Kingcreek's super lucky day

[Kingcreek]

I go to the scrapyard about once a month. I'm usually looking for something specific for a welding project and usually the old air tanks for my wind bells. So today, not finding any of the old steel medical oxygen bottles I was led to believe existed somewhere out there, my eye was drawn to a flash of kubota orange. Some climbing and closer inspection and some rearranging of scrap metal uncovered a kubota brand universal Quick Attach. Darned if it didn't look like a possible fit for my 18 year old loader tractor. I dragged it to the side and took a couple pics and some measurements. Went home and hallelujah it was made for my loader frame to convert the pin mount bucket to universal skid steer attachments like pallet forks, grapples, rock buckets etc.
I went back and rescued it (it was in the pile next up to the shredder baler) and took it home. The paint isn't even worn off the cleats and the pins show no sign of wear. A few scratches from being in a scrapyard but appears unused. This is about a $900 part. I have wanted to convert and purchase some pallet forks. Any attachment will work and locks on with 2 throw levers.
Did I mention this is a $900 accessory?
Best part is it is now mine! And Saturday currency at the yard is beer and venison sausage.
Sending thanks out to the fine folks that tossed it in a load of scrap steel!

[French G.]

That is super lucky. Do you ever try weld supply places for cylinders they won't hydro?

[Kingcreek]

That is super lucky. Do you ever try weld supply places for cylinders they won't hydro?

Yes but hasn't been productive yet. I have had best results with CO2 tanks, steel medical oxygen, and one really nice one was an old Scott Air Pack from fire rescue. I posted a pic of some here on APS last summer.

[MikeB]

You may want to look at this company for the forks, depending on the size and lift limits of your tractor. They are designed to maximize the amount of load you can handle by being lighter weight than most of the traditional forks. I wish I had bought these instead of the John Deere ones when I got my tractor. They also make a grapple adapter that can be added to make the forks in a grapple.

http://www.artillian.com/SSQA_PalletForkSets.htm

[Kingcreek]

Thanks Mike, those look good. My 18 year old kubota tractor is in great shape. It's an L3010 with LA481 loader lift capacity around 1100 pounds so a 2500 set of forks would be perfect. Just have to get a weld on conversion plate for my current pin mount bucket.

[MikeB]

Thanks Mike, those look good. My 18 year old kubota tractor is in great shape. It's an L3010 with LA481 loader lift capacity around 1100 pounds so a 2500 set of forks would be perfect. Just have to get a weld on conversion plate for my current pin mount bucket.

My tractor is a JD 2032R, similar lift capacity. That is the reason I wish I had bought the Artillian. The JD Forks were bundled with the tractor, they are heavier duty 3750lb capacity, but weigh 350 themselves. I would have been better off with a 2300 or 2500lb capacity with a set that weighed almost half of the weight of mine. I ended up being able to lift less with the heavier forks. One of these days I'm going to get the Artillian and sell or give away the JD forks.

[Kingcreek]

For anybody wondering what this salvaged treasure looks like...

[Perd Hapley]

Sweet.

[Northwoods]

What would be a good sort of place to look for carbon steel for making knife blades?

[Kingcreek]

If you are forging i.e. Heat and Beat blacksmithing you could use truck or automotive leaf springs. If you're doing stock removal grinding you probably want to start with new steel blanks from a knife making supply.
I made one once from an industrial power hacksaw blade. Turned out ok and the metallurgy was good but it was a lot of work.

[Monkeyleg]

How did you haul the ton of venison sausage?

[Hawkmoon]

What would be a good sort of place to look for carbon steel for making knife blades?

Another vote for automotive leaf springs.

[RoadKingLarry]

For practice, high carbon railroad spikes and old horse shoes are decent.

[French G.]

Coil springs too, good for useful size knives instead of the ginormous Bowie everyone wants. Or when you get advanced forge weld a slip of the coil spring to a RR spike spine. A fun twist on the usual blacksmith spike knife demo.

[Northwoods]

Coil springs too, good for useful size knives instead of the ginormous Bowie everyone wants. Or when you get advanced forge weld a slip of the coil spring to a RR spike spine. A fun twist on the usual blacksmith spike knife demo.

What does that do?