Fork attachment build.

[dntfxr]

Prettiest stick welds I ever seen! You set the bar high sir. Do you mind me asking what material you recommend for the round bar at the top?
I think I'm gonna go get some steel this week and copy your design if you don't mind. Seems like a fun project! I think I'll just add some little right triangles oriented like this to the outside of the L which won't protrude past the inside joint so as not to interfere with pallets, and to make up for my inferior welds haaaa! BTW sorry for the hijack SA

 

[Shield Arc]

This little Everlast PowerArc 200 ST is a very impressive welder!:cool2::cool2:

I just bought 1 1/2" cold rolled round stock. I had some thin wall pipe / tube that goes over the round stock real nice.

Not my design, I stole it from Ingersoll Rand. I just adapted it to mount on a tractor.

No worries about hijacking the thread. I never sweat the small stuff. Let me know if I can be of any help on your fork project.

 

[dragoneggs]

A good friend of mine has a Kubota tractor, but no quick release. I've been begging him for years to bring his tractor over so I could build him a quick release. He just doesn't see the need!

SA, I can be a good friend and I have a Kubota that needs a quick release! Also needs a trailer! Maybe you can build me the trailer first so I can bring my tractor over so you can build the quick release?

 

[Shield Arc]

Sounds like a good winter project for us! I have a dump trailer, and a gooseneck trailer. I'm sure one of them can haul your tractor.

 

[4570Man]

Sounds like a good winter project for us! I have a dump trailer, and a gooseneck trailer. I'm sure one of them can haul your tractor.

I'll help too. While we are at it, we can build a hydraulic thumb for my backhoe.

 

[Shield Arc]

we can build a hydraulic thumb for my backhoe.

Always wanted to build one of those. Repaired a few.

 

[GPintheMitten]

The local feed store gives their pallets away. So I have a lot of things setting on pallets. With the quick release FEL makes it easy to change attachments. A good friend of mine has a Kubota tractor, but no quick release. I've been begging him for years to bring his tractor over so I could build him a quick release. He just doesn't see the need!

I'll bring my Kubota right over.

 

[scons]

impressive build ...
very nice job sir !!

 

[Shield Arc]

impressive build ...
very nice job sir !!

Thank you!

Little more progress this morning. Drilled and counter sank holes to secure the flat bar inside the tube. Started building the rack too.

 

[dntfxr]

Looks nice, I am jealous of you welding table! Looks nice and heavy.

 

[Silvic]

Looks nice, I am jealous of you welding table! Looks nice and heavy.

In reality we are all jealous of what SA has. Not only is that a really cool table he has lots of other things that we all covet. A very talented man and a well equipped shop.

 

[Shield Arc]

The frame to my welding table, I built in the early 1980s, it is the same height as a flat bed truck I had at the time. I could use a come a long to drag a diesel drive welder I had off the flat bed onto the frame. Or from the frame to the flat bed.

When I retired I wanted to use the frame for a table, but didn't have a plate. A good buddy of mine had just been reassigned as project superintendent in the local Navy ship yard to build the Pier D air craft carrier pier. I called Kurt up, and ask him to grab me a 4' x 8' x 3/4" plate next time he was at the yard in Seattle. Couple days later Kurt shows up at me house with a plate. I ask him if he made a special trip to the yard to get the plate. He replied "no way, I'm not driving in that traffic. I just went down to the steel yard and bought it for you".
Pays to work for a large construction company!

 

[Shield Arc]

Well, what do you think?
Welded little tabs to the frame so the forks don't bounce all over the place. Had to make new upper pad eyes on the upper back. I forgot he has a quick hitch.

Pretty much done, just need to do a little clean up. Will weld it all up once I hook it up to his tractor to make sure every thing is going to fit / work.

 

[Big Barn]

Beauty !!!!

Maybe use your existing bridge type bracing to incorporate a full see through backrest?? Using same width flat bar placed vertically?

If you go that route, I like to place the center bars straight (perpendicular to machine) and the ones on each side slightly angled for better see through vision from tractor seat. Terry

Edit: refer to my earlier photo showing ugly primerd 'back rest'.

 

[Big Barn]

Or maybe cut out a fancy "Shield Arc" logo on your plasma CNC table for the backrest.

Terry

 

[Shield Arc]

Terry I'll leave the customization to my brother-n-law. He has forgotten more about welding / fabrication than I'll ever know.

 

[Big Barn]

In that case you'd better start taking TBN member's requests for suggestions on your NEXT documented build.

Terry

 

[dntfxr]

Point taken BB.
Nice build SA, I appreciate you sharing with those of us with a desire to learn. I apologize to you if I came across as suggesting that I know a better way to do it than you. I have zero experience building fork attachments and in my ideas/ cluttering up your thread I was thinking of ways I could strengthen forks for my tractor which may or may not need larger reinforcements. I realize I went about that the wrong way and I should have started a new thread. I had a few other questions but maybe another time will be better. Again thanks for your help

 

[Shield Arc]

Point taken BB.
Nice build SA, I appreciate you sharing with those of us with a desire to learn. I apologize to you if I came across as suggesting that I know a better way to do it than you. I have zero experience building fork attachments and in my ideas/ cluttering up your thread I was thinking of ways I could strengthen forks for my tractor which may or may not need larger reinforcements. I realize I went about that the wrong way and I should have started a new thread. I had a few other questions but maybe another time will be better. Again thanks for your help

dntfxr I didn't take it that way at all! I thought you were throwing out suggestion. We are all here to learn from each other.:thumbsup:
You can start a new thread, or use this thread, ask any question you want. It won't upset me at all!

 

[LD1]

Turned out nice.

The way you did the bar inside to beef up the heel is nice. Not what I was picturing based off what you were describing. I thought it was only going to be inside the horizontal and stop at the heel. What you did should.make that heel area a good bit stronger.