The Diversity That Comes with Forklift Attachments

The forklift goes by many names, such as lift truck, stacker truck, high/low, fork truck, trailer loader, tow motor, side loader, and fork hoist. The forklift is basically an industrial truck powered by a motor and which is used to both lift as well as transport heavy and large materials. Forklifts have become must-haves in warehouses and the manufacturing industry, as well as many other industries. There are many different types of forklifts with different load capacities, to accommodate the different needs of the user. There are also many different types of forklift attachments to add to the versatility of the forklift.

One of the common types of forklift attachments is the side shifter. This hydraulic forklift attachments works by allowing the forklift operator move the forks and the backrest in a lateral direction, which makes it much easier to place a load and not requiring repositioning of the truck to do it. A rotator is another type of attachment, which helps in handling skids, which have gotten too tilted. It also helps in handling other special materials, which require rotating of the tines of the forklift. The rotator can also be used for quick unloading by dumping containers.

Another of the commons types of forklift attachments is the fork position. This attachment is also hydraulic and works by moving the tines together and apart, which means the operator does not have to adjust them manually depending on the size of the load. There is also the roll and barrel clamp attachment, which can be either mechanical or hydraulic. This attachment squeezes the specific item that will be moved, which are typically barrels, paper rolls, or kegs.

Pole forklift attachments are often used in places like carpet warehouses, where the forks are replaced by a long pole made of metal. This pole is used to pick up rolls of carpet or sometimes, metal coils. There are carton and multipurpose clamp attachments for the forklift, which permit the forklift operator to open the tines and close them around a particular, load and squeeze it so it can pick it up. This attachment is typically used to pick up cartons, boxes, or bales.

Slip sheet forklift attachments reach forward, then clamp onto slip-sheets and then draw them onto wide, thin metal forks to be transported. When reaching their destination, this attachment pushes the slip-sheets and their loads off of the forks as they are placed in their appropriate spot. The drum handler attachment slides right onto the forks of the forklift and typically contains a spring-loaded jaw to grip the top lip of a drum.

The man basket and telescopic forks are two other common types of forklift attachments. A man basket is a lift platform meant to hoist workers. This basket slides onto the forks of the forklift. Telescopic forks are hydraulic and used for double deep stacking in warehouses. Double-deep stacking is where 2 pallet shelves are put one behind the other without making an aisle in between them.

Although on first glance, a forklift appears to be a pretty simple piece of machinery, which serves only the basest of functions. However, with the large number of different types of forklift attachments, it becomes abundantly clear the forklift is actually quite the versatile piece of equipment that can handle many different jobs.

The Versatility of a Telehandler

The Telehandler can serve many functions depending upon the item attached to it. The types of attachments that can be put onto the boom end include pallet forks, a bucket, lift table, or muck grab. The most commonly used Telehandler attachment is pallet forks. Pallet forks are most often used for moving loads to or from places that cannot be reached by using conventional forklifts. As such, you can use this machinery with this attachment to take cargo on a pallet from inside a trailer or possible for placing loads onto very high places, such as rooftops.

Although the Telehandler is quite useful due to the boom being able to extend and rise while it is carrying a load, this also can make it unstable. This is because the boom works like a lever, which can make this piece of equipment more and more unstable, thereby decreasing its lifting capacity as the distance from the front part of its wheels and center of its load increases. Operators of this machinery are equipped with load charts to assist him in determining whether a particular task can be handled given the weight, height and boom angle. Many telehandlers also use a computer that has sensors that can monitor the machine and issue a warning to the operator if its limits are exceeded. It may even have a shut-off mechanism. There are some telehandlers, which come with front outriggers, which are like mobile cranes. These front outriggers can serve to extend the capability of the equipment to lift while the machinery is stationary.

Because the end of the Telehandler is on a crane and has a neck with multiple joints, which are moveable, the end of the machine can be precisely controlled as well as steered with more specific aim. It does not simply go just up and down. Telehandlers do not contain caged areas on which workers can stand. Rather, they have a fork for the end of the machine to fit under to lift up crates or palettes, as well as other types of heavy items. This fork also allows for these items to be placed down gently. All of this can be done without requiring a worker to physically stand atop the platform. A great advantage to the Telehandler is how flexible it is, but it is limited in how much of a load it can carry.

The Telehandler certainly has many uses, which makes it a very versatile, and thus, useful piece of equipment. It can handle many jobs where other types of machinery fall short. The crane at the end and the ability to use a great number of different attachments on the end make this a handy piece of equipment for many different types of projects. Always be sure when carrying heavy loads while operating this machinery that the load limits are carefully adhered to so that safety is never compromised.