Buckets to Carry Loose Coal

 
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traderfjp
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Post by traderfjp » Thu. Jul. 10, 2008 2:06 am

I was wondering how 5 gallon plastic containers hold up when using them to lug coal from the bin to the house? Are the handles strong enough? Are there any popular alternatives? I was thinking that I would buy a flat garden cart with pneumatic tires (rated to 1k lbs) so when I fill buckets I would have an easy way to cart the buckets to the house?

Thanks in advance.


 
franknbaum
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Post by franknbaum » Thu. Jul. 10, 2008 4:56 am

Sure they will hold up. Just go to auto parts stores or auto shop and see if they have any empty ones from motor oil or gear lube and drain them. I got some from a dunkin donuts but the oil ones seem heavier duty.

 
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traderfjp
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Post by traderfjp » Thu. Jul. 10, 2008 7:55 am

Do u keep lids on them to keep the rain out or do u store them under a tarp once they are filled with coal?

 
stokin-railroad
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Post by stokin-railroad » Thu. Jul. 10, 2008 8:02 am

bucket from plaster work nice and are very durable.if you can find a drywall contractor that could save them for you.drill small holes in bottom for drainage of wet coal. I use 6 buckets fill twice a week worked well last season!they would need washing out but just water and maybe a little scrubbing they clean right up.

 
mikethebutcher
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Post by mikethebutcher » Thu. Jul. 10, 2008 9:10 pm

i fill about 30 pails it last for about 17 days depending how cold it is
takes about 1 hour to fill and you only have to do it twice a month
got the pails from a supermarket bakery dept
they are all less then 5 gals.
drill small holes on the side of them...aprox 4-5 holes so when you put them inside each other when they are empty they come apart easy
also do not fill all the way to the top so you can stack them 8 high
mike

 
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ceccil
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Post by ceccil » Fri. Jul. 11, 2008 1:17 am

Five gallon pails will work fine. I fill two pails every other day from coal bin, walk across basement and dump into stove hopper. Been using the same two pails for three years.

 
drujinin
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Post by drujinin » Wed. Jul. 30, 2008 1:55 pm

Five Gallon plastic pails work fine!
the only time they don't is when its -20, you fill them, leave them sitting, go do your chores, come back to carry them to the house, slip and fall on top of one! Then they crack or break! Better the bucket gives, than your ribs!
:lol:


 
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Adamiscold
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Post by Adamiscold » Thu. Jul. 31, 2008 8:05 am

How much coal (pounds) fits into one 5 gallon bucket?

 
stokin-railroad
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Post by stokin-railroad » Thu. Jul. 31, 2008 9:39 am

a five gal.pail full is @35 lbs.or less depends if you fill it to the top or not.i fill them to the top for me and then fill 3-4 to about 3/4 full so my wife can lift them because she likes to feed the stoker sometimes.as said the pails work well just tune the load to your comfort and carry on!

 
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Adamiscold
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Post by Adamiscold » Thu. Jul. 31, 2008 10:12 am

That's cool. Since they almost take a complete bag of coal I think I'll have to invest in this to avoid having to open the bags inside the house. Thanks for the idea. :D
Of course they will have to be spray painted black to match the stove 8-)

 
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gambler
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Post by gambler » Thu. Jul. 31, 2008 12:25 pm

I use a 5 gal bucket to fill my hopper on my stove that is in my dining room and I have a lid that snaps onto the bucket that I cut a 3 inch hole in and mounted a 12-14 inch long piece of plastic drain pipe to it. When I dump the bucket in the hopper I have to lift up on the bucket to make the coal flow out. (sort of gently laying the coal into the hopper) I get no coal dust this way. I do not have a camera right now or I would post a pic. I will get the camera from wife and post a pic if anyone is interested.

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Thu. Jul. 31, 2008 12:38 pm

I used the nice rectangle 40# kitty litter buckets, work great and always have a supply of them on hand (we have a few cats!!:) )

 
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gambler
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Post by gambler » Fri. Aug. 01, 2008 5:26 pm

I know nobody has asked to see my bucket and nobody probably cares, BUT, I have all of this extra time that I have to waste because I can't do anything because of my surgery so I thought that I would show everyone my coal bucket anyhow.

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coal bucket 3.JPG
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traderfjp
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Post by traderfjp » Fri. Aug. 01, 2008 6:26 pm

Are u sure that isn't a bong? :D

Does the tube keep the dust down?

 
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gambler
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Post by gambler » Fri. Aug. 01, 2008 7:01 pm

traderfjp wrote:Are u sure that isn't a bong?
Right now I wish it were!
traderfjp wrote:Does the tube keep the dust down?
yes, I get no dust. I use damp coal and the tube. The tube kind of places the coal into the bin with minimal disruption.


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