What is a Dock Board?

Dock Boards

Forklift and tractor trailer operators can benefit from using dock boards for lifting heavy equipment or supplies more securely. Dock boards are used to overpass the opening between the forklift and the dock. This permits for safe transfer o heavier loads of equipment and/or supplies.
Dock boards are usually flat boards with strong aluminum or wood construction. Other resources may be used to design the dock boards, although strength and moving weight are issues of definite importance. Dock boards are a place where the forklift is loaded and unloaded.

Dock boards are also known as dock platforms or dock plates. Dock bumpers are used to guard the docking area of a building and forklift from the force of any impact. They may be mounted onto the building, right below the dock opening, or to the forklift. Dock boards can be moveable. When dock boards are portable, it is attached with the forklift. The supplies on the forklifts are loaded and unloaded with this way. There is additional height in the ramp. It allows the forklift to unload securely from a level position. About 15-inch tread plate lip extends into the trailer or over the dock edge for smooth transitions. There is an ordinary safety chain that attaches the deck boards with the trailer. For use on the ground, there are often optional chain brackets.

Costs of dock boards vary from dealer to dealer and depend on the materials used to design the dock boards to determine the price. If saving time is more important for you than saving money for quality made dock boards then you can opt to buy online from various websites. Dock boards can be purchased online, but be prepared to pay for expensive shipping charges, unless the dock boards are light-weight aluminum.

Material Handling Equipment Review

Item: Walkie Pallet Stacker Forklift

Model: P10030

Brand: LiftScience

Similar to: Crown ST 3000 Series

The P10030 is a medium duty lift truck for use in small and medium sized warehouses and factories. I have had mine for a little over 2 years and overall am pretty pleased with it. I can recommend this model.

It can lift a total of 2200 pounds to a height of 122” that is a little over 10 feet. However, in reality, when you factor in clearances and pallet overhang, the top shelf in your warehouse should be at approximately 9’ 8”.

This lift truck has about the smallest turning radius I have ever seen. Similar to a pallet jack, it will turn within its own length so it works very well in the narrow aisles I have. It takes about 30 seconds to lift to it highest point and lowers down at about the same speed. The control handle is easy to hold and has a fully variable butterfly speed switch which is really accurate. I’ve seen some other brands which only have either forward or reverse.

This lift truck can easily go up reasonable grades in our parking lot even with a full load and the brakes stop it quickly.

I don’t operate it too often except for when we get a container in, then it gets used non-stop. I find that the batteries will last a full business day of use and I then plug it in at night to recharge.

I looked at several other brands before I bought this one. I had previously have a manual drive LiftScience M10030 lift truck and was happy with it, except that I was getting tired of pushing it.

There are probably two things I think they could do better with this model – the standard batteries only last about 1-2 years – a higher quality battery would be a good idea. However, I was able to replace the batteries at Costco for $130 and the replacements have an even higher capacity and a guaranteed for 4 years. The other thing would be adjustable width forks.

ForkliftDeals is Expanding 300%

I'm pretty excited! We just made the decision to expand our website by 300% to sell 3 times the number of products.

Here are some of the items we are adding: drum dollies, steel dockplates, drum racks, drum grip, drum cradle, drum wrenches, drum lifters, electric lift tables, hoists, floor scales, platform trucks, dock bumpers, fork extensions, pallet pullers, cargo slings, and 3 new models of pallet stacker.

You Sell Forkifts on the Internet?

I just got off of the phone - a potential customer called to ask about one of our walkie stackers he saw on the website. He asked some of the typical questions and then commented that he was local to me and wanted to come look at one of our pallet stackers. I told him that I don't run a showroom, I only sell over the internet..........there was some silence.

So why do I only sell over the internet? The answer is pretty easy - this is what I want to do. I'm not interested in running showrooms, staffing it with salesman, lending out demonstrator units, and all of the rest. When I started the business, I decided I wanted to offer the best medium duty material handling equipment I could find at a great price. The main part of the business concept was to reduce the overhead and markups associated with local dealers. That's what we do.

The customers who know what they want and are comfortable with buying over the internet love it! Give it a try.

Yes, The Subject Is Wheel chocks

Wheel chocks are devices which are intended to prevent movement of wheels on equipment and vehicles. At times when prevention of even the least amount of movement for a wheeled vehicle is critical, wheel chocks are the answer.

Wheel chocks are most commonly made of one of the materials such as rubber, steel, urethane or aluminum. Generally the top surface of the chock is an arc shaped to fit the arc of the wheel or tire, while the outer surface is squared off. The bottom of the chock often is engineered in such a way as to grip the ground. The arced top surface may also have markings which increase traction of the wheel against the wheel chocks. Wheel chocks come in sizes to fit many different types of wheels as well as one-size-fits-all designs. A handle on the side of some brands of wheel chocks makes it easier to place into position without the need of touching either the wheel or the pavement surface.

Once the wheel chock is wedged snugly against the lowest angle of the wheel, it is almost impossible for rolling or even slight movement to occur. The double traction of chock against pavement and chock against tire is a added safety feature when loading or unloading trucks or trailers.

