Bagging Your Bulk Coal

 
coalconvert
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Post by coalconvert » Sat. May. 21, 2011 6:09 pm

I've come across an item called the Grout Grunt:

http://www.groutgrunt.com/

It comes in two sizes:
http://estore.masonpro.com/groutingaccessories.aspx

They are sold in pairs. It might seem a bit pricey and at first I was a bit hesitant to make the leap. However seeing how I had just finished bagging 4 tons of Chestnut(151 bags)--at with first a shovel, then a 4 qt. metal feed scoop I got at Tractor Supply(7 1/2 soops per bag), I was eager to try a more efficient method of filling the bags. So I took the plunge and bought two of the larger-sized models.

Well, yesterday and today I bagged about half of the second 4-ton load of of chestnut--75 bags so far. I wish I had purchased these scoops at the outset. They work great! It's best to sit down to scoop and load, you won't tire out as quickly. Here's my technique--I fill the scoop and stand it up, then I slide a bag over it and simply tip the scoop over and the coal goes right into the bag with no spilling. With the bag thus 1/3 full it will stand up on it's own. Then I add two more scoops of coal and then tie off the bag. Filling and tying takes less than minutes, maybe a little longer as you get tired. But those first 20 bags go quickly. I've learned to fill the bags first and then tie them off when I have at least 20 filled. They accumulate rather quickly compared to shoveling.

The scoops are ergonomically well designed. They are also tough, very tough in fact--I ran over one of them with a DR Power Wagon loaded with 11 bags(about 500 lbs of coal +380 lbs for the motorized buggy) and the scoop did not break or even crack.

I'll never go back to loading with a shovel.

And now I'm looking forward to my third 4-ton delivery of chestnut.

Best of all--They are made in the U.S.A.


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. May. 21, 2011 6:29 pm

Why are you bagging your at home delivered chestnut??

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sat. May. 21, 2011 6:31 pm

Why are you bagging bulk coal? Seems like a lot of work unless you're selling it.

In any event if I were going to bag it I'd be on the hunt for five gallon pails. Put them on a tarp and shovel it in, someone posted an image for the top they had cut a hole with some PVC as a spout.

You could do the same thing bags, here's Greg's idea. The graphics I added. :P, you cut the bottom out of the bucket. Once the bag is full just pull it out:

**Broken Link(s) Removed**

That's from a topic in 2007. :)

Being a coal man I don't think I'd ever give up my Aluminum shovel, two scoops and that's more than 40 lbs.

 
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Post by coalconvert » Sat. May. 21, 2011 7:01 pm

I tried the 5-gallon bucket route. It just didn't work for me. Too much tugging and lifting and back-bending; just too much energy expended for the job at hand--that of filling a bag. I'm mindful of efficiency and economy-of-motion after messing around with wood since 1978--the cutting, spliiting, loading, unloading, stacking etc etc.

Also, the bags I use are just a bit too small for a five gallon bucket. I get them from work for free, I pull them out of the trash. They are used for deliveries of dry ice.

Not to mention the wood crumb mess in the house. Which is why I wanted to store the coal outside the house-- in the garage and the shed-- and not in the basement. I have a large shed for the full bags. With the DR Power Wagon to haul them to the shed for me, bagging makes sense.

http://www.drpower.com/power-wagon.aspx

It works for me.

 
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Post by coalconvert » Sat. May. 21, 2011 7:18 pm

Also, bagged coal costs about $300 a ton. Bulk delivery in my area is $232. I'm saving $272 per 4-ton delivery over pre-bagged coal.

So I'll bag. It's good exercise.

 
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Post by whistlenut » Sat. May. 21, 2011 7:43 pm

Very good logic for your situation, and believe it or not I have used the scoops for the masonry uses as well. Slick for that purpose, lower profile, beats a 5 gallon bucket! Those who don't understand why you do it apparently are missing the part about bags are recycled at no cost, and the labor is good for you. If it were wood.....well, we won't go there. Around me, I'm seeing log loads sitting at peoples homes, and for the first time, many folks are purchasing cut and split wood at this time of the year. It appears the average home has 6 to 8 cords.
I think there needs to be more education and local demonstrations for people to see and touch.....once you've been there, you won't be going back across town for wood! :idea: :) :gee: :alone: :discuss:

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sat. May. 21, 2011 7:57 pm

cc, how much coal are you going through in a season?
coalconvert wrote:Also, bagged coal costs about $300 a ton. Bulk delivery in my area is $232. I'm saving $272 per 4-ton delivery over pre-bagged coal.

