Log Forks

[Short Game]

I got the steel on Wednesday to build my six feet on center log forks for my R4010 LS. I will be taking pictures when I remember to. And when I get to where I can post them, I will (maybe, depending on how awful my welds look :laughing. I'm doing this to get the logs as close in to the loader as possible, as the reach of the bucket, plus the quick-release stuff, was giving the logs too much leverage over the machine. I'm making it six feet wide to support the logs a little better than the bucket forks did at five feet. The steel ran about $235 (pretty amazing when you consider that there are no moving parts). The first components are clamped to a bench and ready for tacking.

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I use the forks as a saw buck, as my blown up fifth lumbar makes bending over with a chainsaw self limiting (meaning, if I do it today, I won't be able to tomorrow). I like to buck at chest height and let the saw just climb up into the cut and hold itself up. I've bucked a thousand logs that way. I cut most of the way through, having learned how far not to cut (it's not good when the log comes apart on the forks, trust me on that). The I roll the partially bucked logs onto the ground or deck before I buck the next log. I walk along and finish the cuts, which usually end up on top and are easy enough to reach. As I finish more logs, they wind up decked up and looking like whole logs, though they are already bucked. Then I circle the deck with my box scraper mounted splitter and wood cart towing behind. The rounds nearly split right into the cart.

 

[Baby Grand]

I got the steel on Wednesday to build my six feet on center log forks for my R4010 LS. I will be taking pictures when I remember to. And when I get to where I can post them, I will (maybe, depending on how awful my welds look :laughing. I'm doing this to get the logs as close in to the loader as possible, as the reach of the bucket, plus the quick-release stuff, was giving the logs too much leverage over the machine. I'm making it six feet wide to support the logs a little better than the bucket forks did at five feet. The steel ran about $235 (pretty amazing when you consider that there are no moving parts). The first components are clamped to a bench and ready for tacking.

=========================

I use the forks as a saw buck, as my blown up fifth lumbar makes bending over with a chainsaw self limiting (meaning, if I do it today, I won't be able to tomorrow). I like to buck a chest height and let the saw just climb up into the cut and hold itself up. I've bucked a thousand logs that way. I cut most of the way through, having learned how far not to cut (it's not good when the log comes apart on the forks, trust me on that). The I roll the partially bucked logs onto the ground or deck before I buck the next log. I walk along and finish the cuts, which usually end up on top and are easy enough to reach. As I finish more logs, they wind up decked up and looking like whole logs, though they are already bucked. Then I circle the deck with my box scraper mounted splitter and wood cart towing behind. The rounds nearly split right into the cart.

Sounds like you have your operation down to a good system - and I appreciate the part about the lumbar limitations! I bet they'll work great for moving the slash around, too.

 

[Short Game]

I bet they'll work great for moving the slash around, too.

That gave me an idea. I can build a lighter multiple fork setup to fit this frame for that kind of thing. I chip most of the small brush. I buzz the large limbs with my PTO buzz saw. It will be handy to move limbs to good places to buzz them and brush to where I can chip them. Some of the really fat limbs I use for growing shiitake mushrooms. This would be handy for dealing with those too.

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Farmer yoga?

 

[Short Game]

I did a more detailed report of yesterday's work on this project over in the LS folder.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/ls-tractors/209570-had-my-r4010-three-weeks-4.html#post2442493

 

[Baby Grand]

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Farmer yoga?

Hee-hee! Painful Python Position. It's actually sort of a reminder to myself not to get "wrapped around the axle" as I am sometimes want to do.

 

[Short Game]

I started test fitting the frame onto the quick-mount loader and found some small fit issues I must work around. Not a big deal. With the ends of the frame on, I've gotten it to well over 100 pounds and it's becoming more like work for 140 pound me. I'm guessing the frame is going to end up at about 160. The forks will be heavy, but I don't have to have them on there, as they are going to be movable, and removable. Since I'm no real welder, I like to keep gravity on my side, so lots of moving it around to do the welds. 6011 stick is what I do. I'm self taught, and probably had a fool for a teacher. (I've tried 1109 for overhead welding, but it didn't work so good.)

I developed a cough yesterday and worked it into a sore throat. Today I can't talk and am taking it easy to stave off the pneumonia. I've been looking out the kitchen window at the project not getting anywhere. What a test for an obsessive/compulsive. Watch the British Open, or work myself to death?

