Need a Coal Chute Door

We are moving the coal inside this year. Getting too old to keep hauling it in not to mention keeping it dry. We built a coal bin in the back of the garage. We were going to put a window in the block wall but then I started seeing the coal chute doors. Called Dad but he and everyone else just used the windows in the basement, no old doors hanging around. I would prefer a door but don't know where to look. I would prefer to buy used also. Was that something that was used more in the mid west or western pa or what? What about the opening inside the garage where we will shovel the coal from? I asked Dad again and what he remembers doing is putting boards across the opening and removing one about 2 feet off the bottom (dirt floor) and it would stop flowing as it jammed up. I don't want it to all come out all over the garage floor.

Car look on Google seems up near Scranton someone was making nice steel 24 times 24 inch doors .jack

You can call Mark's Supply in Shenandoah, Pa. They sell anything and everything coal related. Ask for Joe or John. The number is 570-462-0748. I'm sure they would have them, if not they will know who does.

I can't seem to pull my pics from the file on this computer & I don't know how to link to a pic in a different thread. If you look at my thread "From OWB to EFM520 installed in truck box ",page 6 ,scroll down to pic of light coming thru what I call "corn crib slats",with this system , the bottom board or bottom 2 boards can be pulled which only allows a little bit of coal to flow out at any time,allows you to shovel coal & still have more coal there for the next shovel full without the overflow mess.

This is my 2 1/2 - 3 ton rice coal bin. During construction I added the chutes, I attached 3/4" over the molding strips giving me a bit over 1/4" play. I had several old street signs built sturdy handles to pull up slowly. After I got my first load I tested and worked nicely.

Otherwise, I have seen doors several places on the internet for sale, don't forget that once you open a clean out door type, you open the flood gate.

carmangeea wrote:We are moving the coal inside this year. Getting too old to keep hauling it in not to mention keeping it dry. We built a coal bin in the back of the garage. We were going to put a window in the block wall but then I started seeing the coal chute doors. Called Dad but he and everyone else just used the windows in the basement, no old doors hanging around. I would prefer a door but don't know where to look. I would prefer to buy used also. Was that something that was used more in the mid west or western pa or what? What about the opening inside the garage where we will shovel the coal from? I asked Dad again and what he remembers doing is putting boards across the opening and removing one about 2 feet off the bottom (dirt floor) and it would stop flowing as it jammed up. I don't want it to all come out all over the garage floor.

Are you wanting a hinged metal door type for loading into the bin from the outside?

Thanks for the reply. I have not been able to be on the internet because of several days of power outage due to the recent storms. I am looking for the door from the outside to load the coal into the garage.

Perhaps a chimney clean out door?

Try PMing Berlin..,....

Coal Chute Door

Being owner of the photo in the post I can tell you that I was very hesitant in opening the "flood gates" the first time! It was very UN-nerving pulling up the door.

Being so close to the ground I had placed a cement mixing tray under a door with buckets at the ready.

The door slid up easy enough 1 1/2 -- 2" (don't go crazy!), allowing the coal to spill out, judging the amount for filling a 5 gal. bucket I pushed back down. It Worked!

Enough of the dramatics. Although the design is simple it comes with a slight flaw, you cannot push the door all the way back down to the "floor" as small pieces fill the track bottom. But the way gravity and back pressure work, the "flood" stops on the chute ramp.

I believe that no matter which door you choose if it is at the bottom of the bin you will have the same issue. Unless you build with take out boards, doing so you could get above the coal and shovel coal out. Let gravity do the work!

Filling buckets today, will post photos.

Or do it this way,take out 1 or 2 of the bottom boards,never lose the whole bin full,only flows as coal is taken away.

All good ways for getting the coal "OUT" of the bin...
The OP was looking for a Door at the other end...loading the coal "INTO" the bin.

In it is, my door!

Oops, should of said he wants door to a bin that is under the house, inside through a exterior wall.

How big of a door are you looking for?
Would a cast iron chimney cleanout door be big enough?

If you're looking for something larger, how about a cast iron door that's made for a barrel stove kit? You might be able to find a used barrel stove cheap & just take the cast iron door off it. Or, you could get a whole barrel stove kit new at Tractor Supply for just over $50.