iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Ford 540 vs 445... Now 545 D

Started by Ljohnsaw, September 23, 2021, 12:27:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

newoodguy78

If anyone needs any more measurements or can't decipher my chicken scratch ask away.

Ljohnsaw

I brought my old homemade 6' bucket I made for the SkyTrak home along with the 7' bucket for the new tractor.  I was hoping to take the very heavy cutting edge off the homemade one and use it on the Ford.  I forgot I actually broke the heavy cutting edge.  I figured it wasn't worth the effort to cut it off so I took it to the scrap yard.  I know I spent $20 on the diamond plate I rolled for the bucket and I'm pretty sure I spent very little on the brand new cutting edge (maybe $50).  Anyhow, got $90 for it as scrap.

So I took that and headed down to the Delta to get a set of forks to make a grapple/fork attachment.  He had a homemade set for a skid steer that looked like they'd bend just looking at a log (for $400) and then a pair of just forks for $125 - so I got those.

I think these are wider than the ones on the SkyTrak.


 
They come predrilled for a shackle or tow ball ;)    42" long


 
25" tall


 
6" wide x 2" thick on the upright section


 
Looks like 8.25" inside the slot


 
7" pass through to the slot


 
2" thick slot on top


 
1" thick slot on the bottom


 

 
Only found these numbers.  Anyone have a forklift that uses this type of fork?  Looking for pictures on what the hanger needs to be - probably solid stock?  Wondering if there is a kicker support at or near the bottom of the forks - seems like there should be something against the QA plate.  What would you think the rating would be on these?  Something like 10K?  I doubt I'll be bending these on the Ford.

I have a 49" piece of 15" x 3.25" structural steel with a 3/8" web I was hoping to use as a mounting plate - in my mind it was bigger but I need 15" on the inside.  So close.  I plan to mount a pair of 2-tooth hydraulic grapples on it to use for log handling as well as brush cleanup.

I might have to just buy a 1/2" or 5/8" QA mounting plate.  I'm gonna be burning a lot of rod on this project!

John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

newoodguy78

Those are some rugged forks. You won't regret having that hole in the tip, many uses for it. I don't have forks that big , the opposing "hook" design is similar though. On most I've seen there is a notch taken out of the center on the bottom. That allows the forks to be slid to the center and lifted off. Occasionally it's handy to remove one because it's in the way. 

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: newoodguy78 on November 20, 2021, 01:11:36 AMOn most I've seen there is a notch taken out of the center on the bottom.
Ahh, that's a good idea.  I was thinking I'd have to slide them off the ends.  But doing the middle, I can reinforce the ends without worrying about how to remove them.  Yes, my SkyTrak forks have a hole in the end of one and I use it ALL the time!  Do you think 2" x 1/4" wall tube would work for the top hanger or does it need to be solid bar?  If I have a kicker plate at the bottom for the forks to rest against, that will reduce the leverage on the top hook.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

thecfarm

Goggle, how to install forks on a forklift, for a picture of the notch in the center.
I drove them things for years. Forks have to be replaced because of wear. The forks have to be so thick for safety.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Ljohnsaw

A quick rendering of the forks and the mounting bars (to be attached to a backing plate).


 

  The top bar is 2" thick and I just drew it 3" tall.  The bottom is 1" thick and 3" tall with an 8" wide cutout to allow removal of the forks.   The spacer blocks are 1" thick 2"x4".  If I were to mount the 2x3 bar hanging off the top of the mounting plate by 3/4", I could eliminate one layer of the spacer blocks.

Now to find some metal...
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Andries

DanG! 
You're good with that computer graphics stuff. Good work, cause all the word, words, words weren't making things any clearer.
THICK stock and high amp settings are in your future young man! 😄
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

newoodguy78

He's gonna want some good old battleship rods for that project  :D

Andries

 No tubes of soggy, old rods for that project - boxes of fresh, dry tank builders. 😜
LT40G25
Ford 545D loader
Stihl chainsaws

newoodguy78


Roundhouse

Make sure to leave enough "slop" around the bars so you can wiggle-walk the forks to adjust them, remove them. The mount bars on mine are farther apart and it can still be a workout to move them over, I imagine having the mounting hooks closer together would result in shorter -hops-.
Woodland Mills HM130, 1995 F350 7.3L, 1994 F350 flatbed/crane, 1988 F350 dump, Owatonna 770 rough terrain forklift, 1938 Allis-Chalmers reverse WC tractor loader, 1979 Ford CL340 Skid Steer, 1948 Allis-Chalmers B, 1988 Yamaha Moto-4 200, various chain saws

Ljohnsaw

Quote from: Andries on November 20, 2021, 08:10:23 PMNo tubes of soggy, old rods for that project

Funny you mention that.  I know real welders have those hot boxes (reversed refrigerators) to keep their rods dry.  I've never done that.  I buy stuff off CL in 50lb boxes that I have around for years.  Works great for me.  But, I will have to get some thicker rod for this.
Quote from: Roundhouse on November 20, 2021, 09:04:07 PMMake sure to leave enough "slop" around the bars so you can wiggle-walk the forks to adjust them, remove them.
Like I said, a quick rendering.  There will likely be 1/4" of clearance.  On my SkyTrak, the forks have a tube on the top and hang on a round bar.  A real pain to slide them - until I put grease on the bar.  When I keep it lubed, the forks move with ease.

