Brush forks

[Mickey]

Well, this past week I finally decided to get busy and build the forks I had been threatening to build.

They are quick attach via a pair of chain binders. I made them a little long for the tractor size but much of what I'll be moving are tree branches that can be large a difficult to pick up and move if there isn't enough support under them.

My oldest and I both sit on the forks out near the tip with no indication of structural issues but the back of the tractor sure looked like it was getting a little light on the feet and I had the tiller hooked on to help counter balance. I'm sure the front end was over loaded but I don't expect to carry this much weight on them in actual use.

Will take 2 post to show all 3 pics.

[Mickey]

Here's the rest of the pics.

Oh, made the forks out of 2x3x1/8 rect tubing. I cut and welded the tip of the forks so there was a 4" wedge to help with penetrating anything I was trying to lift.

I plan on doing a few calculations to see how close to yeld or buckling strength we got with the weights out at the tip. Was nice to see the bucket showed no signs of problem by support the weight and mostly at the tip of the bucket.

[bobodu]

Well...it holds a DOG!!! :congrats:
And seeing that your tractor is definately RED...ya outta do a bang up job :bannana:

[Bruceman]

Nice looking job there, Mick. I wouldn't shell out the green for a pair of store-bought either.

Bruce~

[mark777]

Very nice.
Those look pretty stout to me. I have seen many way under engineered.
What is the overall length of your forks?

How is that new tractor & tiller working out??

Mark

[Mickey]

Very nice.
Those look pretty stout to me. I have seen many way under engineered.
What is the overall length of your forks?

How is that new tractor & tiller working out??

Mark
The tines project 40" out from the bucket.

With both me and my son sitting on the end of the forks, that was 500#, way more than I'd every try and lift but it did give me an indication how the tractor would respond to that kind of load. Did a quick a dirty calc yesterday and with 300# at 32" out from the bucket the tine will flex 1/32".

The way I mounted the tines the load is carried on the strongest portion of the bucket. The leading edge is 3/8" and at the back of the bucket the formed sheetmetal is very strong.

The binders make for very quick install or removal.

Just picked up the tiller on Fri and didn't get a chance to try and mount till Sun PM and then found out the PTO shaft was too short. Had to go over to ernie's yesterday and pick up a longer one. See my post about the tiller.

[sonny]

A loader of any color isn't a loader without a good set of forks!!! sonny

[bobodu]

A loader of any color isn't a loader without a good set of forks!!! sonny

Same can be said about a steak dinner... :fing32:

[Keweenaw4310]

If you can work it into yours... the angle piece going forward is really what makes the forks useful for picking up logs and other long material that you don't want rolling back over your bucket at you. This is what I use and I can't imagine being without them:

http://www.paynesforks.com/loggerforkkit.htm

I've lifted 8'8" sections of tree trunk that were from 60' trees with no problem. The kind of chunks that 4 people can only roll not even pick up one end.

[Kbeitz]

What I use is Farmall tractor farm loader forks...
Easy to find at junkyards...
I weld a heavy peice of pipe on the fork and slide both forks on a solid round peice of steel and put two plates on each side of it..
Two bolts holds the round stock in my bucket...
The forks will slide right or left to fit what I'm lifting...
http://user.pa.net/~kbeitz/Kevin/Tractor%20pictures/fork%20attachment.JPG

[thesmartfarmer]

I guess i am biased but i like the ones i sell!!!

[kubotadude]

Any idea how those homemade forks (pictured above) are attached on the back of the bucket?

[MissUL8R]

Any idea how those homemade forks (pictured above) are attached on the back of the bucket?

I think they welded a piece of chain on the back of ther bucket for the other end of the binder, but not sure.

[bowhunter543]

Looks like they use a load binder but can't tell where the top is attached.