Turner_Whitworth
Aluminum
- Joined
- May 21, 2011
- Location
- Texas
I'm considering buying a forklift for my home shop. One option is to buy a nice, low-hours used machine. The other option is to buy an older has-needs machine and renovate it, and because of the potential "fun factor" I'm considering that route.
I'm a car restorer in addition to being an amateur machinist. Engine repair and similar tasks would be straightforward for me. However I don't know too much about forklift systems, e.g. hydraulics and power transmission, other than having some user experience.
An older machine of 1960s-70s vintage would seem to offer straightforward mechanicals and, if spare parts were hard to source new, they might be easier to reproduce for a simpler, older machine than for a more recent model. A machine like that would fit well with the era of the other machines in my shop, too.
Ultimately, I don't mind spending some time getting an old fork truck cleaned up and running reliably and safely, knowing that it would not really be a profitable undertaking. My question to the forum is, is it feasible to do a top-to-bottom renovation on an oddball old forklift?
Voice-of-experience replies particularly welcome.
Thanks in advance,
TW
I'm a car restorer in addition to being an amateur machinist. Engine repair and similar tasks would be straightforward for me. However I don't know too much about forklift systems, e.g. hydraulics and power transmission, other than having some user experience.
An older machine of 1960s-70s vintage would seem to offer straightforward mechanicals and, if spare parts were hard to source new, they might be easier to reproduce for a simpler, older machine than for a more recent model. A machine like that would fit well with the era of the other machines in my shop, too.
Ultimately, I don't mind spending some time getting an old fork truck cleaned up and running reliably and safely, knowing that it would not really be a profitable undertaking. My question to the forum is, is it feasible to do a top-to-bottom renovation on an oddball old forklift?
Voice-of-experience replies particularly welcome.
Thanks in advance,
TW