I have a couple of plastic 55 gallon drums but they don’t have removable lids. I like the IBC tote idea. I could load the tote into the truck, fill it and then unload it at home. That saves me from getting much coal in the truck bed. 

I have a three hundred gallon container that once contained sanitation solution for cleaning chicken houses. There are lots of chicken houses in my area and I see these containers for sale for usually around twenty bucks. They come on a heavy, plastic pallet and have a steel tubing frame on the outside of the plastic container. I cut the top out of mine to make it an open top bin. It holds a thousand pounds so when I buy a ton I fill the bin and then pallet stack the other thousand in 50lb sacks. I use the bagged coal first because the bags do rot pretty quickly. I thought about picking up another bin so I can dump a ton at a time but I like having some coal bagged to travel to events. If you want to spend a lot of money on storage systems, look up U-Line, they have it all. If you want a cheap solution ask a farmer

I use an old totaled out truck bed. You could use just a salvage bed liner as well. Ibc tote is a good idea. I have one but have other plans for it. 

When I get coal they just load my pickup bed and then I transfer it the hard way to the storage truck bed.

Recently picked up another old truck bed if I feel like stocking up.

 

Storing in a pile on the ground is something I'd recommend not doing. Unless it's on a concrete pad. 

I get about 1000# at a time in my pickup.  I have 10 or 12 plastic garbage cans with lids, 20 gal. size, each holds about 100#.  I just lay a tarp under the tail gate, shovel the cans to about 100# each and wheel them off to my storage place with a 2-wheel hand truck.  I round up the tarp and shake the spillage into a can and I'm good to go.  The trash cans are easy to store in various places and move to the forge when needed.

Daswulf, how much coal is in that truck bed? I’m trying to get an idea of how much a ton of coal is by volume. 

I can get a ton plus in the back of my old f250. It's heap'd in the middle and a tarp keeps it from flying out.

I've stored it mostly in 55 gal drums. Then I got a trailer made from an old '65 Chevy. If you put it in drums, make sure you put lids on them. Water will freeze in the winter and getting it out is tough.

Firemedic,  as far as coal volume goes.....I don't know if this will help...this is 840#, just shy of 1/2 ton, in the back of a Toyota Tacoma 6 ft. bed.

 

 

Yes. Actually that does help. Thank you. 

If you have the space and do not plan on moving things, a pallet with 4 foot sides will hold a ton of coal. 8 foot pickup bed up to the top of the bed will hold about a ton. 55 gallon drums will hold about 400 pounds of coal or 5 drums to the ton. They can be stored covered outside and moved inside when needed.  

Purchase the size coal you need to use. They can crush and grade it to your liking. Just be sure you DO NOT say lump coal. (grin)

I have one of them rolly load things that go in the back of the truck. Just crank it and it comes out pretty easy. Every once in a while you have to move some from the wheel wells. But out it comes onto the barn floor. 

2 bucket loads from an old Ford front loader was 1200#

It would most likely look smaller if the pieces were not so big. Some weigh upwards of 40#. 

 

Edited November 14, 20196 yr by BillyBones
spelling error

There is a thread about storage, Here it is for more ideas.

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/60294-any-good-ideas-for-coal-storage/

 

BB, expecting to build very large snowmen this winter?

Thomas, i was laying in bed last night when i finally figured out what you meant about the snowmen. 

Sheeesh; I guess I better get working on making them more obscure.   Out here we tend to make snowmen from tumbleweeds; a lot faster but hard to use coal and a carrot; they do burn a lot better though!

they make pretty good Christmas trees as well.

I have a coal furnace in my basement for auxiliary heat. I built a bin out of 5 pieces of 4 x 8 plywood and 2x4 ‘s holds about 4 tons and keeps the rain and snow out. The delivery truck dumps right into it and I cut doors in the front to shovel coal into a bucket. I also have a series of removable slats to. keep the coal from falling out when the door is opened.

Don't know if anyone cares but I have another pretty ideal yet not easily accessible method to store coal. Due to my Smithy is a shed in our garden, I store my coal in an old outdoor fireplace by our housewall. It holds around 50 to 75 liters of coal and keeps it pretty dry. If I need some, I simply take a shovel and a bucket and carry the coal the 150 ft to my workshop. And besides a few leaves falling in through the chimney, I couldn't imagine a better coal bunker for my needs. If wanted I can give pictures too.

Greetings

I have to get my coal in 50 pound bags, I just store it in the bags on the floor of the smithy.  The roof leaks in that spot so I don't need to wet it. Just shovel it into the forge, and go.