Serated "sleeves" for forklift tine attachment

[jimgerken]

I've been handling more tree trunks and limbs than ever before this year. And its always raining too, leading to the problem: when the wood is wet it tends to slide off the sides or front of the forklift tines. I pick up a couple pcs, then go for a third, which works ok when everything is dry, but when wet then the whole load starts sliding around and soon it is all on the ground again. I used to have a grapple, and think that function would help this issue, but came up with a simpler concept to try, with your input. I am going to make a set of sleeves that slide onto the tines, from the front, and clamp or bolt around at the back end of the main horizontal section of each tine. The top of the sleeve will look something like a serated knife, so the wet wood will not slide on it as badly. Or another variation is a hacksaw blade effect, which is directional, keeping the wood from sliding forward too, so I can load more chunks without them sliding forward as I scoop up the next one. Almost anything that is sharp, even a straight shear edge of 1/4 inch thick steel sticking up above the top surface of the tine, would solve the sliding sideways problem. Adding the serated or sawtooth idea may make loading more on there easier.

Yout thoughts and ideas welcome, especially if you have noticed this same problem. Thanks.

 

[bigtiller]

I think the tooth on the top of the sleeve will have to be tall. An inch or more is what I am thinking, other wise it will fill up with wet wood trash and be nearly as slick as just the wet fork.

 

[jimgerken]

OK, finally got back to this idea. Put something together last weekend to try out. May get out to the woods this weekend for a test, so far this concept is unproven. I guess the pics speak for themselves mostly. The main side plate parts were cut on the plasma table. One interesting side note: The plasma always produces an annoying unpredictable 8 degree bevel cut. This time, it actually makes a desired effect. The bevel edge makes the log-gripping seration teeth sharp. For scale, the tines are 'brick tines', measuring about 2 by 2 inches, 48 inches long.

 

[beenthere]

Anxious to see how the new attachments work.

I gather firewood logs using the forks, and know what the frustration is all about.

I'm wondering if/how easy it will be to get under the logs and not just scoot them along. Maybe rolling them on with a peavy or cant hook ??

I have semi-seriously played with the idea of making a single hyd. top hook/arm to stand erect when not used, but drop down onto the log/logs that I get on the forks.

Nice build and envy a bit your access to the plasma cutter and welding tools. But I have access to friend (always too busy tho ) who has these skills. He built my wing plow for me.

 

[picker77]

I'm thinking of a different approach--adding a thumb to my forks. I have a set of Chris Perry forks, and recently added a Greens Machine Shop bucket thumb to my JD 305 loader's bucket/tooth bar combination--basically ending up with a removable narrow grapple. I also purchased an extra mounting base for the thumb. The thumb has been a great improvement in the utility of the bucket, but to increase the versatility of the forks I hope to come up with a way to drop the spare thumb mounting base onto the Chris Perry fork rails, while leaving the forks in place. Since the thumb itself is pinned to its mount, this would hopefully allow quick and easy switching of the thumb from bucket to forks and back when required (well, fairly easy--it weighs 108 lb!). I believe a fork thumb would be very useful in picking up large but lightweight loads like brush piles, and handling things in situations where the sides of the bucket interfere with getting under and picking up long loads such as logs and fence posts.

 

[jimgerken]

"I believe a fork thumb would be very useful in picking up large but lightweight loads like brush piles, and handling things in situations where the sides of the bucket interfere with getting under and picking up long loads such as logs and fence posts. "

YOU BET IT WILL !!! You will love the usefullness of the grapple and fork combo. It is the ultimate unit for brush especially.

 

[saltbranch]

When picking up material that will slide/slip easily on forks at work, I use some split burlap bags or scrap 4" truck tie down straps from work. I use duct tape to hold burlap/straps to forks. The burlap/straps will create enough friction for the material not to slip/slide.
I use this all the time for picking up wire rope cut into 5'-10' length's, sometimes several thousands pounds at a lift. Biggest problem I have is "shaking" off to put into our metal recycle dumpster.

 

[wldrbob]

how big is your plasma? the only time i get any angle to the cut is if im trying to cut to heavy a plate with worn out consumables 3/8 can be cut nicely with mine im looking at a bigger one christmas present for myself maybe

 

[jimgerken]

60 amp Thermal Dynamics cutmast 81, with 1Torch SL60. And yea, the consumables are always worn. Brand new ones are worn after the first project.

