Shop made forklift attachments thread

[Oregon rock crusher]

I'm thinking about making a few attachments for the forklift to make it more useful. I think a man basket would be nice. Some type of dumping hopper would be good too. Maybe a shop built rotator? An extended boom could be usefull. I might come up with a winch mount for the back too. Would love to see what other attachments all the fabricators here on GJ have come up with.

Here are a couple pics of my first "attachment". A very simple 30" x 6' plate with fork pockets but very effective at helping densely load up a pallet rack with assorted heavy tools while I do some shop re-organizing. Also not too bad at packing some crushed rock for pot hole filling. Ed.

 

[Strouty]

I made some fork extensions, but I did a terrible job and need to remake them. I will be curious to see what others have made as well. Great idea for a thread.

 

[Snaparxon]

First thing you got to do is blow a hole in the fork so you can put a ball or pin in there to move trailers around the property.

 

[lis2323]

I made some fork extensions, but I did a terrible job and need to remake them. I will be curious to see what others have made as well. Great idea for a thread.

Here’s mine.


Seven footers.



A shot in use.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lis2323]

Here’s a shopbuilt man basket on my telehandler with forks.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

First thing you got to do is blow a hole in the fork so you can put a ball or pin in there to move trailers around the property.

For sure on the trailer ball hole macaxis. Very helpful. It's all the local trailer factory uses to move trailers through their plant and out to the yard.

Here’s a shopbuilt man basket on my telehandler with forks.


Your telehandler is awesome lis. Do you access the basket from a ladder or have someone lift you up only. Remote control like on a true man lift would be nice but not easy at all. I was thinking either a ladder to access or maybe just a long stick of pvc to reach the raise lower lever and lift myself but that seems a bit risky. Longer forks are a good useful attachment also. Nice to be able to reach all the way into a PU for loading and not have to push it in the last few feet.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lis2323]

For sure on the trailer ball hole macaxis. Very helpful. It's all the local trailer factory uses to move trailers through their plant and out to the yard.

ORC. with the telehandler it’s always a two man job. Figuring out a remote control is WAY beyond my pay grade.

When I use the basket on my conventional forklift I use a length of pvc pipe which I reach down with and hooks onto a vertical steel flat washer I welded on the main mast lift lever. Fortunately I’ve never drooped it yet. [emoji846]

Just went out in the dark and took a pic



I sold my Genie articulated man lift 4 years ago because it got to be TOO much of a luxury item to have around the farm.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lis2323]

Here’s a jib boom I made which is pretty handy.

Unloading a Lincoln 275 Precision Tig



And a Lincoln SA Junior



And a carpet pole I made for handling rolls of artificial turf.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I like the Jib boom attachment for sure. I was thinking about an extendable jib or maybe one where you can change the boom angle. Probably just as useful for nearly everything being fixed like what you have though lis. My forklift supposedly came from a carpet store and there was a carpet pole in the yard I bought it from. I tried to get them the throw it in just because but all I ended up with was $750 off and free delivery. Ed.

 

[lis2323]

You know Ed when I think about it, I think I can do whatever I need to do one way or another with the fixed boom.

Making an extendable one just seems like a lot of unnecessary work and head scratching. But then I’m just feeling lazy and I have wheel loaders with forks and a telehandler around.



Oh and free delivery is good any day as far as I’m concerned. Even if it’s only across the street.

Terry.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

You are well equipped with heavy equipment lis. I got by with a 64' Hough front end loader for the last 40 years as my only heavy lifter / scaffolding / do-all machine but it's gotten so tired I had to park it and should scrap it. Now trying to make a forklift into a do-all solution. It will have to do. Ed.

 

[gtermini]

The most useful "attachment" is the traditional rotten pallet. Makes a great osha manbasket.

I have a couple different stinger booms that are handy when working out a ways like to the centerline of a trailer. Someday I'll get a real crane, but for now it works.

The trailer ball hole is a good shackle hitch. ANd a guy can nerver have enough chains, slings, and lift clamps

A dock plate is handy too for getting the forklift onto trailers and over bumps and ledges.

Honorable mention for a spreader bar. Makes lifting big (wide) things easier.

