Forklift Hole Size (Width)

[Bib Overalls]

I'm in the process of crating up a Buick 300 engine block for shipment. Today, with the help of my attorney friend we welded up a shipping cradle. I fabricated and he welded. Not pretty but it is only going to be used once so I am not concerned about looks, just functionality and strength.

One thing I need to know is how wide to make the slots for the forklift's forks. We used 3.5" for the height and now I need to box in the holes. I am setting it up for a one fork lift from above.

 

[A_Pmech]

If this will be shipped truck freight you'll be better off bolting it to a pallet.

While I like the fork pocket idea, the guys in the warehouse don't have time to figure out how to move every crate. They "get" pallets.

 

[MagnumForce]

My god, those welds

 

[soj]

My god, those welds

He said a lawyer did the welding. There is a joke there somewhere...

 

[MagnumForce]

As someone who drives tow motors a lot. No one is going to want to lift that thing from the top like that. Bad news all around, unsafe in several ways.

 

[Twisted Sid]

Does that thing have to be cut away to get the block out?
A free pallet, a few lengths of 2x4/4x4s, a handful of drywall screws and bolts, and some plywood would have been MUCH easier.

 

[MagnumForce]

Fwiw, you don't need anymore slots than are already there. I really doubt a ltl company will ship the thing like that anyway

 

[Bib Overalls]

Took it to Fastinal this afternoon. They put it on a pallet. We did fork it out of my truck with out incident. Atticus Finch can actually make a pretty good weld when he is on his game. For this job he used a lot of heat and wire. It will hold.

The block is held to the cage with 4 bolts. With them removed the block should come out without cutting.