I have loaded the forks with 800lb bundles of fence posts, with no deflection at all in the bucket lip.
Besides that, just common sense as you said. The load is further in front of the tractor causing stability issues and amplifying the reactions to your bucket cylinders. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2004-07-12 90629
We have several machines that have bucket forks, mostly like the one in my picture # 3 on a full-size TLB.
The big drawback with that style of fork as opposed to the fork-only adapter is that the bucket blocks your vision of the object you want to pick up to the point that either you need a person to spot for you, or you have to use the 'Braille method' (bump means stop).
There is also a secondary problem of having a further reduced lift capacity because the load is that6 much further out in front.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
Pics
|
2004-07-12 90659
The reduced vision is a drawback. The level indicator on the bucket helps. Teaching the wife proper hand signals needs to be done at the right time of the month and day. Experience has taught us such lessons. Braille could be a good alternative. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2004-07-12 90661
Beagle, I don't know about you, but my wife has a wide variety of 'hand signals' that she uses to communicate things to me.
Some of them even have to do with the use of equipment, why just yesterday she taught me a new one, I'm told it means "Get that #$%* machine off MY LAWN.".
It was VERY clear, even before she explained it.
She use Braille regularly also though, like the time I found my mower in the shop at work, it was getting a new cowling put on, the old one had a deep V-shaped notch smach-dab in the middle of the front. When I asked my wife how it got there she replied "I was trying to get close to the Birch tree.". She had obviously succeded. She had also, obviously, been using the Braille system.
Bump means stop.
Although she is getting better with the car. Either that or the body shop just stopped sending out bottles at Christmas to their A-list customers.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
Pics
|
2004-07-12 90662
Murf, you seem to have some experience in these matters. Maybe some time, and in the right thread, you could explain just exactly what "the look" means. We have mentioned gestures and braille, sometimes when she gives me "the look", I get a little un-easy. I think I am supposed to. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-12 90728
The "LOOK? I learned that right off the bat, just took anouther 15 years to know what to do when she gives it to me, (or she wont give it to me I should say) LOL.
Really like I said though my main pourpose is only a small 6 inch lift of the skids to haul out of the garage. I thought of castors but those doggies are expensive when yoy start adding up 7 skids at 4 on each and around 8 bucks a throw thats like over $200 in wheels. I too have a garage door on the end and one on the side also. I just only did not put in a large enough door (standard ones) I built the garage before I knew I was buying a tractor. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2004-07-13 90761
Beagle, unfortunately I do have a little (a little too much?) experience in that department. I used to come home fairly regularly with 'new toys' or bits and pieces for existing toys. It usually didn't go over well.
The uneasiness is an instinctive reaction for survival that we still have from back in the days when as cavemen the women carried clubs I think.
Tom, I didn't think of it yesterday, but I recall that one of my customers does as you are proposing, using pallets to store and move implements. Rather than trying to jockey a tractor around inside though they opted for one of those little 'pump trucks' they use for moving pallets in trucks and wharehouses. They are really cheap and will spin a pallet around in it's own footprint basically. They pick up the pallet and roll it to the door where the tractor can back into it. Then you dont have to put on & take off one implement just to get another.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
Pics
|
2004-07-13 90769
So then what you're saying is that it would be ok to take her club away? Yikes ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2004-07-13 90772
In my case she doesn't have a club, she has a S&W, and she is a VERY good shot.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-13 90795
"BOINK" !!!! That was me hitting myself with her club! What a great idea. I may get one of those anyway, even though I now have forks. it would be nice to just pull the skids out straight since my gargae doors are positioned so I can have a clear work area if a truck and boat are also in there. Thanks Murph good idea. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Woodie
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 109 Michigan lower 
|
2004-07-13 90798
I was contemplating the same idea about building a set (or buy them) and move the stuff around in my barn (10ft ceiling) but got to thinking after I moved my boat trailer into the corner using those car dollies (about $40 a set) and thought why not put all my implents on those dollies and move the stuff to and from the tractor instead of jockeying tractor around... they WORK great ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan
Pics
|
2004-07-13 90810
I have several 3-point implements om dollies in the barn. It really is a back saver to roll them into position for hook-up, and out of the way after use. I find the dollie system works really well for me. Cos was about $30 a dollie. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-15 91020
Yes that would be my first choice, I knocked around the idea of building wood carriers and castering them, then after realizing that cost I looked into car dollies and started adding up, (disk atleast 4) (plow 2) (back blade 2)
(post hole digger 2) (rake "no idea lol) now I just bought a box scraper today ) It added up to more $ than I wanted to spend. In the future it may be not be practical either for me, (for I am starting to think about building a impliment barn Just need to figure out a better name so when I put the tall garage doors on it my loving wife may think it is just a toy shed) and I will not be putting cement in it for awhile.
Rolling them around would be the cats ass though. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
Pics
|
2004-07-16 91074
I don't understand the problem Tom, my wife has called my shop out back the "Toy Box" since day one, it's one of the few things she's right about, and I agree, it is my Toy Box. LOL.
But then I've always called 'em as I sees em', my boat was called "Bikini Bait", it was, and it worked.
Best of luck. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-18 91272
Bucket forks I made work fine. visabitlity is a huge draw back but they held a 550# box scraper on a oak skid just fine. I drove 5 hours to my place left at 3am, unloaded it which was an expeiance. took of the tail gate and made 6 trips out of the seat to make sure I was aligned right. lifted it up and drove the truck away. let it down and carried it into the garage. I really dont like it though all that much. Was very worried about bending the bucket with all the bouncing it was doing. I think I waisted my time although they work I dont see me lifting anything near this weight with them again. I was all by myself and then sprayed a couple of fields packed up my stuff and drove the 312 miles hame. Was home by 6pm Sat. !!!!! Wife says I am nutz! I agree nutz about growing my crops! ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
 | grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct 
Pics
|
2004-07-23 91731
anouther nice use for forks is to mount a piece of 3/4 inch plywood to the top of the skid with screws or nails, cut the plywood to be the same dimension as the skid & use the skid as a platform for doing work at 7' - 8' elevations. Works good for pruning trees & hedges & painting the house. The only set back is you need someone to operate the tractor when it's time to move over, for me my wife doesnt mind. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
|
2004-07-23 91733
For me it would depend on what I didnt do the week before if I would let my bride move me while 8' up in the air!!!
I love her and she me, but I think she still has revenge in her for the joke (19) years ago. Opposum sleeping in the middle of the road? She say's NAH!!! "Its dead" I am not that stupid! I told her, "well yea, it is dead now, but on cooler nights they come out to the roads because they are warmer than the ground, they fall alseep on the toasty black top and THEN they get hit!" She will never let me forget that she still owes me one for leading her on for that one!!!!
NOPE, I think I will pass on gettin her to move me!!!!
Seriously though, grassgod, that is a good idea, almost like a moving scafolding? ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct
Pics
|
2004-07-23 91740
brokenarrow - LOL!!!! I enjoyed your story, Thanks for sharing. The other nice thing about the moving scaffolding is that it gives me someone to keep me company while painting. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoBucket forks
| Cub127
Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 14 Monroe,michigan
|
2004-07-25 91890
I'm building wood skids with casters I bought from TSC at10$ a pop for my impliments. My garage is 32' by 44' with two 9 foot doors in the front and two 9 foot doors in back.i've only built 2. one for my bb and the easy one was for my bh i just used a 2x10 with two casters for under the front and let the rear roll on the tail wheel. Haven't figured out the rake yet. I'm only doing one at a time so the cost is spread out more. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This