Trucks and trailers often use wheel chocks when backed up to the loading dock since the access to the loading dock is often at an incline. The chocks prevent the truck or trailer from moving slightly at an inopportune moment creating a situation where there could conceivably be a forklift rollover accident with disastrous results. Even a small gap in the surface between loading dock and truck can cause unnecessary jarring.

Since trucks and trailers rarely can find a perfectly level place to park, wheel chocks are commonly used any time a truck or trailer is parked. They are also used anytime the driver is required to do work around or under the truck or tires. Wheel chocks for eighteen-wheelers often have small warning signs attached, reminding drivers to “chock your wheels” or conversely, reminding them that wheel chocks need to be removed before leaving the area. Wheel chocks are used on railroad cars to prevent unwanted rolling backward or forward when not being used or during loading.

In manufacturing operations or at a warehouse, whenever a pallet truck, stacker or forklift is in use, wheel chocks are recommended for safety. The additional time required to place a pair of wheel chocks into position is much less than the time required to pick up a toppled pallet of inventory items should the loading equipment slip.

Other common uses for wheel chocks include stabilizing motorcycles during trailer transport or while doing mechanical work on the bike. Chocks are also used to prevent small aircraft from moving around when parked. The wind could otherwise lift and move the planes to the extent that they could be damaged.

Mechanics and experienced drivers both know that placing a wheel chock in place when changing a tire or working underneath the vehicles helps to prevent accidents.

I Don't Sell Forklifts-But I'm Asked All the Time About....

FORK LIFT TRUCK

A fork lift truck is a small motorized vehicle typically used in a manufacturing concern, loading dock, retail store or other operation where movement of goods or supplies is needed. Usually there is a confined space involved, although a fork lift truck can also be used outdoors in logging or mill operations.

The concept of the forklift was first developed in the 1920’s by Clark Material Handling Company and Yale & Towne Materials Handling Company. Today it is generally considered to be an indispensable piece of equipment in any warehousing or manufacturing concern.

A number of different designs and types of the fork lift truck have been designed over the years, to suit one specific purpose or another, but generally there is two different types of unit. It is either powered by an internal combustion engine fueled by LPG, diesel or gasoline, or it is powered by an electric motor with battery or fuel cells.

In addition to the power unit, a fork lift truck consists of the truck body which is propelled by either tracks or wheels, depending on the use. The mast is the part of the lift truck which does the actual lifting. The vertical assembly which raises and lowers the forks is usually hydraulically operated. The carriage is attached to the mast and is a flat metal plate moving up and down the mast as needed to position the forks. The L-shaped forks attached to the carriage on the short leg either with a hook, clasp or sometimes they are shaft mounted.

Safety features include a load back rest which prevents the load from falling onto the cab when the load is lifted and tilted to the rear before moving. The cab is protected by a steel cage for safety and contains the controls. Most, but not all fork lift trucks are rider-driven. Finally the counterweight on the rear of the fork lift truck is necessary where there is a heavy load on the forks. The battery can serve this function in electric trucks.

In a warehouse setting, a typical fork lift truck will be capable of moving one to five tons, although lift trucks capable of moving 50 ton loads have been used, depending on the application.

The operator of the fork lift truck has the capability to raise and lower the forks, to tilt the mast backward in compensation for the slight downward angle of the forks. Some units have the ability to rotate the tines or to side step the tines to allow for easier load handling. The fork lift thus equipped has some ability to work on uneven ground.

While a skilled operator understands and uses the unique handling characteristics of a fork lift truck, there are safety issues for the inexperienced operator. The entire unit and load must be considered as one whole when moving the load. The center of gravity for the loaded fork truck is low and is constantly changing. When the load is raised, a tight turn can result in a serious roll-over mishap.

When Should You Buy an Electric Drive Pallet Stacker Forklift or a Manual Drive

I get asked all of the time whether someone should buy and electrically drives or self propelled pallet stacker forklift or a manual drive (push) model.

My first reaction is - how should I know?

Manual drive models are of course less expensive, usually ~40% cheaper than a fully powered model, require less maintenance, and are more reliable - these are all good things for working in a warehouse. A manual drive model is a good choice for:

• small warehouse (under 5000 square feet)
• warehouses with smooth concrete floors
• used for lifting pallets onto racks or off of trucks as opposed to moving pallets
• operators who are average to above size

Keep in mind - an average manual pallet stacker weighs in at 1200-1400 pounds vs 200 pounds for a pallet jack. So it is obviously going to be harder to move a pallet stacker than a pallet jack. Add on a 1500 pound pallet and you are now moving 3000 pounds (the weight of a small car).

An electrically driven pallet stacker forklift is a good choice for:

• larger warehouses
• anytime you are planning to take the stacker out into a parking lot which might have dirt, pebbles, cracks to obstruct the wheels
• going up or down ANY incline

An electrically driven pallet stacker is EASY to move. Many models will have a speed control operated by a thumb switch that allows you to precisely set the forward or reverse speed.