Jib it or auger it?

Then again,,, Would the auger be real suseptible to freezing. Loaded with wet coal.

The flexfeed looks very interesting, LoschStoker. I was wondering how flexible it is. If it flexes enough, might able to shake up and loosen the frozen damp coal that stockerscot points out as a potential problem for an outside set up. Matthaus, could you please let me know what size coal the former owner moved in what size unit and how far?

VigIIPeaBurner wrote:The flexfeed looks very interesting, LoschStoker. I was wondering how flexible it is. If it flexes enough, might able to shake up and loosen the frozen damp coal that stockerscot points out as a potential problem for an outside set up. Matthaus, could you please let me know what size coal the former owner moved in what size unit and how far?

The flex is really not all that flexible, it has to be dropped to another line to go a different direction and these auger systems are expensive. Unless you were to bump into one at an auction or a farmer's field.

I envision an outdoor storage shed, fitted to your needs, with a trench slot in the middle to auger the coal out to an elevator that takes it up to your destination. You could even wire in remote control! http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mwps_dis ... /73250.pdf
http://www.eleveyor.com
http://www.gilmorekramer.com/more_info/ ... yors.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_bGavX6-lM
http://www.unitrak.com/equipment/bucket_elevators
http://www.lots-trains.org/html/97_coal_elevator.html

I would shy away from flex augers - at least if you actually flexed them. Straight runs might be do-able. Personally I hate augers. I have spent too much time fighting with jammed and frozen augers, stripped flighting, worn holes, busted bearings, and on and on... A lifetime of farming has made me wary of stuff. I would never try to flex anything other than super powder dry laying crumbs or something. Molasses feed would be a disaster - I can only imagine what frozen coal would do

A large diameter, very slow turning, perhaps even a trough type auger (think forage wagon auger) would be more to my liking. Or just a belt conveyor.

Or a skip'n a winch...

Small building,,,,,$5000. Conveyor system,,,,,,,$7500. Carrying it in by the bucket,,,,, PRICELESS!!!!!

stokerscot wrote:Small building,,,,,$5000. Conveyor system,,,,,,,$7500. Carrying it in by the bucket,,,,, PRICELESS!!!!!

You got that right If I could afford that set-up, it sure would be a great tech piece. Like Coal Jockey says, I'd still see myself outside on the North West side in the wind and weather dealing with something frozen. Been there and done that and it wasn't fun then cause it was usually the scraper chain in the drop room