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Moved to a new place so my good old block coal bin from the farm house is not an option at the new suburban house. I need to come up with an idea for something mobile. It will be put by the front door for heating season, and then removed when season is over. I have farm tractor with loader and 3 point hitch. For possible use, I have 2 275 gal steel oil tanks, and maybe 6 275 gal plastic totes. plus I have a single axle heavy duty trailer that I could build something one that is removable to use the trailer during grass cutting season. This place has always had the best idea, so I am asking the experienced coal burners out there, what ideas do you have? Pics please if you have already done something with any of these tanks

Can't help much on that. I'm tryin to get over you movin from the farm to SUBURBIA Bear?????????

How much can the loader lift?

I had one customer that would get their delivery late Fall and they had those grain bags. Just filled them up where they sat near the door of the garage. You can fit more than 1 ton in those bags , if the loader can lift it or reasonable amount and not fill it all the way you wouldn't even need to have them all by the door. That's about as portable as it's going to get because you can fold your bin up for summer storage. They aren't terribly expensive, look on Ebay. Not sure what the lifespan is but I was delivering to that guy for at least ten years.

I've done both. Had and old home made cart that would hold 3+ ton I'd park by the door. When heating was done, I'd move it to the woods and use it for whatever during the summer. Wasn't something the wife wanted next to the house I'd make a gable end truss with a ridge pole to the other end and secure a tarp over it to keep the coal out of the weather. **Broken Image Link(s) Removed**

Gave up on that and built a bin that holds shy of 2 ton. I move it from the woods to the house and back with my little 23 hp TLB. It has a 3pt hitch but I keep the hoe on it. I move the bin with the bucket fitted with a tooth bar. Tooth fits in between the 4x4 base and I sling a chain around it that gets secured to the 2 hooks welded to the top of the bucket.
Pictures here COAL BIN Pics

You could certainly build bins out of the totes and set them on your trailer or even the super sacks but it's pretty hard to beat a gravity bin wagon for a coal bin and if it's on running gear it's as mobile as you'll get without having a truck. Check the farm auctions for smaller wagons that aren't so popular anymore, they can be had somewhat inexpensively. I don't need mine mobile so I set it on RR ties.

i like the idea of the super sacs, I already have about 6 from when I was farming, just building a way to hold them and set them in, that might work. The loader can lift 2000-2500 pounds. I have been looking for a gravity bin that I could afford for years. I think that may be my best bet and have it on a running gear and put a roof on it that can be opened to fill it. Plus if I cannot get it delivered in time, I can go to my supplier and have it loaded and just drag it home.

Still looking boys and girls, keep the ideas coming please

particularly ideas for old oil tanks and liquid totes, I got bunches of these

Get some good ideas by googeling repurpose oil storage tanks. There some amazing goodies on there. I was looking but couldn't find the photo where someone had cut a large hole in the top of their old tank for filliing with coal and cut an opening in the end and installed a hinged door for getting the coal out.

Bear038 wrote:
particularly ideas for old oil tanks and liquid totes, I got bunches of these

A 275 gallon tank might about 1800 pounds but you have to cut the top to give you enough access to the sides to fill it and you're going to lose a few hundred pounds doing that. Never seen anyone do it and I'm sure it's been done but you could set it longways. Cut the flat side and hinge it for access to fill it. One thing to consider there is how you are going to get the coal into it, if you are getting high lift delivery it's no problem.

Side topic but the wheels started turning here and it occurred to me that would make for excellent buried coal bin. Dig down around the foundation, pour a block to mount them too. Weld 2 or 3 tanks together end to end and set them on the block.

Here are my outdoor bins...got the large one for FREE from craigslist! Well, dont have a pic of the smaller one...same design but half the size...holds about one ton...large one holds about 3 ton.

firewoodman wrote: ↑

Tue. Dec. 05, 2017 11:28 am

20171014_143919.jpgHere are my outdoor bins...got the large one for FREE from craigslist! Well, dont have a pic of the smaller one...same design but half the size...holds about one ton...large one holds about 3 ton.

No picture to see here for me...

Here are my coal bins. I was able to go 6 weeks with the two halves. I refill them with my truck. I have another load sitting in my truck (problem is the truck isn't really usable filled with coal). I also wish they were bigger but they're pretty tough to move around by myself so I couldn't go much bigger anyway.

I also have a couple 50 gallon plastic barrels filled as reserves. One more 275 gallon oil tank would be better.

Another thought, a fiberglass stock tank that holds 1100+ lbs.