Bagging Your Own Coal?

stoker_RI · Post by **stoker_RI** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 1:31 pm

Hey guys...
For years I have been buying bagged rice coal..this year I am thinking about buying bulk..I was wondering if anybody bags up part of the load to be able to store it indoors near the boiler/stove to have ready for those lovely, rainy/snowy dreary weeks that can occur, when the last thing you feel like doing is going out in the weather to shovel coal..
If so, anybody have an idea as to where to buy bags/sacks? Fot that matter..does anyone have the same idea, but use a dif. method other than bags?..I thought about 5 gal buckets, but obviously there is a limitation as to how many I have on hand, available..
Thanks!..Look forward to your replies!

carlherrnstein · Post by **carlherrnstein** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 2:07 pm

Id make friends with a live stock farmer that makes there own feed they buy mineral supplments in big 100lbs bags. Or go to the nearest grain mill that mixes there own blends of feed an ask them.

steamup · Post by **steamup** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 2:26 pm

Look for sand bags - available in different sizes. Coal is about 1/2 of the density of sand but the volume of the bags should still let you bag about 40 lbs per bag.
Buy bags in lots of 500 and they get more economical.

build a simple filling jig

http://www.instructables.com/id/Filling-Sandbags- ... bag-Tubes/

samhill · Post by **samhill** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 2:42 pm

I guess it all depends on your area but I get my bulk coal off an Amish veal farmer, he uses one of those tall 5/gal buckets & just turns it over with the bag held over & dumps in the bag. Around me most dairy or beef farmers will give me some & I use my dog food bags as well. Normally have a ton stacked by the furnace & the rest in the garage, whenever I'm coming in from out there I grab a bag during the winter, works well for me.

crazy4coal · Post by **crazy4coal** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 5:47 pm

I you take a five gallon bucket and cut the bottom out, slip it inside the bag, fill the bucket and pull the bucket out, that's about 40lbs and it's in the bag.

Rick 386 · Post by **Rick 386** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 5:55 pm

I use a plastic 55 gallon drum.

Cut the top off and you can store 400 lbs in it.

Rick

Scottscoaled · Post by **Scottscoaled** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 6:13 pm

Someone with horses will have all the bags you need. they are the right size. Don't put more than 50 lbs in a bag. They become more of a pain when they weigh more. A cutoff 5 gallon bucket slipped into the bag, fill the bucket almost to the top. Pull up the bucket and the bag at the same time so the coal goes to the bottom of the bag. Without taking the bucket out of the bag,set it down on the coal allready in the bag and fill the bucket up halfway or so. Pull out the bucket. Tie off the top. It works better if when you tie the top, you gather all the excess material at the top and twist it tight. Home depot sells wire ties, like 1000 for $10 and you get the hook tool that they use to tie rebar together. Spin the wire around the bag twice, and cinch. I used to bag mine before I found it was easier to use a bin. 5 tons didn't take more than a six pack to fill. Hard on the back though

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 7:05 pm

You can buy regular coal bags from Boston. I'll PM you the name and address, phone number and so on. DO NOT bag coal in those 100 lb sacks unless you keep it 50 lb or under. Too damned heavy! Right nut goes POW!!!...Left nut on standby to go POW...all for a bag of coal?! Remember the Kiss principal: Keep it simple stupid! I do super sacks at a ton each. Nothing fancy to do: Place a bag on the fork lift forks...fill (yes you spill some...who cares). Fill bag, move to a pallet...next....and so on. Takes about an hour to bag up 25 tons. Super sacks ar less than $20.00 per bag, 50 lb bags are around $.50 40 times .50 equals $20.00 Duh...about the same stupid......so pick your poison.

stoker_RI · Post by **stoker_RI** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 7:48 pm

Rick 386 wrote:I use a plastic 55 gallon drum.

Cut the top off and you can store 400 lbs in it.

Rick

I've gone that route before..don't know if I had extra dusty coal or what, but I found that when you get lower than the half full point its hard to keep your head out and your lungs clean! **cough** think I had a persistant tickle in my throat that year!..mask or no mask...

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 9:39 pm

put a dropgate on th side and you got a bin...

stoker_RI · Post by **stoker_RI** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 10:53 pm

CapeCoaler wrote:put a dropgate on th side and you got a bin...

Sorry..u lost me on that..what do u mean?

CapeCoaler · Post by **CapeCoaler** » Thu. Mar. 15, 2012 11:03 pm

Fill from the top...
put opening on side...
bucket high...
open gate...
buckey filled...

stoker_RI · Post by **stoker_RI** » Fri. Mar. 16, 2012 11:56 am

CapeCoaler wrote:Fill from the top...
put opening on side...
bucket high...
open gate...
buckey filled...

Now I get it..Have you tried this yourself? Seems like you'd have to fashion a couple of hinges (obviously) and a latch of some sort to keep the coal from pushing the door out...

stoker_RI · Post by **stoker_RI** » Fri. Mar. 16, 2012 12:00 pm

whistlenut wrote: Right nut goes POW!!!...Left nut on standby to go POW...all for a bag of coal?! .

WhistleNUT...you have a way with words!..You crack me up!..

Have you figured out a way to put The Old Man Of The Mountain back together again? maybe HE dropped a nut hanging out up there for all those eons! ...I guess in the 'live free or die' State, he choose death, huh?

jkabdoors · Post by **jkabdoors** » Fri. Mar. 16, 2012 12:21 pm

HeHe my wife does mine!!!! We use 30 gal heavy duty plastic containers on wheels and also the plastic storage totes for ashes. Just roll 1 up to the hopper