Coal Bin Pictures and Designs

REDMAN · Post by **REDMAN** » Sat. Oct. 28, 2006 7:17 pm

WNY- I have a keystoker-Koker hot air furnace. It is rated at 160,000 B.T.U. I don't know the my total square footage of the house,but it is a 3 story double-block,with 5 bed rooms on each side. We are currently in the middle of a total rehab of the one side, but when all is "said and done" this unit should be able to heat both units. Right now I am only heating the one side so I can work on it during the winter.

TOONIE · Post by **TOONIE** » Sun. Oct. 29, 2006 10:23 am

Those are some big blocks

wenchris · Post by **wenchris** » Mon. Oct. 30, 2006 3:31 pm

4x4x8 ft coal bin holds about 3 tons of rice. Top is removed to fill. Only wish I would have slopped the bottom towards the chute. Once it gets low you have to push the coal up against the chute. Oh well next life.......

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Mon. Oct. 30, 2006 6:21 pm

Here is my coal bin, modeled after the one that was in the house I grew up in. The white boards slide up to be removed as the level of the coal drops. The coal comes out under the bottom board into an area that I can use a shovel in. This bin holds 4 ton of rice coal. I back my pickup up to the basement window (not visible in picture) and shovel it in.

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Mon. Oct. 30, 2006 6:24 pm

Hey wenchris,

I like the chute idea, am in the process of building my coal bin out of scrap stuff that I have laying around. It is 16ft X 4 ft and has a sloped bottom which would lend itself to a chute (was thinking of maybe making three seperate compartments and three chutes).

Was not sure if I could build one that would close with the pressure of the coal against it. It looks like yours is a sliding door, how does that work out?

Here is how far along I am right now, hope to finish it up this week and put 6 tons in it.

Post by **Richard S.** » Thu. Nov. 02, 2006 11:38 am

Matthaus, I hope that doesn't have a floor in it yet because from a coalman's point of view that is exactly how not to build a coal bin at least if you want to have it delivered. I'm not afraid of work but there's no reason to make it unneccesarily hard. First let me point out if that box had level ground next to it and a removable roof I could completely fill it in about 10 minutes with little effort even if it was six feet high, actually six feet off the ground is about perfect for me.

You may be getting it yourself or whatever but I'll point out what's wrong with it for anyone else building a bin that expects delivery assuming you have a floor in it already. First you have limited access where it's at. This isn't really bad because it looks like there's enough room to get close enough but being able to get the truck in the right position can be a world of difference. By the looks it appears you probably intend on filling that area in anyway so that's not really a big problem.

Second you have the opening at almost the bottom of the bin. The place where you want to put the coal in should be as high as possible and as open as possible. The opening you have would allow me to get about 500-1000 pounds at the very most before the work begins. In the top part above where you currently have the opening is a piece that isn't sided yet, that's where the opening should be even if you haven't put the floor in yet.

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Thu. Nov. 02, 2006 11:29 pm

Hey Coalman,

I Definitely appreciate the comments

It appears that maybe the picture is not clear as to how this thing will work. the small square you see at the left side is a door which will fit my buddy's coal shute. To the left out of the picture is level grond connected to the street. With his dump truck (which has a shute compatable door in the tail gate) I will be able to load in the coal with no work at all! The load in door is about the same height as a basement window would be (~ a couple feet). The sides do not yet have the plywood on them and the floor is actually the sloped concrete you can see in the picture. I will use the large door on the right for entry and exit and also a place to load up my coal transport device out of the elemtents. The house is about 25 feet away from the coal bin.

Bottom line should not have posted the pic yet... but will do that Saturday after I load in the coal (hopefully if the truck is available).

Post by **Richard S.** » Thu. Nov. 02, 2006 11:49 pm

I see, almost looks like it has a floor there.

That would be nightmare getting coal in if it did. Believe it or not I've seen a lot of people do things like that, like the guy that built a 45 angled wall from the window to the floor taking up all the space for the coal under the assumption it would make it easier because the coal would go farther into the bin.

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Sat. Nov. 04, 2006 10:54 pm

Coal bin now done except door, turned out pretty well for scraps plus an additional $35 for 7/16 OSB.

Didn't get the dump truck today so only loaded in 3,000# from the pickup. Was actually kinda easy, used the coal shute and just shoveled for a half hour or so (cleaning up the truck took longer than unloading!). So now I at least know I can get the coal myself if need be.

Now I can crank up the keystoker in the garage and work in my t-shirt.

coal_kid · Post by **coal_kid** » Tue. Nov. 07, 2006 11:54 pm

8x8x6. I should get about 6 tons in it. The one ton I had delivered (to get started) doesn't look like much in there.

Its made using rough cut lumber and has a regular basement window.

TD · Post by TD » Wed. Nov. 08, 2006 10:57 am

This one holds about two tons, theres about a half ton left from last season. I'm bagging that up so I can expand to hold about three tons. Since I put in a new shed and I have more room now. I might also put in a smaller bin to hold ash.

coalkirk · Post by **coalkirk** » Wed. Nov. 08, 2006 11:58 am

Just curious how everyone with outdoor coal bins gets their coal to the stove/furnace/boiler? Also, do you cover your coal outdoors or just let it get wet?

LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Wed. Nov. 08, 2006 12:39 pm

I have an outsde coal bin. I cover it with a tarp. Eventually I'll put a roof on it. Right now I can use the tractor' frontend loader to drop the coal over the walls. So I'm not sure if I will put a permenant hard roof on it.

BUT I must keep the rain/snow off the coal. The water does sink into the coal, and freeze. I had to use a pick-ax on the coal pile last year when the tarp blew off and the pile got wet. [no bin last year, just a pile on plywood]

My bin is about 8-10 steps away from the boiler building's door. Just inside the door are two 55 gallon plastic drums with the tops cut off. They recline in a rest at about a 45* angle. I keep them full. I can either use a wheelbarrow to move the coal from the bin into the building, or often I just use a big aluminum shovel and walk it in. It only takes about 20 minute to load the two barrels. Then I often keep the wheelbarrow full too.

I probably have 250-350# of coal inside the building. Ths way If the weather is rain or snow, I don't have to uncover the coal and get it wet. I transfer from the barrels and wheelbarrow with a shovel into the boiler.

I may try a few trips with a 5 gallon pail, and see how well that works instead of the shovel.

Greg L

,

Linda · Post by **Linda** » Fri. Dec. 08, 2006 11:08 am

One of the pics looks like it has a runoff from the coal bin. Is this a problem? Is the coal usually delivered wet? I've heard they wash it. One guy told me they wash it in oil.

Linda

Post by **coaledsweat** » Fri. Dec. 08, 2006 11:20 am

Most use water, some of the small stuff (rice & pea) use oil to keep the stokers (auto feeding) running nice and smooth.
It is benificial either way as it reduces the "dust"to minimal levels.

Coal Bin Pictures and Designs

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