Between using it for it's intended purpose and all the other million uses, I could never live without a forklift. Truly handier than a shirt pocket.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I've seen a few of those rotten pallet man stands in operation too but they usually were modified and had a piece of plywood nailed on top. When the big corp took over our sites years ago the man baskets were some of the first things to go...but at least some real man lifts came in to replace them. A solid spreader bar needs to be on the list too along with a bunch of rigging. Good to see your'e still in the area and finding ways to improvise and overcome gtermini. Ed.

 

[dr_clyde]

I’ve built an 8’ jib boom for mine, I have a picture somewhere...

Fork extensions were really necessary with my old forks that were pallet length. Now my new forklift has 5’ forks and I find myself not needing them as much.

My new shop has a bridge crane so that’s eliminated a lot of need for weird fork attachments.

 

[lis2323]

A dock plate is handy too for getting the forklift onto trailers and over bumps and ledges.

Between using it for it's intended purpose and all the other million uses, I could never live without a forklift. Truly handier than a shirt pocket.

Holy **** does your dock plate bring back memories. Our farm didn’t have a hydraulic leveling dock plate and we used a portable one just like yours with the rub rails.

You had to think what you were doing when placing and removing it. Lift with your legs to tip it up on its side and grab the lip and leg to slide out of the way....

Gloves were a must with the mag-alloy battered edges!

 

[lis2323]

My new shop has a bridge crane so that’s eliminated a lot of need for weird fork attachments.

Bridge crane dr_clyde!! Now you’re just showing off. [emoji23]

Color me jealous!

 

[dr_clyde]

Bridge crane dr_clyde!! Now you’re just showing off. [emoji23]

Color me jealous!

 

[matt_i]

I built a truss handler for building my shop. The mast wouldn't go high enough and the trusses were <180 lbs each.



I really want a rigger's boom (take the forks off) but there's not going to be a place to park it on the stand long-term.

I really like that sheetmetal platform for the pallet rack

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

That truss handler looks like it worked great Matt. I like the way the hooks catch the trusses so after they are up you just lower the mast and back away clean. I'm going to work on a boom this winter for my lift but am still looking at options and design ideas. Simple may be the best way to go. Ed.

 

[macgyver37]

Nice Hammond Trimosaw. I have one and love it.

As for the lift attachments, I haven't made any yet, I think a man basket may be the first thing as I need to get some building repairs done and it will be many times faster than a ladder.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Thanks Macgyver, the hammond glider was one of the heavier machines that made it onto the top shelf of the pallet rack storage solution. The ground level got the bulk of the really heavy stuff. That 8' x 12' footpring has a lot of equipment in it. I should have some more space added and be able to unload it by next spring. Ed.

 

[lis2323]

I

I really like that sheetmetal platform for the pallet rack

Me too! [emoji106]

Perfect for rolling heavy items out of the back of the pickup truck box also.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lis2323]

Not an attachment but I like my high lift pallet jack for working on equipment.

Often handier than using the forklift in the shop.





Pic of forklifts being used as sawhorses.

 

[gtermini]

Good to see your'e still in the area and finding ways to improvise and overcome gtermini. Ed.

Same with you Ed. Maybe we'll cross paths in person one of these days.

Holy **** does your dock plate bring back memories. Our farm didn’t have a hydraulic leveling dock plate and we used a portable one just like yours with the rub rails.

You had to think what you were doing when placing and removing it. Lift with your legs to tip it up on its side and grab the lip and leg to slide out of the way....

Gloves were a must with the mag-alloy battered edges!

This one is about 450 lbs, and I really don't want to get my fingers smashed trying to get it set.

 

[pelletman]

Quite a drill press collection!

 

[Farmall450]

Do forks on a skidsteer count? Although I suppose it could be pushed with the forklift, probably not for far.

Fork to snowplow w/ hydraulic tilt adapter.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Not an attachment but I like my high lift pallet jack for working on equipment.

Often handier than using the forklift in the shop.


Pic of forklifts being used as sawhorses.

The high lift pallet jack is a very handy item to have in the shop. A lift table and adjustable saw horse all in one.

Nothing easier than pulling your steel, packing it to the shop, and doing what you need to do right on the forks. Very handy for that.

Do forks on a skidsteer count? Although I suppose it could be pushed with the forklift, probably not for far.

Fork to snowplow w/ hydraulic tilt adapter.