 

[Short Game]

I could not stay inside all day. I put in about four hours, chopping, grinding, fitting, measuring, and clamping for the next round of welding. At the end I was feeling pretty dizzy. That's all I had in me today. It's not a good time to have the plague. Why couldn't I do that when all the woodsheds are full? Our wet "dry season" goes on.

 

[Baby Grand]

Dude!
Exhaustion is the enemy - rest is your friend.
Get some sleep and get better.
The forks will keep for a day or two.

 

[Short Game]

O/C, like rust, never sleeps.

So yeah, I am running a slight fever of 99.2 and the head has started to hurt. The crapola has made it to the bronchials. Dr. S. Game is ready with his diagnosis: Infuenza. It's been years since I had a just plain flu. I always refuse the shots the VA tries to talk me into, choosing to keep a natural immune system. Like George Carlin, who got a good immune system from swimming in raw sewage in the Hudson River, I think it's good to let nature work. After all, what doesn't kill us, only postpones the inevitable.

 

[Short Game]

I took a nap after lunch today and then went to the shop. I finished most of the welding on the frame. Only a few small parts left to chop out and attach and the frame is all there. I did a test fitting on the loader and everything fit very nicely. Making my bottom catch blocks for the quick release's sliding bolts to lock into looks like it's going to be simple and easy.

On Saturday evening, as I was coming down with this crud, I realized that I had blown the math for the on-center measurement of the forks.

It wasn't 72" on center I wanted, but 75" (had to be divisible by 15"). This is going to be no problem, as I can cheat the fork pockets out an inch and a half without worry. I'll just make gussets and it will look like I planned it that way.

 

[Baby Grand]

O/C, like rust, never sleeps.

So yeah, I am running a slight fever of 99.2 and the head has started to hurt. The crapola has made it to the bronchials. Dr. S. Game is ready with his diagnosis: Infuenza. It's been years since I had a just plain flu. I always refuse the shots the VA tries to talk me into, choosing to keep a natural immune system. Like George Carlin, who got a good immune system from swimming in raw sewage in the Hudson River, I think it's good to let nature work. After all, what doesn't kill us, only postpones the inevitable.

So dark!

 

[Baby Grand]

I took a nap after lunch today and then went to the shop. I finished most of the welding on the frame. Only a few small parts left to chop out and attach and the frame is all there. I did a test fitting on the loader and everything fit very nicely. Making my bottom catch blocks for the quick release's sliding bolts to lock into looks like it's going to be simple and easy.

On Saturday evening, as I was coming down with this crud, I realized that I had blown the math for the on-center measurement of the forks.

It wasn't 72" on center I wanted, but 75" (had to be divisible by 15"). This is going to be no problem, as I can cheat the fork pockets out an inch and a half without worry. I'll just make gussets and it will look like I planned it that way.

... we'll never tell ... Load up some pictures when you get a chance - some gloat time might do you good!

 

[Short Game]

I've been taking pictures of it. I've got this Linux machine and it doesn't see my camera. I don't have the time to learn what I have to do to get to the next step that I don't know how to do.

===============

Put in another four hours so far today. I'm thinking I have another day and a half in order to get this project I thought would take two days done.

 

[Short Game]

Napped again today until just after three. Got back on it and made some progress. I put on three chain hooks. Grab hooks at the tops of the end uprights and a slide hook in the center. I capped the tops of the end 2X4 uprights. I also boxed the center section of the top angle iron to make it into a triangular beam, so as to handle any force from that center hook. This morning, I had done the same, triangular boxing both the top and bottom angle irons to help resist twisting the frame when significant weight would be on the forks. I cut out the slide bolt stops for the quick release and clamped them in place. By then, it was 7:30 and I'd probably overdone it. I weld them in tomorrow.

I've been putting off mounting the fork sockets and building the fork tines until last. They will be pinned in place so I'm going to drill all of them at once, so they'll all be the identical and any of the tines should fit into any of the sockets. I'll clamp the sockets together while I drill the pilot holes. Then I will build the tines and drill them while they are in one of the matched sockets.

I was thinking, "pallet forks" when I bought the materials, so the first set of forks I'm building are going to extend 48 inches. After thinking about this, I don't want my log forks any longer than 30 inches. So next week, when I go back to town, I'll get the makings for the shorter log tines. I won't attach the pallet fork sockets until I have built that other set of forks. For now, I'll use the four foot tines for any logs I might pick up.

I'm using the 2"X4"X1/4" tubing as the sockets. Too bad the steel supply doesn't have a 1 1/2"X3 1/2" rectangular tubing to mate up with the sockets. I'm going to have to build something up to fit the sockets. This is going to make this part of the build run into some serious time.

