What size tube is standard for fork pockets?

[JasonPAtkins]

Is there a standard size of rectangular tube to use for fork pockets? I can't get tube that big or thick where my shop is in Africa, so I want to send a few sticks over in our shipping container in October for future use. 5" x 2" x 1/4" or so?

 

[Strostkovy]

I think I generally see 6x2 to accommodate wider forks on larger lifts. I used 4x2 on some stuff and had to rework it to 5x2 once we got a new forklift.

I think 0.188 wall would be better as forks tend to be about 1-1/2" thick.

 

[JasonPAtkins]

Perfect, thanks!

 

[Strostkovy]

Also, a pair structural channel about 2" wide facing inwards or 2x6 structural channel works well too.

I often see the 2x6 channel used facing up, with machinery mounted to weld on plates and concrete anchors through the channel. All sorts of options in a pinch.

 

[DDoug]

You need to measure your forklift.
Fork thickness, width, and where they can be positioned, extreme out to extreme in.
I doo for every fixture/crate I design that has pockets.
Some only get holes, others for sensitive/expensive cargo, get full length tubes.

 

[memphisjed]

Our smallest forks are 6”x2 1/4”. That is on a cute doosan 35. Tube pockets can never be to big.

 

[JasonPAtkins]

My only two forking machines are a big joe walk behind electric and the forks on my 239D track loader, so I know I'm on the small end. I don't want to buy tube that would be too small for some other forklift later on though, hence my question. Seems like 2x6" should work for 90% of forking equipment though, no?

 

[Nmbmxer]

I think 3x8x1/4 is a much better size.

Tiny pockets are difficult to line up, most importantly don’t mess up the spacing. Measure at the mast and the tips!! Our intern made a fixture with fork pockets and he made it based on the pitch at the mast at the widest spacing “for stability”. Except on half the fork trucks they toe inward and someone has to spread the forks by hand to stab the fixture in order to move it.