Forklift counter weight taboo calculations

[dkmc]

I dunno....either he tied one on last night, or I insulted him and he's sulking....OR watch me git a lecture when he returns....

[SwissPro]

Originally Posted by .RC.

For portable counterweights, you could try these, they come in various weights and they have the advantage of being extremely portable and they can even be self moving...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...terweights.jpg

I'd write something witty here but I'm too busy pouring bleach into my eyes.

[cnctoolcat]

Being "Ox-ish", those welded on brackets securing the chains to the platform look a little weak...

[Mark Rand]

I hadn't realised how hard it was for you guys.

Comes of working at a plant that has a 100 long ton crane in one bay, 120 in another bay, 30-50 in most of the others, railway from one end of the factory to another and floor that's smooth enough to tow machine tools on castors behind the FLT

[Perry Harrington]

Believe it or not, wood works well on a smooth concrete floor. I put my VMC in sideways, like it shows in the photo. Then I pushed the wood 4x4s it sat on to rotate it 90 degrees. Finally I wrapped a tow strap around the base, and pulled it to "unwind" it. I left the levelling screws in the base of the machine and allowed them to pierce the wood, so it was attached to the machine.

For my next move, I'm going to bring the forks together and lift the machine from the electrical cabinet side. I'll put blocks of wood between the base and the fork uprights, then use chains and binders to the column to secure it to the carriage. I think with this setup I might even be able to do it without extra ballast.

I've got 2 holes through the counterweight, like you'd have a hang on weight pack, like a coat hook hangs over a door. 2 vertical pins fit through the holes, then a box behind the counterweight. I'll fill the box with concrete, since it's easy to build up the box and fill with concrete.

[dkmc]

Originally Posted by cnctoolcat

Being "Ox-ish", those welded on brackets securing the chains to the platform look a little weak...

I agree and I thought that too.... They are 1/4" plate. Large hole has not-much material surrounding it. But...readily available by the dozens as take off parts from a customer. I actually carefully got up & stood behind the motor on it's pallet, hopped a little too.....that's an extra 220+...??

Heck, maybe I have a future as a design engineer in the Far East working on the latest minimalist designs for Harbor Freight Engine Hoist's and Gantry Crane's?
How do you say 'Pigeon Poop Weld' in Taiwanese ?

[Ox]

Originally Posted by Mud

That shot with the forks tight together and all the weight above them makes me nervous to look at.

Boy - THAT ranks ratt up there on the pucker factor scale!

What happened to git'n it from the side?

I dunno....either he tied one on last night, or I insulted him and he's sulking....OR watch me git a lecture when he returns....

Don't flatter yourself. I jist been werkin'.

I'd write something witty here but I'm too busy pouring bleach into my eyes.

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

[dkmc]

I HATE those caterpillar skates. The machine has to be up SO high to be on them.....the plywood sounds much more safe.
The one question I'd like to get an answer to, is how how far over side to side can one of these go before they go on over? What sort of angle? I looked it over and it seems like there is a lot of weight down low. 1" difference in height side to side seems huge, we only dared go 1/2" plywood thickness at a time.

[paul39]

dkmc,

Nice! Nothing got broken, nobody got hurt.

Hope the next one goes as easily.

Paul

[gunbuilder]

Originally Posted by paul39

dkmc,

Nice! Nothing got broken, nobody got hurt.

Hope the next one goes as easily.

Paul

Paul,
I guess that describes a successful move, doesn't it!

Thanks,
Paul

[Steve@Reliance]

One thing I learned from a rigger years ago is to keep a few 12x12" pieces of plywood around to put between forks and load. makes things a lot less slippery.

[Dan from Oakland]

Steve- regular old cardboard will work almost as well as plywood in a jam. I learned the same trick watching my riggers work. As far as those portable counterweights are concerned, I'll stick with my 55 gal drum filled with concrete and two rebar hooks sticking out the top.
Dan

[dkmc]

Well, this wraps up this move....got the second one in today...65 deg today...summer weather on Nov 15th...I'll take it!

These things are pretty easy to get up off the floor & back down with just a 3 ton floor jack....or to do some 'angle milling' perhaps ??




Maybe kinda tight together....we'll see if they need more spread or not...

[Ox]

Boy - why didn't I think of that!

I built a custom angled fixture, when I could'a jist used the floor jack.

You see - this is where experience trumps good looks.


So - you got yourself a pr of Fanuc mills with no-name iron attached eh? I'm sure the ROI will be quick on those! Or at the very least you have a cannible.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

[dkmc]

I built a custom angled fixture, when I could'a jist used the floor jack.

I'm full of ....tricks.... sometimes something else.

So - you got yourself a pr of Fanuc mills with no-name iron attached eh? I'm sure the ROI will be quick on those! Or at the very least you have a cannible.

Well, Kryle is the name...now in the -vacuum cleaner- business I guess. Supposedly similar to Leadwell.
I can only hope on the ROI, but I figger $58 ain't much to go out on a limb for even in this economy....