Keeping frozen lumber from sliding off of forks

[barbender]

 I run a skid steer with pallet forks for handling logs and lumber around my sawmill and firewood processor. It is really hard to keep said logs and lumber from sliding off of the forks sideways on even the slightest slope when things are frozen and icy. Besides putting a top clamp on my forks, which I really don't want to do for several reasons, is there anything any of you have done to make your forks grip a bit? 

 I was considering welding a strip of square stock down the length of each fork, but I really don't want to weld on them. Any ideas?

[Patrick NC]

You could use some of that sticky back sandpaper like they use on truck/ equipment steps. Wouldn't be permanent,  but might help

[stavebuyer]

Now that you are full time ditch the skid steer.  ;D ;D

[moodnacreek]

Just weld key stock in the middle of the forks where a crack would never start. Only tack weld so you can bust them off in the spring and grind those tacks smooth.

[Andries]

Frozen forks and frozen lumber is the definition of slippery and tricky business.
Trying to keep the balance juuuuust right is frustrating as heck. I keep a pair of ratchet straps in the loader to throw over a full (4'x 4'x ?') while moving the fresh sawn pack. That helps.
You'd think that Titan or Everything Attachments or somebody would be marketing a material clamp that could be added to a fork frame that could retract or raise up high enough to get out of the way of a full lumber pack. 
Some that are offered come close, but not quite right for lumber, could be that they work for metal piping etc?
A foggy memory has @Magicman with something on one of his tractors. A bolted on add-on? 

[Magicman]

Yes I do but barbender said:

Besides putting a top clamp on my forks, which I really don't want to do for several reasons,

Funny thing is that I have never had frozen lumber to slide off of my forks.  :

[barbender]

 Part of the problem is that from the factory, one of the forks isn't straight. I should've refused them but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Well, when the tip of one fork is about 2" higher than the other it is a big deal. Enough of a deal to send lumber on a slowwwww creep to the side on flat ground😂

 Some of the bolt on clamps look like they would work for handling lumber and pallets of material. The problem for me would be getting in and out of the machine. When I bought my pallet forks, they didn't have the step through brickgaurd, and I hated trying to get in and out if the machine. So I made them step through. Bolt on clamps would take my step through back away😁

 Patrick, I had considered that and it may be the way I go.

 Moodna, that sounds like it would work, too. Probably just tack it with the 110 wire feed.

 Stave, I could go to a front end loader or a telehandler, but until I get this problem solved all it would accomplish is bigger packs of lumber dumped to the side.

[240b]

I wonder how a piece of fire hose slid over the forks would work?   otherwise a dot of weld 

[OH logger]

I weld roller chain on each fork towards the outside of the fork. If welded towards the outside edge if a log starts to tip it'll still grab on the chain and stay there and not slide off Allowing you to adjust. I thought I'd grind off in the spring. Never have in 5 years. I don't handle lumber packs though. Might not be good for lumber.  Rebar might work but I like chain because it can break off just a short segment of chain and not take off the whole piece of rebar or keystock. 

[Old Greenhorn]

The bent fork is a real problem, most unfortunate. How about this: clean the forks really well (no oils or water) and apply some of those friction strips for stair treads from Mcmaster Carr or equivalent? I put those on some diamond plate for my Mom's wheel chair ramp transition about 20 years ago and they are still there, rain, snow ice, and we shovel right over them. That should work. Otherwise 2 c-clamps on the fork ends, but I understand the issues you mentioned make that not so good.

[beenthere]

Maybe just buy a new set of forks that one is not bent?

[230Dforme]

Good evening 
Look up a product called gripstrut by Mc Nichols for example. You would probably just need the ladder rung pieces, but lots of options 
Would only have to be tacked on, and could be removed in a few minutes with hand held grinder if
welded on the ends
May be a pain in some respects, but worth a look

[Southside]

Got a pair of old ski carbides from your Ski-doo?  Weld them on the side of the forks so just the tip of the carbide is above the flat part of the forks. Would help with slick / naked logs in the spring too. 

[Peter Drouin]

What would happen if you point the high fork down and push on something to see if you could get them closer together? A little flex to the fork.  ;) ;D

[Resonator]

My suggestion would be to cut some steel tubes to go over the forks (like fork extensions). Then you could weld on whatever pattern or tread you want, and slide them off again when you need smooth forks.

[Nebraska]

I vote for steel sleeves with the antiskid tape strip or a paint with sand mixed in. I have used  old towels wrapped on my forks when sawing Bur Oak it kept the staining down and things didn't slip and slide as much.

[Magicman]

 

 These are bent forks and there is no way to pick anything up.  ;D

[barbender]

 Dang, Magic! That is pretty extreme! 

 I can get a replacement fork for the bent one, so I don't have to replace the whole attachment. I've probably owned these for 12-13 years, I've always held out hope that I would be able to bend them to match. 

 Let me say this- I really don't know how folks manage to bend forks. Back working on the paving crew, I was instructed to do things with forks I never would've of my own accord, because I would've thought I would bend or break something. The slabs of concrete and asphalt that we pried with those things, and who knows what all else, they really took some abuse. And I haven't treated mine any better, and for the bent one worse actually. I have pried, bounced and lifted but that thing won't budge. And from what I saw with the other set, they're not going to. 

 You've all given me some good ideas I'm going to look into, thanks.

[Magicman]

 

 There are alternatives to bending.  This one sounded like a pistol shot when it broke. 

[moodnacreek]

The thing with welding key stock on is that you still have rugged steel forks that can be used hard to get under all sorts of things. They are to help logs and lumber from not going sideways only. I use a forklift almost every day for anything even large stones and steel beams and rough things put on the forks will not be there long.

[MattM]

If you have an oxy acetylene torch just heat up the bent fork and straighten it so that they're even with each other. I usually bend one or both of my forks at least once a year and it only takes about 5-10 minute to heat one up enough to starighten it out.

[barbender]

 As it turns out, I was using the skid steer today and noticed I unknowingly bent my other fork🤣 I suspect it was when prying a big pile of frozen white pine logs apart. It isn't a perfect match, but know that they are both a little funky I won't feel so bad about some "modifications"😊

[Southside]

Got an anvil and a rubber mallet around by chance?  :D

[barbender]

Oh come on, it took me 13 years to finally bend one!😂😂

[barbender]

That's the way it goes though. You know that Kenworth incident that you enjoy reminding me of, Southside...that poor guy, I had just finished telling the new forwarder operator I was training in how this truck driver was one of the worst drivers I'd ever seen. That he didn't belong in the woods. He had ran over 2 of our pickups, hit the Ponsse service truck, got stuck lots of places he shouldn't have. One day I got to a job, he was stuck on an easy hill right off the highway. Well, I told him to back out on the highway so I could get past him to get to the forwarder, and I'd come out and push him in if necessary. He backed out and put his trailer in the ditch across the road, blocking the whole highway. I can't remember if I was able to get in or had to walk back to my machine. So I wasn't wrong when I said he was terrible. The problem was I said that, then backed the loaded forwarder into the front of his truck🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ His owner/operator days ended right there, many thanked me including the truck boss. It never occurred to my boss to thank me though😬