Here it is with a mounting plate, the extra 1" spacers removed.  Also moved the lower bar up 1/4" to provide a wiggle-gap ;)


John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

stavebuyer

Log and lumber forks on wheel loaders are generally built with vertical adjustment so the forks can adapt to the less than level conditions in the field versus fixed pallet forks. Fixed forks will plow a furrow and impale logs: floating forks follow the contour of the ground and can "thread" between logs when unloading a truck.

Ljohnsaw

Yeah, floating forks would be nice.  But, also bad at times when tipping down to separate logs.  The biggest thing right now with my tractor is I keep reaching for the side tilt lever I have in the SkyTrak :D  That is really handy for using the forks on uneven ground.  

Maybe I'll just use a 1/2" bar for the lower "keeper" rail.  That will allow a fork to swing forward to allow the front of one fork to rise up at least an inch or two relative to the other fork.  It would also make it easier to slide the forks into pallets with the ability to adjust automatically.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

I think I've talked myself out of building the fork hanger.  I called around today.  I would go with a 1/2" QA plate for $160.  The bars to hang the forks I would fab up from some 1"x3" bar.  Two sandwiched up for the 2" thick top hanger, sitting about 1" proud of the top of the QA plate for the top hook to clear.  The bottom "keeper" bar would again be two pieces of bar but offset to make a 1" lip on the bottom.  Stock comes in 20' lengths so I would cut it up into four 4.5' lengths or so.  Need a few spacer for the bottom bar.  I'm used to the 6' width on my SkyTrak for handling beams - nice and stable.  Anyhow, that stock is $213. :-X  So I'm up to $373 + tax (and shipping on the QA plate?).  Then I need some more stout steel for the headache rack - probably another $75 or so.  Then $40-50 in rods to burn (I haven't shopped for rod for quite a few years).  Then paint...  So close to $500 now, probably more.  Plus my time. ::)

I called Quick Attach (yeah, there is a company called that) and they want $985 for the "hanger" :(  Hmm, maybe I should make my own. 

Then I looked online at Titan (were I got the QA adapter for my tractor) and they have a heavy duty hanger/rack for $549 with free shipping and 0% financing. :laugh:  Powder coated finish.  I tried to call them to verify the bar spacing would work with my forks but was on hold for a while before I had to go somewhere.  I'll try again tomorrow.  Looks heavy enough that I could mount some grapple claws on it.  I have the rams, teeth (new, HD ripper shanks) and some steel.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Well, did some research.  My "new" forks are non-standard.  :( Should have done my research before going shopping.  The space between the upper and lower bars/hanger brackets have standard sizes of 16", 20", 25" and 29".  They match up to Class 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively.  Each having, typically, a heavier lift rating.  My forks are 6" wide x 2" thick that puts them in the Class 4 or 5 but not with the hanger brackets I have that are spaced at 8.25".  So, if I want to use these, I'll have to make my own hanger.  I'll have to think on that one a bit.  I could do it, but if I needed to get new forks at some point, I probably wouldn't be able to find any to fit my hanger. :-\
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

OK, back to the bucket.  I want to try to keep the plate (and the pivot points) as close to the bucket as possible. 

Here it the Quick Tach adapter (red) with the blank plate (raw steel) attached.  Note how the adapter (red) is hanging below the blank plate.  Roughly 6", the angle/perspective make it look smaller.  The tops are even.


 
Made up a story board to show that relationship.


 
Here is the bucket, open face flat down and the story board of where I think the blank plate needs to go.

 
The left end of the board (next to the X) is the low hanging QA adapter.  I can't have the QA hanging down below the bottom of the bucket.  Looks like the top of the blank plate will be sticking up a bit - need to fill with some plate.  And probably a length of plate running along the top between the QA plate and the back of the bucket.

Time to break out the torch to do a little trimming...

John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Taking a break for a late lunch.  I tacked on some straps to hopefully keep the spacing right.


 Cut it all loose and whacked it a few times to break it free.


Apparently, this weld wasn't doing much.


