# Forklift Opinions



## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I will need to buy a forklift this winter for next season.

The problem I see is they are all way heavier than needed and consequently larger vehicles are needed.

Are there any light weight machines capable of all terrain (within reason) and can lift 800#?

What are the best options?

Thanks!


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I think the term forklift and lightweight are mutually exclusive. I assume from the description you are needing to load pallets of bees, sometimes loaded with honey. Have you considered a commercial boom designed just for this purpose? I know a beekeeper who has one on a flatbed truck locally and he seems to think quite highly of it? I would assume it would adapt to any flatbed truck or trailer quite easily. I know my dad and I are discussing this same thing looking ahead a couple of years. I look at the weight added to what I want to haul on a truck and say no way. Let me know if you do find something unique.


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

The flatbed truck and the boom are the traditional ways in the field, although, bobcats were replacing them in the 70's. The advantage of the bobcat is that it can maneuver in tight quarters and it will also work in the honeyhouse.
http://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/forsale/models.asp?catid=400&man=BOBCAT&guid=06440FF705C94E478A4D6262592D80B3

An operational example of the flatbed is featured in the movie "Ulee's Gold".


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

The honey house point is a good one Jon because by the time you need a forklift you're also moving barrels around and is there anyone who really likes using a barrell truck to load UP a ramp or off a truck? Of course the bobcat has many other uses around the farm as well. Not sure how well it would do, not being segmented, in the field.


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

I thought this was interesting.
http://www.rubbertracks.info/?OVRAW=bobcat&OVKEY=bobcat&OVMTC=standard


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

The Swinger 1600 series looks the best of the lot but big $$$$ and still heavy.

Just saw Ulee's Gold again just this AM while building a few frames.

I like the versitility of the bobcat for sure but wonder how high it can lift a pallet.


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## Bob Harrison (Mar 15, 2005)

I have used booms ( thought takes me back years) and hope I never have to use another. I have got a bee boom I would sell I never used. Came on a truck I bought from california. First thing we did is torch off the boom! In my opinion if Ulee had dumped the boom and installed a cowen or cook & Beals he would not have had to spend so much time in the movie with his back on the floor!

Bobcats work but are not in favor with most migratory beekeepers. I know their are bobcats lovers reading this and they will jump back but I have moved plenty of hives with a bobcat and know what I am talking about. They can be jerky. They throw mud off tires when stuck! They work poorly without a fifth wheel.You have to be careful with heavy loads picked up high on rough terrian or you will turn over (been there and done that).

I like the swinger forklift! Never stuck one! Even moved hives out of a flooded almond grove in California in a foot of water without getting stuck. The are easy to drive. The only things I don't like is a visability problem at times with the forkilft mast and the lift should be 5,000 lbs. instead of 2000. Also they need added weight on back to pick up full totes. Also you have to be careful turning with a swinger with 2,000 pounds in the air or you will turn over. (been there and done that).
Used swingers have an excellent resale value and Bobcats don't. Used swingers are hard to find but:

Email if interested in an almost brand new 110 swinger 1690 hours with 3 cyl Kubota diesel with Edwards mast and spare tire. One owner. Well maintained.
Trailer also available.
or
approx. 400 drums light amber honey. Both are in Nebraska.


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## Gregg (Dec 22, 2003)

I agree with Rob (or Bob) Harrison on most points, but also disagree on a couple.

I have had my 642B Bobcat for about 3 years, have never had a Swinger, but have to talked to a few beekeepers who have had them. One guy who had both said he preferred the Swinger in the beeyard moving pallets of bees over rough terrain, but liked the Bobcat better around the honey house for moving barrels, etc. Was much faster than a Swinger for loading a semi of barrels of honey. The fifth wheel is necessary for the Bobcat for stability purposes over rough ground.

Most beekeepers I know (in this part of the country anyway) seem to favor the Bobcat. The Swinger is a nice machine but very spendy, especially for a new one. For that matter, any forklift is spendy nowadays (I believe Bobcats have a decent resale value also). To quote one commercial beekeeper I know, "if it starts it's worth $5,000."


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

I always thought that the set-up the grass growers (company,sellers) use would be a good trailer and forklift for pollination bee's, you know the forklifts that rides on the back of the flatbed trailer, lift's itself up, has anyone in here ever tried that kind? here's some for sell.

http://www.heikesequipment.com/?src=overture


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## BWrangler (Aug 14, 2002)

Hi Guys,

Most beekeepers use the Swinger for their own use. They are versatile. Very controllable. Can unstick hopelessly stuck bee trucks and are solid. But they are slow if pallets of bees have to be moved across greater distances than a bee or holding yard. And they need a trailer.

Beekeepers, specializing in pollination in California, often build a special forklift out of a 4 wheel drive truck chassis. It's fast across an orchard and can be towed without a trailer.

Bobcats are more versatile but lack the controllability of a swinger. They are just as slow as a swinger over any longer distance. 

And I agree with Bob. 1600lbs is easily exceeded on the swinger. And even 1600 is the absolute safe maximum on level ground and in a turn. About 1000lbs max on rough ground and in a turn. There's something about their design that is lacking in this condition. A heavier load can be safely raised and lowered with the swinger articulated and on rough ground. But applying any power causes one front wheel will climb into the air and rotate the load rather than providing traction. It's quite surprising. If the process is stopped, the wheel will stay in the air. Reverse it and the wheel will descend to the ground and the swinger will travel in reverse, in a normal manner, once the elevated wheel reaches the ground.

Regards
Dennis


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

>>I have used booms ( thought takes me back years) and hope I never have to use another.

Haha!They can sure put you through some contortions.


http://pic2.picturetrail.com/VOL1011/3600070/7409829/105671661.jpg


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## Bob Harrison (Mar 15, 2005)

Some cradles slide under the bottom board like a pallet. At times the weight would shift and send the hive flying. After the first couple of crashed hives you learn to watch carefully.

