My newest project: Bucket Forks

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I started the project with a plate of 3/8" steel ,2"x2"x1/4" square tubing, and 2 1/2"x 2 1/2"x 1/4" tubing. Broke out the lincon 225, 6013 AC 1/8" rods, borrowed plasma cutter, soap stone, grinder, flap disc, drill, drill bits, primmer, paint, and the most important item THE RADIO.  I am sure that I have forgotten something... After 8 hours, I finished the project, hoping to get to do a weight test in the next few days and will post the results ASAP. Feel free to criticize, or ask any questions, hopeing everything looks up to par to everyone. Attached ImagesJobSmart MIG125Lincoln AC225-SLincoln Pro-Mig 175Dewalt GrindersRidgid ChopsawIR Garage Mate CompressorAny thing worth doing, is worth doing right.
Reply:more pictures Attached ImagesJobSmart MIG125Lincoln AC225-SLincoln Pro-Mig 175Dewalt GrindersRidgid ChopsawIR Garage Mate CompressorAny thing worth doing, is worth doing right.
Reply:and more... Attached ImagesJobSmart MIG125Lincoln AC225-SLincoln Pro-Mig 175Dewalt GrindersRidgid ChopsawIR Garage Mate CompressorAny thing worth doing, is worth doing right.
Reply:If anyone wants or need the dementions, Ill give them to who ever needs them, I didnt pay for them and wont make anyone else pay for them either. Attached ImagesJobSmart MIG125Lincoln AC225-SLincoln Pro-Mig 175Dewalt GrindersRidgid ChopsawIR Garage Mate CompressorAny thing worth doing, is worth doing right.
Reply:Looks like you could have slowed down some more and tightened up your pattern. I'm not impressed with the way the toes of those welds look even if the slag curled up like that. 1st weld shown looks to be the best of the bunch.I'd also be very careful with those. I'm not sure I agree with the engineering idea behind them. A pinned connection right at the highest stress point looks like a poor idea to me. For lite loads they may be fine, but I wouldn't trust them for overhead lifting or with anyone near them with a load raised..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:these are real ones http://www.municibid.com/detail.asp?...n-Bucket-Forks
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWLooks like you could have slowed down some more and tightened up your pattern. I'm not impressed with the way the toes of those welds look even if the slag curled up like that. 1st weld shown looks to be the best of the bunch.I'd also be very careful with those. I'm not sure I agree with the engineering idea behind them. A pinned connection right at the highest stress point looks like a poor idea to me. For lite loads they may be fine, but I wouldn't trust them for overhead lifting or with anyone near them with a load raised.
Reply:Don't get involved in this kind of stuff too much anymore, so here it is..........I'm not terribly concerned about the welds, it's the engineering I look at.While the tubing might look stout, it isn't for this application.You have to look at leverage, plain and simple.The material is very strong in a small zone, but when leverage (the long forks) is applied, it becomes very weak for what it is intended for.  The moment will occur where the tubing enters the mounts......the end of the forks closest to the tractor.I have great respect for steel, it's a wonderful thing, but it's strength is limited like everything else.  Always look at your builds, and try to imagine the worst case scenario."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Here are the forks I build.....have made close to 300 sets over the last 4 years. Many happy users.Jim Colt Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltHere are the forks I build.....have made close to 300 sets over the last 4 years. Many happy users.Jim Colt
Reply:Well I promised you weight testing and here it is. One picture is of granite totaling around 500 lbs give or take. The other picture is a concreate linned vault with around 10 gallons of water that has blown into the gap divider under the lid, totaling at 2,450 lbs for the vault and around 83.5 lbs for the water.. "Weight of 1 US Gallon of water = approx. 8.35 lb". For a total of 2,533.5 lbs. I checked ever square inch of the forks, no bends, impressions, or cracks of any kind, but i did scratch off some paint. haha Attached ImagesJobSmart MIG125Lincoln AC225-SLincoln Pro-Mig 175Dewalt GrindersRidgid ChopsawIR Garage Mate CompressorAny thing worth doing, is worth doing right.
Reply:I'm glad you both posted forks.  I will be making some this summer for my tractor to load logs onto the chainsaw table for cutting firewood.  The chainsaw table will be made from a trailerhouse frame I got for $40Use about 10 cords per year and cutting on the ground sucks! Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:JimIt looks like yours are 2X4?  what thickness?
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltHere are the forks I build.....have made close to 300 sets over the last 4 years. Many happy users.Jim Colt
Reply:3/8" plate, tube is 2 x 3, 1/4" wall. I have tested them many times with my tractor to max lift capacity....which is about 1800 lbs (per pair of forks). I sell them as 1600 lbs rated with the load centered. The clamp is designed to take the weight load on the cutting edge...so they must fit pretty tight on the bucket at that point. The only function of the clamp bolt is to hold the forks on the bucket.Jim Colt Originally Posted by John CanfieldVery nice and clean Jim!  What is the plate thickness at the clamp area and fork tube size?  The plate looks like 3/8"s maybe?
Reply:Nice work!Motorboating...in the Cleavage of the Tetons