DavidTodtman Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Hi all. I live in Calgary, Alberta and we have fork lifts here. I would like to find a broken fork lift tine to use as a post anvil. However, I am not sure what doors to start knocking on. I know of only one scrap yard in town that allows "shopping" and they don't have any busted tines. They get them from time to time but they go right into the bins for shipping off shore. What types of outfits would be likely to have a busted tine or two sitting around? Ciao, David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricS Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 I would try forklift repair shops. We have a few places here in the Charlotte area that have a fairly large piles of scap tines behind there shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 And where did they say the ones they get from time to time come from? I'd ask around farm implement dealers and repairers too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 The tines have wear limits and get worn down from dragging on the ground. Sometimes the big warehouses have the ones that worn down too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Besides the obvious place that repairs forklifts, you might also look at salvage yards. I know a few salvage yards that specialize in heavy equipment, Things like backhoes, dozers, material handling equipment etc. Some places that deal with heavy trucks also have a tendency to keep heavy equipment around for salvage. Even if the forklift repair guys don't have any broken tines, you might ask them where you might find a salvage yard in your area that has stuff like this around. That's mostly why I knew where the yards around us are. Guys that do repairs on older equipment usually have an idea who keeps this sort of stuff around to part out vs simply scrapping it. Even if you don't locate a broken tine, you might locate some other piece of heavy meatl that was part of a piece of machinery that might be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 There has to be someone who fixes Forklifts in CowTown, look in the phonebook. Not everyone has a web-site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 here there are places that hire fork trucks, for anything other than very short hires they replace the tines in case there was unseen damage and one breaks so we see lots of them here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 1, 2014 Share Posted May 1, 2014 Be sure to tell them what you want it for! Many places are afraid of passing on a damaged piece in case some fool tries to use it on their forklift and injures themselves or others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Try a rental yard. A local just got one from his work - convention service. I would look at places that abuses forkifts IE; rental yards first, then maybe more rental yards... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admanfrd Posted May 2, 2014 Share Posted May 2, 2014 Scrap yards and construction sites. I wonder if they would make a good striking anvil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Be sure to tell them what you want it for! Many places are afraid of passing on a damaged piece in case some fool tries to use it on their forklift and injures themselves or others. For things like this I come prepared to cut the piece up in front of them if need be. OA cutting torch or gas powered demo saw makes fast work of something like this. even bringing out your abrasive chop saw and a long extension cord would work in a pinch. I used to have to do this at the hydro place we used to frequent when we'd want to get scrap cylinders for displays or for other uses. A quick cut thru the side wall or a few 1/2" holes drilled in the base assured them we didn't plan to use them for gas storage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidTodtman Posted May 4, 2014 Author Share Posted May 4, 2014 Thanks all for the good and thoughtful information. There is an equipment rental outfit nearby and I will begin my quest there. Fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gaddis Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Fork lift tines are a special part of law and liability. Many people will not allow anyone access to a forklift tine that is "safety wise" unusable because some may try to make use of the tine in exactly that condition. Many things reduce the reliability of a tine such as over-capacity bending, excess proximity to heat, unauthorized modification such as torch cutoffs, etc. In this world of liability the law is stronger than reality. SO what does the shop do to a forklift tine that must be replaced? They cur cut the 90 degree angle out or the connector ends and send them straight to the recycler. Occasionally people can get them in the scrap yards without anything haven been done to destroy the tines. They are made from very good steel presumed to be 4140 or 4150, but there is no "for sure" easy determinant. We like to make top tools and bottom tooling for striking anvils from the tines when available. They perform very well. carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianc Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 (edited) I am sure hoping they make a good striking anvil because I literally just finished welding one up out of forklift shanks. Its cooling as I type this. I'm fortunate to work for the largest manufacturer of forklift forks in the world so have plenty of drops around for projects such as this. Material is typically 4140 or 15B30 depending on cross-section (at least for our products). This one is about 200#, have a 1" square hardy hole cut with a wire EDM in the top piece with a drilled clearance hole underneath. Legs are 2x2 square tube, filled with worn out shot from the blaster and vibrated with a needle scaler until no more fit. I'm getting about 40% rebound by my ball bearing test, it may get a little better as the two pieces draw tighter when the welds cool down. Now I just need to wait until some of my free labor come home from college for the summer to strike for me... I'd attach a photo if I knew how, off to research that. Hopefully this works Edited May 7, 2014 by brianc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Hope it's not too springy in the middle...... I would've offset the legs inward a bit for more central support where the vast majority of all the action goes on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianc Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 It's 4" thick, so deflection shouldn't be too bad. Can always add a rib to the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason M Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I've seen a lot at a place called Delaney's Surplus. http://delaneyssurplus.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason M Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I've seen a lot at a place called Delaney's Surplus. http://delaneyssurplus.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted May 9, 2014 Share Posted May 9, 2014 I posted awhile back about fork tine alloys. I believe Glenn used it in a sticky. I got my info from a couple of forklift manufactures. The alloy depends on the weight capacity of the lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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