So I'll bag. It's good exercise.


 
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Post by coalconvert » Sun. May. 22, 2011 12:05 am

This will be the first season with coal. I figure about 25 lbs/day for the enire season(late Oct. to early May). I won't be trying to heat the entire house. Just the stove/TV room and the living room. If I get more heat than that, then so much the better. It's got to be better than the last 33 heating seasons with the wood stove. The bags that I fill average 50-55lbs.

 
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Post by whistlenut » Sun. May. 22, 2011 8:39 am

Just a hint....you might look around the forum or craigslist for a more robust stove to do the whole house. I have a couple VC Vigilants myself and they are excellent, but Hitzer, Harman, Keystoker and a few others are excellent and go to over 100K btu.
I think the VC Vigilant is about 44K as I remember. Become a smart shopper and you will be blown away at what you will see for sale. Bet you won't miss the wood much, except for the snap crack and pop occasionally. :idea:

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. May. 22, 2011 8:55 am

I'm in a 200 yr old farm house tightened up the best it can be--I shut down the back 1/3 but am still heating 1800-2000-sq.--I normally go through 3 ton of nut--this yr.--3 1/2 ton--house stays around 72*--I'm using a Hitzer 50-93, but there are equilivent stoves out there --like WN said--for a real reasonable prices--the Hitzer is rated around 90-100 K or better ;) Seems like you'll have enough coal toothy---I picked my stove up for $600.00

 
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. May. 22, 2011 9:41 am

I understand the buying the bulk part but what I don't understand is why you're storing it in bags instead of a bin or am I misunderstanding what you're doing?

Is it delivered with a coal truck or dump with a little chute on the back? If you offer them a few extra bucks they might spend the time to fill the bags for you. Build a little funnel and something to hold the bag up right below the chute. If a customer requested that I'd do it as long as I new they were going to be set up to make it quick and for the right amount of money. Just make sure you ask and let them know what you want to do so they can schedule the extra time.

 
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Post by coalconvert » Sun. May. 22, 2011 11:55 am

I guess I'm so used to splitting-hauling-stacking-carrying mass quantities of fire wood that bagging and storing a few tons is a relative breeeze. Moreover, by comparison, there is a certain zen-like feel to the task of filling and stacking the coal. To see a Winter's worth of warmth slide out of the back of the coal truck, knowing that all that needs to be done is to transfer it to bags has been the biggest groove of all so far with my coal adventure.

Even with a bin, sooner or later you have to transfer the stuff into some container or other in order to feed it into the stove. My preference is to do that transfer sooner rather than later. Just an ingrained wood-heating habit I suppose.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. May. 22, 2011 12:52 pm

Dude, please keep your zen & your groove where-ever you are! :clap: toothy Soooo, what you're not saying is that you burn 12 Ton for the season?? ;) Seems like an incredible amount :?

 
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Post by coalnewbie » Sun. May. 22, 2011 1:37 pm

That's about what a burn but next year I am tightening things up, I am shutting the back door - you can't fool me. :partyhat:

 
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Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Sun. May. 22, 2011 1:39 pm

whistlenut wrote:...8<...I think the VC Vigilant is about 44K as I remember. Become a smart shopper and you will be blown away at what you will see for sale. Bet you won't miss the wood much, except for the snap crack and pop occasionally. :idea:
WN - the Vigilant II model 2310 is rated @ 50,000 BTU with nut or pea anthracite. Note that I've italicized the word "rated" 8-) this model is a batch burner, not the hopper inserted into the wood version like the earlier ones. These puppies throw some serious heat. I'm heating 3100 sq ft and used ~ 5 ton this winter plus used about 75 gal max of fuel oil during the coldest windiest part of the winter.


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