 

[wldrbob]

hummm that should be plenty big to cut straight .whats your air supply?and consumables wear way faster if your air isnt dryed ..my consumables seem to last pretty good did 118 feet of cutting in 3/16 plate and never noticed any angle to the cut . costs about 20 bucks to change mine

 

[saltbranch]

Have you tried the sleeaves out yet?With all the humps on them, does not seem like you could slip the forks under the material too me. I am also wondering if you cut them in a fish hook design, if that would not work better. Seems like that would make an easier pick up, with enough tilt for unload the "fish hook" should not be a problem. Just thinkin out load.

 

[jimgerken]

My plasma air is dessicant dried, after three (including the vertical compressor tank itself) gravity water seperator stages. And then the air is filtered.

Got to try the sleeves this past Friday. The weather sucked, it started snowing about 2 pm, and I got home and mixed chainsaw fuel and got ready to go to the woods, so got out there at about 3pm. The ground was frozen, but dry except for the new very dry and cold snow. Tractor is 4400 lbs ballasted, four wheel drive, R4 tires, no chains. So by the time I got down the hill into the woods, there was already an inch or so of snow. The first stuff I found to work on was a pile of small but tall trees. I made a whole bunch of cuts and then tossed the 3-5 inch diameter by five foot long pcs onto the tines (with sleeves installed) until I had the capacity in volume, maybe 35 pcs. Absolutely no slipping of the load! Even on side hills, thru the ravine crossing, etc, the load stayed together on the tines. And dumped fine of course. The next trip was the last for the day, due to timing and weather, and maybe the last for the season as the snow continued until we had almost a foot of snow. So I knew I had to try to pick up some logs with the sleeves on. I found a couple of pcs, off the side of the trail. One was 14 inches at the big end, and 25 feet long. The other pc was somewhat smaller. For the ultimate test, I decided to try to lift the larger log out of the brush and drag it out onto the trail to cut it, by sticking one tine under it and backing up. You see, the logs were beside the trail, but perpendicular to the trail, so I could drive to them, but the tractor was 90 degrees turned from scooping under them with the tines and picking them up that way. So I tried the single tine method, not expecting it would work, but it did work great. The sleeve provided enough grip on the log that I could lift the big end and it did not slide off as I backed up and turned so I could drop it across the trail. Normally with the bare tines, a wet log would have just slid off. A frozen one would surely have cooperated even less, and add the snow lubricant and the bare tines would frustrate me greatly. But with the sleeves installed, the wood does not slide around on the tines. Next I cut the log into pcs, and since they were too big to lift I proceeded to the last test: sliding under logs to pick them up. Here I experienced a problem. On level ground I was unable to slide the sleeved tines under the logs. They pushed along instead. So I ended up having to get off and roll them on. Then they stayed put nicely of course, and I was able to transport them up to the pile.
Yesterday I modified the tines. I cut off the front-most bump. I did it with a taper, so they should present a sliding surface to the log. I will post pics when I get them. With the front bump section removed, There is about 15 inches of bare tine showing out front. So I am thinking that I can now easily slide that bare tine section under the logs, and then curl suddenly to "pop" the log backwards onto the sleeve serated section, lifting to encourage it to roll to the back. Then get another one loaded hopefully.
So, overall they work well, and maybe with the modification now made they will work even better. Maybe a little technique change will develop too, when I get more time with them.

 

[wldrbob]

that should be dry air alright .. it always cuts with this 8 degree angle even if you try it freehand?

 

[J_J]

How about something like these to use with the forks to keep the logs in place?

 

[jimgerken]

I have been using the modified tine sleeves for a few weeks now and am very happy with their performance. I've been handling all the down, wet slimy wood that has been dead a while out in my woods, but is still at least 75% good oak firewood. With the tine sleeves cut back about a foot in length, there is now around 15 inches of bare steel tine exposed out front. So I slide that bare tine under the log, lift and flip it with the other hydraulic function (bucket curl) to encourage the log to roll back onto the tines further. Once the log is rolled to the back (toward the tractor) I can scoop up another big log, and do the same. I can get four logs on there this way if they average a foot or less diameter. Then I jump off and toss on a bunch of smaller stuff that is liftable by hand to round out the load. This type of load stays put on the tines no matter what I have encountered so far including the side hills in my trails. Over time a bunch of dirt and wood pulp ends up packed inside the sleeves above the tine area. But it doesnt seem to affect the process any, they still work well. So, project complete and working. I will try to remember to take some new pics soon and get them on here.