Round billet storage and transport ideas

admin

The place I work for is acquiring a new building and will need to transport 6" x 144" long 316 S.S. billets into the building. They will be stored in some side-access type container boxes, driven up a ramp and set at the infeed of the saw. There are still many things up in the air, one being how to hold the rounds. Forking a single piece of metal and rolling it off onto a roller table is not an option because of the 1200 lbs of danger, several times a day.  I thought of some kind of grapple that is used in handling logs, possibly one that is clamped by pulling pressure. I found them once on google and cant find them at the moment. But I remember that they are intended to be used with a crane. The billets will be moved around with a forklift. Also, we are wondering what kind of storage system to have in the boxes. Trees were an option, but not the best use of room. I know they plan on storing around 100 billets in the boxes and want the ability to grab any bar without having to move much around.  Thanks for any insight on this.  


Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:I wouldn't go near a piece of round steel with a grapple.  It's a good way to kill someone if it slips out the side.Safest, and easiest way to move heavy rounds is a simple set of slings.  One on each fork.  Sling grabs the material and is less likely to slip.  Replace the slings when they start to fray.  Hole in each fork, near the tip, with a pin to keep the slings from sliding off.I'll move stuff with a chain sling, but it's dicey if a guy doesn't know how to overlap the chains to form a choker.  A sling is idiot proof.  Your ground man doesn't have to be an Einstein.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Brainfarth

The place I work for is acquiring a new building and will need to transport 6" x 144" long 316 S.S. billets into the building. They will be stored in some side-access type container boxes, driven up a ramp and set at the infeed of the saw. There are still many things up in the air, one being how to hold the rounds. Forking a single piece of metal and rolling it off onto a roller table is not an option because of the 1200 lbs of danger, several times a day.  I thought of some kind of grapple that is used in handling logs, possibly one that is clamped by pulling pressure. I found them once on google and cant find them at the moment. But I remember that they are intended to be used with a crane. The billets will be moved around with a forklift. Also, we are wondering what kind of storage system to have in the boxes. Trees were an option, but not the best use of room. I know they plan on storing around 100 billets in the boxes and want the ability to grab any bar without having to move much around.  Thanks for any insight on this.
Reply:

Originally Posted by farmersammm

I wouldn't go near a piece of round steel with a grapple.  It's a good way to kill someone if it slips out the side.Safest, and easiest way to move heavy rounds is a simple set of slings.  One on each fork.  Sling grabs the material and is less likely to slip.  Replace the slings when they start to fray.  Hole in each fork, near the tip, with a pin to keep the slings from sliding off.I'll move stuff with a chain sling, but it's dicey if a guy doesn't know how to overlap the chains to form a choker.  A sling is idiot proof.  Your ground man doesn't have to be an Einstein.