Log Forks for Bucket

[Claytonfarms]

I built these a couple of months ago but I wanted to see how they worked before posting.

The red and black tube is an old engine hoist I retired from service. The pointed arms slide into the red arms and are held by a pinch bolt . Extended I can see the tips from the cab.

The red bars extend back to the center of the bucket so the weight is mostly on the straps and the heavy part of the bucket not the lip.

I did add a piece of square tube at the front of the black upper supports, the upper bars were starting to spread a little at the rear.

These do not slip like clamp on forks and I can stack logs unlike swinging forks.

The straps are attached to eyebolts on the back of the lower bracket.

The last picture is a few of the logs I have moved out of the woods to split. I have carried 8 10" 8 foot long oak logs at one time.

 

[olivedrabflorida]

Nice build, how long did it take to make them?

 

[Xfaxman]

I think you have the longest bucket forks on TBN! :thumbsup:

 

[Claytonfarms]

They did not take long to build at all. The red lower bars are the bottom of an old engine hoist. The black upper bars are the leg extensions from the engine hoist with the wheels cut off. If I was to build another, I would use a couple of 1" square tube where the plates are. If you notice the black tubes at the rear are bent up a little away from the bucket. I bent these back with the sledge hammer and welded 1" tube at the front of the black tubes. This has kept everything tighter to the bucket.

I do need to be cautious then dumping logs that I do not put too much pressure on the ends of the arms.

 

[LD1]

Glad they work well for you. They seem a little too close together for me though. Have to be too perfect in centering with the log to be moved.

But I use my homemade log forks for firewood. So at times I am picking up 20 and 30' long logs. And having my forks 5' apart, there are times I even mis-judge the center and its too heavy on one end to lift, which requires re-positioning.

 

[Claytonfarms]

They are a little close at the bottom. Most of the stuff I am moving is only 7 or 8 feet and sometimes the logs do fall off. That also goes with the $30 they cost to make.

If I were to build them from scratch I think I would make them a few feet wider maybe 5 or 6 feet.

 

[Xfaxman]

They are a little close at the bottom. Most of the stuff I am moving is only 7 or 8 feet and sometimes the logs do fall off. That also goes with the $30 they cost to make.

If I were to build them from scratch I think I would make them a few feet wider maybe 5 or 6 feet.

How about making some short clamp on forks to stabilize the long logs?

 

[Claytonfarms]

I had not thought of that. If I have trouble with dropped logs I may put out riggers on the main frame maybe out of 1" square tube. The current setup is light enough to carry around and stores well out of the way.

I borrowed a set of clamp on forks but they always seem to get loose. I think I dug them into the ground and bounced the tractor too much driving thru the woods.
A backhoe in the woods with forks is a pain to drive and not bump something. Or maybe I should slow down.

I have another 60 or 70 logs the size of the ones in the picture plus some smaller stuff. I am sure in the next month or two I will make some changes as problems arise. I am glad not to be cutting them and loading into the bucket for now. I can carry 4 or 5 times the wood per trip with the forks.

 

[catskinner]

I bought these hinged forks from Payne's, I like the fact that they fold out of the way until needed and it's hard to dig into the ground .

 

[Lone Wolf]

I am looking to buy or build forks for my bucket. Lifting only hay off the trailer. Weight approx 480 lbs. Thanks