Forks on a skidsteer are damn useful too...just hard to get the high lift and load capacity out of them. Then again, it's hard to attack a briar patch with a forklift. Damn near need both. I like seeing cool skidsteer attachments too. We mostly a long rake attachment on them for cleaning up under the plants at work but have forks too. Ed.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

i like seeing cool skidsteer attachments too. We mostly a long rake attachment on them for cleaning up under the plants at work but have forks too. Ed.

.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

That's pretty cool Muckin Slusher! Really extended that New Hollands reach....and it looks really well made. Ed.

 

[gtermini]

Used my other stinger today to pull the bed off a pickup.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Your stinger looks very well built G and obviously useful. The gussets securing the stinger to the cross members and fork pockets is very heavy looking. It also looks like it could extend. Low profile and heavy backside probably makes it easier to "park" and not tip forward when not in use. I may get around to starting on one in the next few weeks with some extra time off for the holiday's.

I see you added some more pics to your page one post too. You do have a good selection of attachments and I see you weren't kidding about the rotten pallet man basket but you left out the 2x6 or 8? side support roof access modification...careful out there. I was reminded about 30 years ago that I didn't bounce very good. Ed.

 

[IndyGarage]

I have a nice trailer mover. It's really like a fork extension that I've welded a hitch receiver to. I can put a drawbar with a ball in it and move trailers around - no problem with a single fork. I also have a drawbar with a hook on it for picking up chains or straps. I have a third drawbar that I welded a wheel hub on it with a pad - the pad can rotate - I pick up cars and move them with this. You simple put it under the car frame - lift one end of the car up, and push or pull the car.

 

[lis2323]

Hmm. No one mentioned cup holder....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dr_clyde]

Hmm. No one mentioned cup holder....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Standard issue on my Mitsubishi. No attachment needed.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I was just thinking the same thing this morning when I had to leave my coffee behind...Couldn't remember where I put it until it turned up late afternoon. It was a cold coffee break. I need an aftermarket cup holder for sure. Also some kind of rigging locker/box but still thinking on that. Ed.

 

[dr_clyde]

I was just thinking the same thing this morning when I had to leave my coffee behind...Couldn't remember where I put it until it turned up late afternoon. It was a cold coffee break. I need an aftermarket cup holder for sure. Also some kind of rigging locker/box but still thinking on that. Ed.

A friend of mine bolted a toolbox on top of the counterweight on his Hyster for chains, slings and that sort of thing.

Wouldn’t really work on a LP forklift, but on a gasser or diesel it’s pretty ideal.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

It would take bit of work to put a rigging box behind the NG cylinder dr clyde but could be done. My Toyota has a couple of Deep picking holes in the cast counterweight. I think I could drop a couple pins in the holes with a plate welded to the top of them. Then I could put a hinge point out on the plate far enough to to the side to be able to swing a box out of the way opposite what the cylinder swings. Wouldn't want to go so high I cut visibility out back but I can definitely get a good size heavy plate rigging box to work there. It's a good place to carry a little extra weight too. Ed.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I spent a little time this afternoon looking through my scrap pile looking for materials for a jib boom extension. I've had these fabricated bits for so long I forget what they came off but it could have been an old Koering excavator. Color is right anyway. These should be adaptable for fork pockets and cross bracing without much work. I have a few options for the jib out on the steel rack. I will probably go with cable supports from the top of these to a little past mid jib. Pretty easy to change the jib angle with that design. Ed.

 

[lis2323]

I spent a little time this afternoon looking through my scrap pile looking for materials for a jib boom extension. I've had these fabricated bits for so long I forget what they came off but it could have been an old Koering excavator. Color is right anyway. These should be adaptable for fork pockets and cross bracing without much work. I have a few options for the jib out on the steel rack. I will probably go with cable supports from the top of these to a little past mid jib. Pretty easy to change the jib angle with that design. Ed.

You’re off to a good start [emoji106]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dkmc]

Forklifts are to metal workers like Horses are to Cowboys. Except none of my forklifts have Rifle Slings on them. My collection of them make my job a lot easier almost every day.

Here's a boom I built from scrap. Would have built it a bit different if other material was used, but it's very handy as is....
I need to make a set of fork extensions someday.