Log Forks

[NormL]

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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.

After reading the above testimonial for a metal cutting blade, I went out and bought one, too. I have yet to put it to a real test but I did gingerly touch the spinning blade to some 1/4" steel for just a couple seconds and it made a 1/4" cut. I'm impressed already!! So I'm giving credit where it's due and thank you for posting this.:thumbsup::thumbsup: I'll have to be cautious while using it though. The old B+D saw I'm using has plastic guards. Years ago I tried using an abrasive blade in a saw with plastic guards and pretty soon I had no plastic guards left. Funny how sparks cause fires.

 

[Short Game]

A warning on those blades: they throw bigger chips/sparks than an abrasive wheel. It's a good idea to wear a full face shield and gloves. I don't have one of those face shields, so I wear my welding helmet with the dark glass flipped up. My clear lenses are magnifiers (perfect for an old guy).

Another thing I have found out already: make sure your are on your cutting line, as there ain't no steering it back on if you get away from the line.

Today, I made my two 32 inch log forks (took most of the day). They wound up having nine parts each (I took pictures, really -- I'll get them up eventually). I used that blade to cut the tapers for the fork tips and it worked absolutely great. It's really very much like cutting wood.

I hit it at about 8:00 this morning and quit at 7:00 this evening. I only had the last two small pieces to chop and weld on (the last step in attaching the fork pockets -- except for the paint, all done!) when I quit. I just didn't have anything left in my tank. I'm worn out.

I am going to pick up a big log with this thing before ten in the morning tomorrow and take a picture of that. I may go over to my neighbors and use their computer to upload that shot. My two day project took me over a week.

 

[Short Game]

So dark!

Sorry. I became a big fan of gallows humor while captive on a diesel-electric submarine.

Best gallows humor of all time nominee:

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?​

 

[NormL]

A warning on those blades: they throw bigger chips/sparks than an abrasive wheel. It's a good idea to wear a full face shield and gloves. I don't have one of those face shields, so I wear my welding helmet with the dark glass flipped up. My clear lenses are magnifiers (perfect for an old guy).

Another thing I have found out already: make sure your are on your cutting line, as there ain't no steering it back on if you get away from the line.

k.

Thanks for those heads up tips!:thumbsup: I guess I'll have to get some safety equipment before I do any serious cutting with that blade. I don't suppose I should use my saw left handed while cutting steel, either?

 

[Short Game]

I have a Milwaukee 14" abrasive chop saw that I will still used for most cutout. However, adjusting it for doing 45s and other angles has always been a pain in the sciatic nerve. When I needed a couple little gussets, it was hardly worth the trouble, and resetting it back to ninety degrees exact gets to that same nerve. So, I would nearly always use an angle grinder with a .045" cutoff wheel to do things like that. Now, after the ease of cutting those long tapers from the channel iron, I know that steel-cutting blade will be the weapon of choice.

 

[Baby Grand]

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.)

Oh! Snap!

 

[Baby Grand]

I have a Milwaukee 14" abrasive chop saw that I will still used for most cutout. However, adjusting it for doing 45s and other angles has always been a pain in the sciatic nerve. When I needed a couple little gussets, it was hardly worth the trouble, and resetting it back to ninety degrees exact gets to that same nerve. So, I would nearly always use an angle grinder with a .045" cutoff wheel to do things like that. Now, after the ease of cutting those long tapers from the channel iron, I know that steel-cutting blade will be the weapon of choice.

With what do you spin this blade, pray tell? I had been thinking of buying an abrasive wheel chop saw, but after using a friends, the prospect of using one again really wasn't setting my hair on fire. Sounds like you have a much better option in play.

 

[Short Game]

Oh! Snap!

You noticed.

I put no little effort into writing about what I could not show. I was thinking that it may have not been a waste, and finding that reply when tired at the end of a lot of work, did trip the wire. I waited until morning to respond, and that was good, because my first inclination was to disparage the schools in OK. That probably wouldn't have been completely fair.

 

[Short Game]

With what do you spin this blade, pray tell? I had been thinking of buying an abrasive wheel chop saw, but after using a friends, the prospect of using one again really wasn't setting my hair on fire. Sounds like you have a much better option in play.