Terry brown (Brown's Bees Australia) came for a visit about three weeks ago and saw skids in action. he was impressed and is considering changing to pallets.

He has a new Billit loader. They are the cadilac's of loaders but he moves all his hives (4500)around five times a year and the loader is simply too slow. I designed him a six way skid like Bell Honey uses. I think he will still use the billit loader to pull honey supers.


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

You also learn to watch the spot on the ground you are lowering the hives onto.A bit unlevel and over they go!I cant imagine moving 4500 hives 5 times with boom loaders unless he has lots of help and several trucks.
A friend with several thousand went to pallets a few years back and said he had to give up some yards because a forklift couldnt manuever in them.Makes sense. It works out for my hobby operation(defined as less than a thousand by western standards!)because I run in tight rough areas without a lot of flat level ground.But of course the big draw back is almond pollination.I try to get into orchards with nice gravel roads that can accomodate booms but we all know about the orchards from hell.My favorite demon is the farmer who starts watering when you are trying to get the bees out!


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## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

sundance sezs:
I like the versitility of the bobcat for sure but wonder how high it can lift a pallet.

tecumseh replies:
years ago I a commercial beekeeper for whom I worked used a bobcat with a high lift mast. the highlift mast allowed us to stack pallets to the maximum legal height of 13' 6". the mast itself added about $1500 (used) to the price of the basic machine.


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## Bob Harrison (Mar 15, 2005)

loggermike,
A few years ago I had a hive removal from a flooded (by owner) almond orchard. Not fun.

A big plus with beekeepers with the bobcat over the swinger in northern areas is the quick change from forks to bucket. Push snow & dig or use forks to move bees.

We keep a bobcat to push snow (see my April 2004 ABJ article "Moving bees in a Missouri snowstorm"). With two swingers we have little need to use the bobcat in beekeeping.

We load semi's four pallets high with the swingers also as shown in the ABJ article.


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## Nick Noyes (Apr 28, 2005)

Swingers are definately the way to go. We used to use homemade forklifts but it takes a large area to turn. However they are fast on straight away. Most of the orchards we do now you can drive a truck around and unload right off of it. I have never tipped over a swinger but have got them stuck.


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## Bob Harrison (Mar 15, 2005)

My swinger episode happened the first time I tried to unload full totes of syrup off my truck. I raised the pallet up (about four feet to clear bed truck) and then turned to drive off. Due to the articlulated bend over we went. The syrup pallet broke from the frame and rolled over and the swinger did not totally go over as the syrup pallet broke the fall. I never fell off but was shaken. I rigged up a pump and pumped the syrup out of the tote. If the tote had been and all metal pallet as three of mine are I believe the swinger might have went all the way over as the pallet would have pulled the swinger over by the forks.
The bobcat turnover did go all the way over. Flat on ground. seatbelt worked but had bruises.


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## Brian Suchan (Apr 6, 2005)

If your a big time commercial beekeper go with the swinger. If your a midsize or smaller go with the bobcat, definitley alot cheaper & easier to get parts(alot more bobcat dealears out there than swinger dealers). both have theyr'e advantages & diadvantages. A bobcat will run circles around a swinger. However the swinger can lift signifigantly more, unless the bobcat has a mast & tailwheel.


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## Lew Best (Jan 8, 2005)

Bob I sent you a PM

Lew


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## Trevor Mansell (Jan 16, 2005)

Swingers and Bobcats are really personal preference. I personally have a Bobcat with a mast and caster. I think the mast is easier to use than the pallet forks, but thats just my opinion. You can buy a used Bobcat for a whole lot less than a used swinger. A used one is just as reliable as a new one as long as it was maintained properly.As far as other forlifts, I have seen people use small tractors with a font end forks. He had a bush-hog on the back for cutting grass and forks on the front. I have also seen a small mast that attaches to a tractors PTO on the rear. But if you want to keep bees full time go with a swinger or bobcat. they are deffinatly worth there weight in gold .


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## snowcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Sundance, not sure how big you are, but when I first started, I used a fisher or something like that. It was a walk behind gas driven mini forklift. It had maybe 20" forks, so I just cut some 4 way pallets in 1/2. That way I could load 2 hives at a time. Don't see many of them advertised anymore though! I use a bobcat 742B now and it works just great for me.
snowcat


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## Demos (8 mo ago)

Hi, I have a 1998 swinger 110 (has the diesel Kubota engine) that I have recently acquired and I was wondering if anyone could help me find a spec sheet/or maintenance manual to help me find information on my machine. I understand this post is old, however, I have been searching the internet and this is the only link I can find that mentions my specific machine aside from 1 picture which is similar (but not my machine). I appreciate any input I may receive in my search lol


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## Tumbleweed (Mar 17, 2021)

[/QUOTE] “In my opinion if Ulee had dumped the boom and installed a cowen or cook & Beals he would not have had to spend so much time in the movie with his back on the floor!”

[/QUOTE]🤣


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

I would start here with a phone call



StackPath



Or here again by phone






Home of Hummerbee Forklifts


Hummerbee is the leading manufacturer of rough terrain forklifts and articulating front loaders. Forklifts for sale and more.




www.hummerbee.com







Not sure what the storey is with swingers.They were manufactured for a while and then not.
Recently they are being manufactured again by nmc-Wollard .I am not sure if they are the orriginal manufacturer.
A&O Forklifts (hummerbee) is a long time dealer in Apiary and Orchard forklifts and has a lot of experience with articulated and skid steer forklifts


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## Demos (8 mo ago)

Jack Grimshaw said:


> I would start here with a phone call
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info I will take a closer look into those names


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