Thread: Al's tooling up!!

Flat track racing bobcats?

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Paul you're right on the lifting capacity, found with Carl's you can get more stuff picked up with the forks. Also much more friendly for stacks of timber. On the forks, whats the consensus - should I have forks that are 'free' that is only secured at the top so they can swing, or fixed forks so secured at top and bottom? What's the consensus? Carl likes having his forks free, another forum member I've worked for recently Rude, has his fixed.

Welding the bucket - not telling me how to suck eggs mate, I had no idea. I figured it was metal and I'd hit it up with my welder So I guess they won't hold on long - I'm not 100% happy with them, they look a bit rough, but will see how they go.I just used my little gas less mig...

Fuel - yeah ya right, if I still got 700k per tank, I suppose everybody would be hauling a bobcat around It certainly will make things a bit easy at times on jobs, that's for sure

Allan

I'm sure there is a case for both styles of forks. My own feeling is that because they are being used on your bobcat you can position them at any angle you want unlike a forklift, which only has the very limited angling of the mast.

It is very useful to be able to angle the forks down at say 45 degrees or more and spear into a pile of logs to prise one out or reposition it. If the forks are free to swing this manouver is probably not available to you.

However if Carl has found the free forks work best perhaps there is an aspect I am missing.

With your mig welder the wire may be high tensile, which means that you will be ok. Our welder at work has high tensile wire in it all the time. Just a caution with mig welding: A mig weld can look really good but have no penetration into the parent metal. It will just be sitting on the surface. Also smaller home style welders sometimes don't have the grunt to weld into thick steel.

Another small problem is that high carbon steel should be preheated before welding. This is easily done with oxy or I normally use an LPG gas bottle. The heat is only gentle to remove moisture. As you put heat on the steel you can see the moisture evaporating as the heat front moves around.

Don't let me put you off with all this as it is quite easy. It just takes a little bit of time and preparation. With my backhoe I made the forks, which probably means that they are uncertificated and even more likely, illegal.

I am sure I don't have to say that it is unwise at any time to put yourself in a position where a log could potentially fall from your bucket and injure you.

It wouldn't surprise me to hear you say that fuel consumption on your ute doubled when towing.

BTW, as I have never met Carl, I was most interested to see a picture of him in your first post. He is much better looking than I had been led to believe. I didn't think I was up for man-crushes, but I might have to revisit my whole philosophy on life.

Regards
Paul

Regards
Paul

Al, I'd go for fixed forks definitely. I have free (fixed at the top forks) on the loader/backhoe and they can be fair pita especially when you get the heel of the fork dug into a bit of dirt or caught on something.

Also as has already be suggested yo can go down at a angle to spear into things.

In fact one of my 339 projects is to somehow fix mine at the bottom ie the front lip of the bucket.

Cheers
Chris

Hi Al, I have a fixed forks attachment on mine and would definitely only have them that way. I bought a bobcat to help me with my milling and now days I spend more time as bobcat contractor than I do as a miller!!
Enjoy

as others have said go fixed i made my setup using a fork carriage of a forktruck which is the slotted bit that the forks mount on and slide across on with this set up i can take off one fork and use one fork to dig scratch shallow trenchs etc sometimes deeper if the ground soft

Geese you blokes are funny - just what the doctor ordered tonight - thanks a bunch...working slopes, faster cornering, man crushes geeese.... definitely needed the chuckle good on you all.

So it seems fixed is a good way to go. Have found a set of 2.5t forks (should be ok for the bobcat I reckon) and now need to spend a bit of brainpower on the 'bracket' thingo to hold 'em onto the bobby.

Paul, I see I may have to revise my welding, not so fussed if the welds on the 'teeth' don't hold, if they let go then they do - I think I want a better option, but having said that, you watch they will never fall off now Currently making ramps for the trailer (if it ever arrives ) I'd say the mig should be ok for that, between 2-3mm thick steel, welding has become much better looking - dunno if that means it'll hold any better

Thanks again you bunch of funny chaps

Originally Posted by Sigidi

Thanks again you bunch of funny chaps

Allan

My (our?) pleasure. Given in the same humour as it was received. Hope all goes well with the Bobcat project. I'm sure it will.

Regards
Paul

Hi Al, that smaller tyre is definately for dirt track racing, if they can do it on rideon lawn mowers why not Bobcat's
Carl is definately looking better than I remember
Looks like things are going well.

Pete

Swinging forks are handy on steep country as your blades remain level. Nothing worse than a major "dribble" when your going down hill.

I don't understand? the forks don't stay level coz how long they are, they hang below horizontal, with load on them wont they tip more depending on how far along the fork the load is and I won't be going on steep country with the bobcat - too much of a chicken, but in this scenario why would someone tip the forks forward and let them hang, wouldn't you want to tip the forks back toward the machine so the load stays on/in them?

I'm new to a bobcat, is there something I'm not seeing?

On a different note, I was using the bobcat as a workbench to fabricate a set of ramps for my trailer (when it arrives ) and happened to leave the bucket off the ground last night...pretty happy with the seals in the arms, must be pretty good, Obviously I won't be doing this all the time but I had expectations the bucket would be on the ground this morning.

So the ramps are done and as Carl predicted it took me a good deal longer than he would have taken, apparently getting the angle iron all level and even spaces with the bits at the same angle to each other was a waste of time

What do you need ramps for anyway? You can just load straight onto trailer backwards of course..... I think someone had a utube vid of someone loading a bobcat/backhoe onto a truck without ramps....quite tricky and speccy to watch, think I'd be using ramps as well....with nicely spaced angles and all the right way up!!!!
Good job Al


Pete

Hi Allan, Good idea running 4 tyres the same size, Bobcats are "skid steer"...
Meaning both wheels per side are locked together. Odd size tyres would be fighting against each other.
From memory, I think 4 in 1 buckets can weigh 300 - 400 kg's.
Pallet Forks weigh approx 135 kg.
I think I paid about $1650 for a new Fork attatchment from Caterpillar.
Fixed forks for me easier to tip logs off, or roll logs back towards the machine etc.
Hmmm ... Lucas Mill, + Bobcat,+ chainsaw,+ Allan =

Ravgnome welcome to the forum!!!

I can scare up a new fork attachment off ebay for $1200, comes ready to fit and has 1,500kg capacity, but found a chap I can get the tines off rated at 2,500kg for $100, so thinking about making the attachment atm.

Yeah I think fixed is where I'm leaning.

So its now Lucas Mill + bobcat + chainsaws+ Al (soon to be with forks and 3,400kg flat bed trailer -if they ever finish it )

flatbed not the best trailer to tow skidsteer on but maybe its multipurpose just take care with that weight sitting high especially behind 4x4