Cleaned it up.  Kept touching it up until I got good contact all the way around.


 
My QA adapter has two plates connected by a bar so I don't think I need to fill this gap on the bottom - only where the plates are located at each end.


 
  I plan to leave the middle open so dirt and water can wash through.

I plan on closing up the top completely for strength and to keep junk out from behind the bucket.


 

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

chevytaHOE5674

One thing I will say is gusset/reinforce that top lip on the skid steer plate. I've broken the top lip off every attachment I have that isn't reinforced. So I've went thru and beefed them all up now.




Ljohnsaw

Well I thought I had a picture of the bucket finished up but I can't find it.  Right now it is upside down - I cut off the cutting edge that was worn down to nub.  The new cutting edge was supposed to get here last Friday but hasn't shown up yet.  I'll get a picture of that once the new edge is installed.

I did finish up the quick tach attachment and took it up to mount on the tractor today.  It was powder coated in red so I decided to just paint my existing mounts I cut from the bucket (above) red to match.


 I'll probably end up painting it either yellow to match the tractor or black to match the bucket and future attachments (grapple).

I know, that weld looks like chicken poop.  I laid a real nice first bead.  Then I went back and laid two more, side by side but they didn't flow in the middle.  So I tried to lay a fourth to tie it all together and make it pretty.  I think I went too fast and it didn't flow well.  Anyhow, there should be plenty there to hold as there are beads on both sides of the 5/16" plate on each of the four ears.

 
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

mike_belben

Quote from: newoodguy78 on November 04, 2021, 09:45:05 PM
@chevytaHOE5674  have you ever messed with swapping injector pumps from different engines that are in these tractors?
What do the numbers on the side of the pump designate?
I know physically they will bolt on and have changed out pumps in the past on other fords.
Also do you know how many pounds of compression these little 3 cylinders are supposed to have?
I've got a project in mind.
You want to see buddy at metro fuel injection in agawam.  The shop is easy to miss so aerial map it.  Hopefully buddy is still there. 
  
Praise The Lord

newoodguy78

Is he the heavy set guy that works there? Metro is where I send all our pumps , excellent folks to deal with recommend them to anyone needing work done.

Ljohnsaw

We had a false start to winter back in October with about 6" of snow.  I packed in my mill and put everything to bed til spring.  Then it melted.  So I did my QA swap.  I have my bucket still down the hill waiting for the new cutting edge.  According to the FedEx tracking, it has been sitting in Sacramento (10 miles from me) for the last 8 days but the folks on the phone don't really know where it is.  I'd go pick it up if they knew where it was.  Anyhow, moot point now.  Snow is dumping on my property so I can't take it back up there now until it melts off sometime in the late spring/early summer.  That's assuming we don't have a freak hot spell.  Not likely as December snow usually sticks around.  Supposed to get 6 feet by Thursday night.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Well, the cutting edge arrived today.  It got lost in the Sacramento FedEx depot for 10 days.  Nice chunk of metal - 5/8" thick x 6" x 84".  Shipping weight said 79 pounds!  


 Did a little clean up grinding and fitting but was too late to start welding on it today.  Should finish it up tomorrow.

So, what say all of you?  Should I lay some hard face on the bottom of it?  A little on the front edge?  I see lots of examples on various buckets and blades at construction sites.  What kind of pattern should be on a cutting edge like this?  I have 7 or 8 pounds of 1/8" hard face rod just sitting there. ;D

I also went out and got a stick of 1" x 3" x 20' plate (as they call it - looked more like a bar to me) to sandwich up to make the top and bottom bars for the forklift attachment.  Will probably get something done on that tomorrow as well.

Another idea popped into my head this morning when I woke up early.  I was planning on adding grapple claws to the forklift attachment.  But, what about just adding the grapple claws to the QA on the tractor?  Couple benefits in doing that.  1) Would never have to disconnect/connect it.  2) They would be available to use with whatever attachment is mounted - be it the bucket or the forks or whatever I build in the future.  3) They would also act as a headache rack for the forks and bucket.  How about some cons?
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Ljohnsaw

Pondering more on the "permanent" installation of the grapple.  There is room on the outside/back of the QA plate where I can add a couple 2½" receiver tubes for 2" receiver hitches.  Or I could go big and put in the 3" tubes for the 2½" hitches.  I could just pin the grapple on there and leave it most of the time.  Then, if needed in a special case, it could very easily be removed.

I will add a snow plow in the not too distant future so that means being out in the cold.  So I'll have to add an enclosure for the cab.  And that will mean I'll need some heat.  Got this little 8kw beauty off of my favorite place, BidRL for $7.61.


 Runs on diesel so I could plumb it to the main tank instead of mounting the supplied 15L tank.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Thank You Sponsors!