 

[Baby Grand]

How about some C3.5 channel?
It's 3 x 1.375.
You could weld some 1/8" strips to the back of the web and the flanges in the area that goes into the socket to bring it out to 3.5 x 1.5.
That would give you reinforcement where you need it with a lighter fork for more loader capacity.
Weld a stip of 1/8 x 2.5 x 30" between the flange tips to form a box shape.
I know, I know, more cutting, more fit up, more welding ... more time!

If I ever gave an honest estimate of how long it would take to complete a project, management would never let me start anything. The funny thing is they always seem happy with the results when I finish.

 

[Short Game]

How about some C3.5 channel?
It's 3 x 1.375.
You could weld some 1/8" strips to the back of the web and the flanges in the area that goes into the socket to bring it out to 3.5 x 1.5.
That would give you reinforcement where you need it with a lighter fork for more loader capacity.
Weld a strip of 1/8 x 2.5 x 30" between the flange tips to form a box shape.
I know, I know, more cutting, more fit up, more welding ... more time!

Gee, that's just what I bought for this.

My old bucket forks were four inch channel and I managed to bend them by picking up a steel work table. I straightened them by placing them across a void and pushing them back down in the center with the loader. I then strengthened them at the points where they would want to bend again with that same three inch channel, welded into the undersides of the forks, upside down. I never bent them again.

So, from that experience, my materials for my tines is four inch channel with a core of upside down three inch, with the three inch extending back into the sockets, boxed, and furred to fit the sockets, with reinforcements inside, extending several inches into the tine proper to stiffen them even more where they will suffer the highest load leverage.

If I ever gave an honest estimate of how long it would take to complete a project, management would never let me start anything. The funny thing is they always seem happy with the results when I finish.

"Everything takes longer than you think," is on every list of Murphy's Laws of Engineering that I can find.

I have to say that I am, so far on this project, a happy job boss. Maybe I'll give me a raise. I'm a damned good and dedicated employee, coming to work sick and all.

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Just a note. I bought one of those carbide 7.25" steel cutting blades to cut out the two 10"X12"X1/4" plates. It's the first time I ever used one of those. What a great tool! I burned the tapers on my old bucket forks and had to grind them smooth. These forks will be sawed to a point. I've been converted. $40 for the blade was a deal.

 

[Short Game]

I got the bolt stops in and locked it on the loader mounts. As far as I can see, the fit is perfect. I can run it through the whole dump/roll-back cycle and everything clears (barely). I just measured what will be the distance from the log to the lower pivot pins: 8.25 inches! That is down from the 33 inches to the start of the bucket forks. That should multiply the rollback force four times. The new geometry will also greatly lessen the ability to lose a log over the back of the loader. The built in tilt of the bucket, and the angle of its end plates made that a real danger. I've dumped dirt on my hood before. I never want to roll a big log into my lap.

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I've been rethinking the fork sockets. I'm thinking that I should use 3/8" 2X4 tubes, as that will make the fit better and easier for that C3.5 tang (stronger in a good place too). I can always use the 1/4" stuff as stake pockets on my trailers. I need the right length to make my 30 inch log forks, so it's another trip to town anyway.

 

[Short Game]

I got a day of sun a couple back and had to get back on the mowing. Yesterday it rained so after getting the four foot forks' components all cut out, I made an off-week trip to the steel supply and got what I needed for the 32 inchers. I'm going out to begin the cutting for them now. I used that carbide blade to point up the four foot long forks, cutting 12 inches of taper from the channel flanges. That blade is the way to go.

BG, I decided to stay with the 1/4" tubes for the fork sockets and will be going pretty much the route you suggested to make the tangs. One difference is, I bought some 1/2" X 1" bar that I will put inside the core to extend up into the forks a little way from the tang. Right there at the hilt is a place where a bend would be likely (though I think I've overbuilt it for anything the loader would lift in the first place). I got some 2 1/2" X 1/4" to box the tang on top of that 1/2" X 1". A little bit of 1/8th into the base of the fork will make it a tight fit into there.

It's dawning sunny here so I may just get to the mowing. 100.0 hours on the new tractor as I start the day. I guess that means it's grease gun day too.

 

[Cacinok]

 

[Short Game]

I am sorry that I have no way to get any images up for now. I see that might make this thread of lesser value to many, and worthless to the illiterate. (Picture a smiley face here.)