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Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Oct. 30, 2017 2:09 pm
by coalkirk
Almost done. Iā€™m going to paint the inside with a high gloss enamel to seal the OSB and to make it more slippery. Ready for coal soon. Need to make a frame for the guilitine boards.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Sun. Nov. 05, 2017 7:57 pm
by coalkirk
All done. Just need to pretty up some wiring and then ready for 5 tons of rice.
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Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Sun. Nov. 05, 2017 8:42 pm
by Lightning
Nice work man! That should do just what you want it to.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 2:33 pm
by Qtown1835
Bin looks great. Looking at the size of it, im not sure it will hold 5TN if you are planning on sending the coal through the window? Im thinking like 2.75 or 3tn to the bottom of the windows.
1/2x(A+B)xHxL

1/2x(1.33'+6.66')x3.33'x8'=106cuft At about 52#/cuft thats only 2.75tn.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 6:21 pm
by coalkirk
I've got a secret weapon that was not visible in the other pics. Look above the window at the big glob of expanding foam. In the center of that is a 4" pvc pipe with a rag stuffed in it. After I've loaded as much as possible through the window it gets closed and the rest comes in through that pipe. I can fill the bin to 7'. I've got a Rube Goldberg setup using a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet flange on the bottom and the coal is shot through the pipe with air flow from a leak blower. I'll see if I can find a pic of that rig.
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Well there it is. I don't know why the pic is so small. With the blower running it shoots that 5 gallon bucket into the bin very quickly.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 6:54 pm
by Qtown1835
Cool. Do you unload bucket by bucket or will you have a high lift truck deposit into the bucket?

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 6:58 pm
by Rob R.
Does that blow coal dust all over the place?

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 8:17 pm
by coalkirk
Qtown1835 wrote: ā†‘
Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 6:54 pm
Cool. Do you unload bucket by bucket or will you have a high lift truck deposit into the bucket?
Unfortunately no high lift. It's bucket by bucket.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 8:18 pm
by coalkirk
Rob R. wrote: ā†‘
Mon. Nov. 06, 2017 6:58 pm
Does that blow coal dust all over the place?
No the coal is wet when I load it so no dust.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Thu. Nov. 09, 2017 8:24 am
by coalkirk
Here's how much room 1 ton takes. Not quite up to where the bin sides are vertical. I had calculated it would hold 1.5 tons to the point where it goes vertical so I think judging by the appearance it should have no trouble holding that and more.
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This is how I moved the first ton, 14-5 gallon buckets at a time. So 58 buckets later is 1 ton. Now that I've taken some weight out of the trailer I may try to back the trailer up to the window and pipe for the next 3 tons. The ground is softer than I would prefer with the rain we had.

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Fri. Nov. 10, 2017 10:21 am
by StokerDon
I hope your gonna fire that thing up today, it's real cold and windy!

Nice job on the bin, I would like to come over and have a look at it and check out how the Ol' EFM is running.

-Don

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Sun. Nov. 12, 2017 6:34 pm
by coalkirk
Well I have renewed faith in my math ability. I had calculated the bin would hold 5 tons. Here it is with a full 4 tons and plenty of space left over to easily accommodate a 5th ton. The bin is 7'x7' so once the coal is above the area with the sloped sides, every 1' of coal depth is approximately 49 cubic feet or 1.25 tons.
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Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Tue. Jan. 30, 2018 10:09 am
by coalkirk
So I'm down to about a quarter ton and not had to rake any coal yet. Everything slopes to the auger and I get a nice gopher hole with 45 degree slopes. This bin will hold at least 5 tons. I think I can get 5 1/2 tons in it and I will for next season. Not only has this been much easier than my previous setup but the basement is MUCH more dust free. I love this EFM!

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Tue. Jan. 30, 2018 6:59 pm
by StokerDon
Ahhh, the way it was meant to be, a coal stoker feeding itself out of the bin. No filling a hopper and no dust!

So, from the middle of November until the end of January you used 3.5 ton. That's not bad, there were some very cold weeks in there. Are you going to get more coal? There is still cold weather to come.

-Don

Re: Coal Bin Design for an EFM

Posted: Tue. Jan. 30, 2018 7:20 pm
by coalkirk
StokerDon wrote: ā†‘
Tue. Jan. 30, 2018 6:59 pm
Ahhh, the way it was meant to be, a coal stoker feeding itself out of the bin. No filling a hopper and no dust!

So, from the middle of November until the end of January you used 3.5 ton. That's not bad, there were some very cold weeks in there. Are you going to get more coal? There is still cold weather to come.

-Don
If I did I'd have to hump it in a wheel barrow from the driveway around the house to my coal bin window. Ground is too soft to drive on. I should have acted when we were having the 5* weather. Right now I'm planning to switch to oil for the rest of the season. Consider it a lesson and be sure to fill the bin to the top next season. However I did see a black helicopter circling overhead so there might be an intervention afoot.