Coal Bin Pictures and Designs

Thats funny you suggest making a chute in the second board because I actually have the pieces to do it, just need to cut the hole! Im all about working smart, not hard! Thanks for the input!

Due to the Height from the floor to the bottom of my coal chute, I will be shoveling a good amount of coal towards the end of my bin where I will be installing the slats. I should have a good amount of coal against the slats to install a gate with a small chute to fill my buckets for a while. I will actually be installing a small door 3 ft off the floor where the chute comes in from outside so I can shovel the coal to the other end to squeeze 3 tons in.

Back, some time ago, I had posted pix of my coal bin and the outside chute going to it.

Since last year, I've had the coal delivered, rather than hauling it myself. So to make the most of it, I ordered 3 tons, however the indoor bin only holds 2 tons. Last year, I just had them chute the extra ton onto my brick patio, then I shoveled it in, as space permitted.

This year, I went a step further ... I cut a hole to coincide with my outside chute into a 300 gallon IBC tote. I then installed the tote over the chute. I had coal delivered today and everything worked out, as I had hoped. The bin and tote were both filled through the top of the tote. I now have 3 ton in stock, 2 in the basement and 1 in the tote, which will run into the basement coal bin, as I use the coal. After the tote is empty, I can remove it, by simply lifting it off of the chute and storing it out of the way.

Not really "pretty", but it will save me some work through the winter. And, .. it does look better than a ton of coal on the patio.

Added a pic of my load of totes. The remainder, will be used for firewood.

Wonderfull idea!!!
I am a IBC tote user also. I use a pallet jack to place them over my AA boiler's auger...after one empties, I remove it and then roll the next full one in. Off season they're stored outback and that leaves me more room around the boiler area during the off season.

I have my coal bin and inside chute completed, but have a question about the chute I will be using from my truck/trailer into my house. I have a sheet of .063" thick aluminum that I would like to bend into a nice light coal chute. Will that material be thick enough for a 6 to 7 ft long chute unsupported for the length once I get the sides bent up?

If you have any doubts after bending it up, you can strengthen it by securing the bent-up sides to the flat sides of 2x3's or 2x4's. Not quite as light, but easy to do and plenty strong.

Mike

I guess I'll find out soon enough. For the most part, the size will be 9"x3" for a length of about 3 or 4ft and widening it out near the top to make it easier to shovel into it. I am limited to the 9x3 at the bottom due to the size of the door installed under my front porch way before I purchased the house.

I know I saw somewhere in these 50+ pages a list of how much bin space you need per ton of coal. Does anyone have that measurement? I am trying to build something in my basement for 10 tons. 1/2 plywood and 2x4s sound right? I would attach the 2x4s to the joists above and into the cement below.

I think the normal allowance is 40 cubic feet per ton. I'd suggest using PT for the 2x4's that go in or on the basement floor, and putting the plywood on the "inside" of the 2x4's. And don't skimp on the spacing of the 2x4's.

Mike

I used 3/4" plywood on the inside of my bin, 2x4's on 16" centers. Might have been overkill since mine only holds about 2 ton, your 10 ton = more side load pressure. Maybe others that have used 1/2" can let us know from their experience if it is beefy enough. You may want some cross ties to help keep the walls from spreading.

What about using pallets as the lower wall with a thinner plywood covering on the inside. I have tons of pallets. I could anchor them to the floor.

It might be a hassle to support the "seams" between the pallets. Probably easiest to just keep the 2x4's spaced reasonably close (16" sounds good), which should let you use 1/2" plywood.

I guess a question that needs to be asked is how deep are you planning for the bin to be filled? A 12x12 bin filled approx. 2.75' deep puts a lot less stress on the sidewalls than would an 8x10 bin filled 5' deep.

Mike

I think 4 feet would be the max height. Still measuring the basement area. It will have to be sort of an L shape due to support beams, etc.

I need to build a coal bin, but there are some things I don't understand. This needs to be an outside bin, but it will be only feet from the basement door. I will fill 5 gal. buckets to carry in and fill the hopper of my Keystoker stove. I have done it this way for several years, but the tarp method was turning into an eyesore and a maintenance problem, so I need to build a nice, outside coal bin. I have seen several great ideas in this forum, but here's what I don't know. Are the floors usually sloped inside to allow the coal to slide out better? I would love to be able to lift a sliding door and have the coal fall into the bucket. I see most bins have a door with boards that lift out. I don't exactly understand this. Do you keep lifting the boards out from top to bottom as the coal level drops to shovel the coal up and over the remaining slats and into a bucket (or whatever you're loading it into)? I'm sorry I'm so naive on this subject. I've always just shoveled from a pile that was outside and filled the bucket. I would like to try to make getting the coal a little easier, so I want to make this coal bin right. Thanks.

Welcome jamorri. I believe differet size coal flows at different angles. Keep in mind that a sloped floor bin will have quite a bit of dead space under it. Other's will chime in soon so hold tight. You are correct about the slats. As the coal level in the bin drops you remove the slats to get to the coal. Many have used guillotine doors to fill buckets from. On my particular bin I created a gap at the bottom that I shovel the coal from. It has a flat floor and self feeds. When the bin is close to empty I simply remove the slats and walk right in. Keep in mind you need to make delivery easy. My roof is a simple 2x2 frame with corrugated tin on top. Light enough to lift off for deliveries. Many have hinged roofs as well. Once you know what you want many here can help walk you through it. Good luck!