# Forks



## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

I found this set of forks at a farm just up the street from me. Gave $100.00 for them, a lot cheaper then John Deer wanted for a set.($1,000). Some modification is needed . from the dealer I bought the clips and pins to attatch them to my loader arms. I am going to weld a piece of eight inch channel on each side with the mounts welded on.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*Headache rack*

Came with it, I took it off to make my mounts.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*This is where*

The forks are going to mount to.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

You must have a built in bargain sensing radar Slip!   You got one heck of a good deal. That is a pretty beefy set of forks. How much you figure they weigh?


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*good question*



> _Originally posted by Chief _
> *You must have a built in bargain sensing radar Slip!   You got one heck of a good deal. That is a pretty beefy set of forks. How much you figure they weigh? *


 I would say somewhere around 200 pounds, two of us loaded them into my pick-up truck. They are off an older New Hollland skid-steer. They did not fit well on his larger new machine and they where taking up space, I offered he accepted. I have been trying to put together a set of forks since I bought the Deer, so this turns out to be a real find for me. The plumbing for the clam bucket on my loader is going to make is easy to design a hydraulic thumb for the forks so I can use them to turn and handle logs around my band mill.
I also can get a good deal on big round bales of hay, but hesitated because they are a bit hard to handle without forks or a bale sticker rod.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

What are you getting for hay up your way? It goes for about $15 a round bale here.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*round bales*

I have a fellow that will bale my hay and split it with me. I have about 18 acres in hay right now. This weird summer I did not manage to get it baled. I did get it mowed and my neighbor on the hill ran his chopper thru it. Should make nice hay next year as we got the golden rod chopped befor it seeded.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*they are mounted*

My friend Marc came over today and we finished up the mounts for my forks. I have a pile of steele forms that make paver track for highway jobs, cut two 16" pieces and it worked well. I need to find some washers with 1 1/4 inch holes to use as spacers for my bottom locking pins, but other then that they are usable. I picked up a round bale and a log to test them out.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

I needed to make a mount with a 5 1/2 " offset so I have enough rollback. The forks will tilt down on the loader arms past verticle. I wanted them to do that so I can use them for concrete tear outs , I do a lot of them.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*mount*

Here is a close up of what I came up with.


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

rollled all the way back.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

:thumbsup: Nice job slip!


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*Thanks Argee*

I still have to remount the headache rack. It will need some modification , because I am adding a pair of hydraulic fingers for holding slabs or logs securly to the forks. The loader is already plumbed for the clam bucket. The fingers will adjust side to side on a piece of square stock rotated by one cylander center mounted on the back side of the fork rack. Maybe get it done next week if the weather stays crappy.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Your headache rack AKA an LBR or Load Back Rest looks as if it could use some straightening


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## slipshod (Sep 19, 2003)

*For Sure*



> _Originally posted by Argee _
> *Your headache rack AKA an LBR or Load Back Rest looks as if it could use some straightening *


 Damn thing must have been doing what it was designed for. I will straighten it out when I modify it. Right now I have my nose back on the trail looking for inexpensive two way cylander or a pair of cylanders to make my log/slab holders operate.


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## bjepple (Oct 23, 2004)

Looks good Slip.

I got a set of forks off a forklift a few years ago and rigged them up so they hook on the top of the bucket with a round bar like they use on some backhoes. They are great because you can hook and unhook without even getting off the tractor. Drive up to them, roll the bucket back and you are good to go. Unfortunately your vision isn't real good because the bucket is still on. I would like to make a carriage like you have that mounts in place of the bucket when I use the forks primarily, but I don't have a quick detach bucket so it would only be for when I use the forks for a long time without needing the bucket. That doesn't happen often. I have used them to pry out some large rocks so I would think they will work good for slabs of concrete. My forks really come in handy when working a fire too. Then you don't have to get the tractor too close. I use them I lot more than I thought I would. Shoot, I even put all my firewood on pallets now so I can grab a pallet full and take it right to the door to unload. Call me lazy if you want, but it's a lot better than using a wheelbarrow.  Got 12 new pallets in the truck now to replace the old ones.


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