jason0012 Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 ROI used to have a masonry bin behind the shop that held about a ton and a half. In the mid 90s I got away from burning coal and the coal pit got torn down and its bricks comited to flowerbeds or something. Now I am back to burning coal. I have a trash can I am currently keeping it in, but would like to get a ton or two. I would like to find some sort of container for it. Billy Merrit used an old oil tank. I am curious what everyone uses. I will be moving the shop soon so may just build a cinder block bin at the new place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Olson Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 I use some heavy duty plastic bins but my future plan is to get a 55 gallon barrel with a removable top then mount it on some legs so i can get a bucket under it then make a door in the side. That way I could store it outside and free some space in my shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 I have limited space for storage. I get 1/2 ton at a time. I put 100# in each of ten 20 gal. plastic trash cans with lids. Great for putting in various places, moving with a 2 wheel hand truck and they can stay out in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 I use an old wrecked truck bed that was replaced. Its up off the ground a bit and I can just shovel what I need to use into a metal can for in the shop. Ask around at body shops. Possibly might come across one or a plastic bed liner someone wants rid of. Just make a bit of a wood or metal framing to keep the tailgate end sides upright on the plastic liner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 I used a out 8- 55 gal drums for years. Lids mostly. Nothing fancy All were top loaders. And the coal came out the top as well. When they got down to half, they were not hard to tip. Cheap and no moving parts. I have another system planned for my new shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Das, that idea of a plastic bed liner is neat. Won't rust from the rain and easy to shovel out coal. Might even be worth the price of a new one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeltree Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 Try asking around where they do the spray in bed liners, will probably give all they have laying around to you. A big floor freezer works nice for a more permanent dispensary , cut an opening on the side with a sliding door to fill a bucket, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 We built one out of dry stacked concrete blocks 4'x8' x 3' tall with a plywood cover, holds over a ton of coal and the front blocks can be removed as the level of the coal drops. I like the bed liner though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 A 4x4 pallet 4 feet tall holds about ton, a 55 gallon drum about 500 pounds, and a 5 gallon bucket about 35 pounds. I would strongly suggest plastic barrels or plastic tubs, as the coal may eat the metal drums given time. Coal mines, power plants, and river barges store coal outside in the weather. If you have coal dust or fines, put then in a 5 gallon bucket and add water. To use the fines, coal dust, just scoop out a hand full of the black mud and put it on the fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 I use plastic barrels under cover. Get a bit of condensation at first so let the lid open for a few weeks. Then shut the lid, no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 totes work well. I have a feed bunk and coal bunk made out of them with the outlet firing cut out and a slide door made up to slide between the cage and the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 7 hours ago, Glenn said: To use the fines, coal dust, just scoop out a hand full of the black mud and put it on the fire. Works better for bituminous than for anthracite: bituminous fines coke; anthracite fines just turn into a shower of glowing shards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeltree Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 The good thing about coal , it is like fishing in the rain, the fish don't mind getting wet, just keep some in a dry container for immediate usage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 I've put wet coal on a fire I started with just a little bit of coal and coke that was leftover in the pot with no problem as well. It dries pretty quick on a hot fire. Gatta love those rocks that burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 Like diamonds---diamonds burn! (and can be used for case hardening too---"Cementation of Iron and Steel".) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robie1373 Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 I was at Mt. Vernon this week and happen to take a picture of the coal bunker at the blacksmith shop there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laynne Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 I use charcoal but it would work for coal. I finally put an old hog feeder back to work. Took off the feeder ring and built a drop and put legs on it. I know way more about how they are put together than I ever wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Interesting, but to fill it from a bulk order without a front loader, would be a chore with a shovel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laynne Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Yes sir I suppose it would. I hadn't considered that. Making charcoal 10 to 15 gallons at a time it's not a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 I was thinking coal (our main solid fuel now). Charcoal is a lot lighter and although I don't use much charcoal (buy bags of lump) it would be perfect. I currently use a fiberglass home made barrel that is about 100 gallons (to keep the rats from getting into it). When I get our side blast charcoal forge built, I will probably start making my own charcoal and would love a bin like yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 It is always a good idea to keep rain and snow away from your coal because besides the problems of trying to burn a wet fuel some types of coal can "slake," that is, deteriorate mechanically into smaller pieces in the presence of water. If you have ever seen an old coal pile it may well have slaked down to fragments the size of pea gravel or smaller. The very first fuel I used in a forge was some nasty old slaked sub-bituminous coal. Very unpleasant. Little coking and lots of burning bits flying around plus lots of clinker. This can be a problem in open pit mines or road cuts which cut through coal seams. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Funny when we burn the fines sold as smithing coal out here we store it in a bucket of water and add it wet to the fire. (Which my Father told me that also did back when he was in engineering school in the early 1950's and had to forge and design a steam engine as part of the basics classes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemedic Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I am going to pick up my first ever load of coal this week. It just occurred to me that I don’t have any idea how I’m going to store it. The coal supplier near me (in South Eastern Ohio) sells bituminous coal in bulk. I can have them load my truck with a skid loader or I can bag it up myself by hand. I’m curious to see how you guys are storing it. In a pile on the ground? In barrels? In bags? In a purpose built bin? Anyone with photos of their storage would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 An IBC with the top ring cut off. I can reach the bottom. I use them for feed and gravel bunks as well. Just leave the valve open partway if you leave it out. One of the guys at Saltfork fabricated a bin door and cut out the valve but I tried it and don’t care for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 First of all how are you going to UNLOAD it? I like the 55 gallon plastic barrels for bulk storage and for small storage I like the square cat litter buckets with the metal bail.---they stack neater in the shop/pickup bed. However a 55 gallon barrel full of coal is HEAVY (400 pounds+ for just water...) Bags rot to fast in the UV out here for my tastes and so need to be transferred to something stable fast. Now one smith I know has the bed of a pickup with liner by his shop and he transfer the coal from the picking up pickup bed to the storage pickup bed and throws a tarp over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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