I have a Milwaukee 7 1/4" circular saw (sidewinder variety) that I have that steel cutting blade on at the moment. When I saw the guy at the steel supply cut that 10"X1/4", he was using a Skil model 77 worm drive.

On the blade it says it is for mild steel only, up to a quarter inch. I can't see giving up the chop saw just because I have that blade. For 90 degrees on stock that fits under the abrasive blade, the chopper is the best option I have.

The 14" chopper isn't an endearing critter. Like any of these things, it's wicked noisy and throws sparks everywhere, but after years of using various abrasive wheels, I've finally started (perhaps too late) to wear a respirator mask. I don't trust the fibers they use to bind those wheels. If you run them in sunlight, you can see the fragments of fiber shining as they drift in the air. Can't be good stuff to breathe.

Do not buy the cheap 14" wheels they sell off the cheap tool truck! I made that mistake once.
At best, they have bad balance, and at worst, they will blow up on you in the middle of a cut.

 

[Short Game]

This picture stuff has run into some serious time. To make things worser, my local DSL connection is really dragging today. This is just a test. If it works, I'll try again later when the connection is hopefully faster.

 

[jimcolt]

Heres a couple of pics of my homemade clamp on forks. I happen to have a cnc plasma system in my home shop....so fabricating forks is a breeze! The first couple of pics were of my first fork designs...the latest ones are much more robust.....and stay straight on the bucket better. I have used them a lot with the Kubota4310....lifting in the 1500lb + range....must have weight on the rear to do this!

Jim Colt

 

[Egon]

Jim; those are nice looking forks. :thumbsup:

Consider also attaching some uprights to the back of the bucket to stop a log from rolling back onto your seat.

 

[jimcolt]

I have made a few sets with uprights......when I use them I just don't stack the logs any higher than the bucket! Fortunately my firewood is all done for this winter....

 

[Short Game]

Starting the quick-release frame:

End uprights going on:

Test fitting:

Frame complete, primer on:

Building up reinforced fork tang:

Fitting tang to socket:

Building up the fork tine:

Tang and socket, drilled and ready:

Attaching the sockets:

Now we're loggin'!

Bucked logs, ready to split:

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

My computer still doesn't see my camera, so I emailed them to myself from another computer. A bit of a pain, but it worked.

 

[NormL]

I believe I can safely say your work looks like"factory"!:thumbsup: Pride of workmanship is showing through! I'd encourage you to give yourself a pat on the back but knowing better, I'll just mean it figuratively.:thumbsup:

 

[Short Game]

Thanks. It did come out okay. Better yet, the bucking went really well. I'm so late on my wood this year and that is what this has all been about.

...give yourself a pat on the back but knowing better...

Someone told you about my rotator cuff?

 

[NormL]

Someone told you about my rotator cuff?

Yup! That dude you snarl at on mornings looking back at you from the mirror.:laughing::laughing:

 

[Baby Grand]

Nice forks! That frame looks really wide, which should make handling long stuff a lot more stable than with the usual width forks. I take it you've recovered from the creeping crud? Just in time to cut wood - hope the weather holds out.

 

[Short Game]

Nice forks! That frame looks really wide, which should make handling long stuff a lot more stable than with the usual width forks. I take it you've recovered from the creeping crud? Just in time to cut wood - hope the weather holds out.

Thanks, BG.

I posted more pics in the "Show Us Your Splitter..." thread. What I can buck in two hours takes me twelve to split and stack. If this was March, I wouldn't be in such a hurry. I barely get into a groove on doing the wood and it's time to put the mower back on. I did force myself to get in a round of disc golf with some local friends a few days ago. Plus four for 23 holes (we all decided to skip the last two holes). (Not too bad for me.) The crud is settled into my bronchials for now. Just like the flu. As for the weather, when the Pacific warms up, we cool down. Looks like a drizzler today. It's good to get the wood split before the sawdust gets wet. But, I'll look forward to my favorite winter pastime: shoving wood in the stove. :thumbsup:

 

[jimmysisson]

Now you just need to add a hydraulic clamping arm and you can carry those logs around wherever you want. Great for brush, too!
Nice work, planning and welds. Easy to tell now your self-criticism was banter.
Paint time.
Jim