storage pics

Hi, just cleaned the stove, now I finely have time to post pics of my stove and storage system. If pics come out I will follow with the specs of storage bin. Just put in 25 bags Monday, It will hold 35 but I think I will install a couple of braces in some weak spots. Better safe then sorry.

Thanks for the interest, I work in a large factory maintenance dept. so I have much access to machines(bridgeports, band saw, drill press, lathe), and raw materials( plastics and metals.) The sheet metals were cut and bent and welded on large machines by a co- worker, at lunch time of course (dunkin donuts gift card payment). The feed system was first designed and built with an auger system but did not work well, keep chopping up pellets. I should have made a spring style auger, but not easy to do. I built a pipe in pipe like a ball valve it works good. Yes, that is a dust removal system. It was kind of a prototype test unit but it works. Bin is 3'x3' wide and 89" high and has a fill hole at top 18"x10" with weather strip and cover. Its 10.5 " from ceiling and filling is easier then I thought it would be. Have access hole in front for cleaning and vavle removal if needed.What you see in the bottom is about 1.5 bags of pellets, I left room for fines to collect and can remove the plate on the bottom for cleaning and vacuum manifold repair. It cost about $200 because I had to buy plywood, 2" pvc ( Yes, filling dust removal pipe), small vacuum, and some fittings. The legs are heavy sheet metal like 1/8" thick. It takes my son and me about 30 min. to put in 25 bags with set up and clean up. Like I said I still need some bracing to fell warm and fuzzy with 35 bags in there, thats a lot of weight.

thanks, forgot to mention 1 1/2 years to complete.

mrjohneel said:

I don't mean to be rude (or stupid) but I don't get it. You lift up 40 lbs. bags to dump into the bin, which then uses an auger to fill a container that you carry up to the stove? Why don't you carry the bag to the stove? I mean, you do all that to remove fines? (Again, I'm new to the pellet thing, and I don't mean to be critical.)

Click to expand...

As I built it I asked the same thing. Last year I had one ton in garage and one ton in shed and could not get to the pellets in the shed because of snow. Now I get 1/2 in bin and 1 in garage 1/2 in shed. Its easier to put pellets in bucket from bin and carry to stove because of bad lower back. My wife can even do it and remove dust at the same time.

Where I work we have 30 plastic molding machines and two kinds of drying and vac systems. My first idea was to use a vac system, but corn and plastic take more abuse. I was worried about beating up the pellets making more dust.

I think the best way to vac pellets to the stove is to vac up to a small tank above the stove and gravity drop them down into hopper. But it takes large vacuum.

Ok I see that will work, but there storage box will not empty fully you will have about 1/3 of the bin with stuck pellets. You need angled bottom

how bout conveyor. Cool!