Farmer-Built Forklift

Farmer-Built Forklift MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Forklifts 18-3-4 "I made this forklift in 1989 using two junked Deere45 combines, a Century forklift mast, a hydrostatic valve bought at an auction, various other valves and cylinders for tilt and side shift, and miscellaneous scrap metal," says Alvin Van Den Brink, Fennville, Mich. "I built the frame out of 6-in. I-beam and 3-in. angle iron and narrowed up the drive axle on the right side. The operator's plat-form is positioned close above the transmis¡sion and drive axle. The radiator is mounted at the rear and is cooled with a VW electric radiator fan. I speeded up the hydraulic pump for the mast and added another pump for steering, mounting header lift cylinders on the steering axle. "The completed forklift is 10 ft. long, 6 ft. wide and it's 7 ft. high to the top of the steering wheel. It'll carry loads of up to 2,400lbs. with no trouble at all. My out-of-pocket cost was only about $1,250 and a year of spare time. That includes two new pistons in the engine, rings and sleeves, and ringing the valves. I didn't use any plans or patterns. Just built it as I went along. You don't need a fancy shop to take on this kind of project. All that's necessary is a good welder, a cutting torch, grinder, a drill and a set of hand tools. I never would have had a piece of equipment like this if I hadn't built it myself." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Alvin Van Den Brink, 6740120th Ave., Fennville, Mich. 49408 (ph 616 543-4403).

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