Curious: Bulk delivery vs. bag-by-bag

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I usually grab 25 bags at a time. My Toyota Sienna handles a half-ton with no problem. Since we have several stores in the area (Rural King, Orschlens, Lowes) selling
pellets I can usually get a better deal by invoking 'price matching' (at Lowes anyway).
 
Whatever works for you. I have a gravity wagon that I use for bulk pellets. It will hold around 6 ton in it. I take one afternoon during the summer and drive to get it loaded, pull it back home, back it into the garage and I'm all set for the winter. I use 5 gallon pails to transfer the pellets during the heating season. With getting bulk like this, I save $20 per ton over bagged. So that 6 ton saves me $120 plus is only one trip to get pellets versus 6 trips if a person hauls one ton at a time.
 
Former Farmer said:
Whatever works for you. I have a gravity wagon that I use for bulk pellets. It will hold around 6 ton in it. I take one afternoon during the summer and drive to get it loaded, pull it back home, back it into the garage and I'm all set for the winter. I use 5 gallon pails to transfer the pellets during the heating season. With getting bulk like this, I save $20 per ton over bagged. So that 6 ton saves me $120 plus is only one trip to get pellets versus 6 trips if a person hauls one ton at a time.
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I end up putting one ton in the bed of my Dodge Ram and put another in my 1ton trailer, so two trips are all I need for the year. That ends up costing me 6 gallons of gas.
 
Former Farmer said:
Whatever works for you. I have a gravity wagon that I use for bulk pellets. It will hold around 6 ton in it. I take one afternoon during the summer and drive to get it loaded, pull it back home, back it into the garage and I'm all set for the winter. I use 5 gallon pails to transfer the pellets during the heating season. With getting bulk like this, I save $20 per ton over bagged. So that 6 ton saves me $120 plus is only one trip to get pellets versus 6 trips if a person hauls one ton at a time.
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What is a "Gravity Wagon" ? And it holds 6 tons ?
 
images

Gravity wagon or Gravity box - Depending upon what size you have, it can hold a lot more than 6 ton. Mine is a small one like in the picture. This is a picture I took off of the internet, but mine is about the same size. I bought it from a local farmer that didn't need it anymore. It paid for itself in two years.
 
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Problem with bulk delivery(vacuum truck blown into a storage bin) is the selection is rather limited. If you like the name brand goods, You most likely can't get them in bulk. You'll need to take what you can get.
 
Former Farmer said:
Whatever works for you. I have a gravity wagon that I use for bulk pellets. It will hold around 6 ton in it. I take one afternoon during the summer and drive to get it loaded, pull it back home, back it into the garage and I'm all set for the winter. I use 5 gallon pails to transfer the pellets during the heating season. With getting bulk like this, I save $20 per ton over bagged. So that 6 ton saves me $120 plus is only one trip to get pellets versus 6 trips if a person hauls one ton at a time.
Click to expand...


20 dollars a ton cheaper does not seem like allot I thought they would be allot cheaper then that
 
I think the wagon is a good idea if you live close to your distributor. Did you put brake lights and turn signals on your wagon? Did you have to register it as a trailer since you are not using it as farm equipment? Maybe no one cares unless you lay it over and spill pellets on the highway.
 
mopar man said:
I think the wagon is a good idea if you live close to your distributor. Did you put brake lights and turn signals on your wagon? Did you have to register it as a trailer since you are not using it as farm equipment? Maybe no one cares unless you lay it over and spill pellets on the highway.
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Just have a SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign hanging on the back. It is about 70 miles round trip to pick up bulk pellets for me. I tarp it before I start back and no one knows what is inside then. There are a lot of farms around my area, so it is not uncommon for someone to be pulling a wagon on the road.
 
I got a coupon from a local store (near you too) good for $50 off delivery. Which for me would make it free (Roxbury). PM me if you want their name. They only have nEwps but for free delivery and a decent price I may do it for shoulder season.

Last year I bought by the bag at Agway, TSC or a stove dealer in Newtown. This fall ordered from a pellet supplier and got 2 tons that were kind of $$$ with delivery but it was sure nice to have them show up and be loaded inside in less than 10 minutes.
 
Former Farmer said:
Just have a SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign hanging on the back. It is about 70 miles round trip to pick up bulk pellets for me. I tarp it before I start back and no one knows what is inside then. There are a lot of farms around my area, so it is not uncommon for someone to be pulling a wagon on the road.
Click to expand...
Gotta love living in the country. You could get away with that around here too as long as you stay off the interstate.
 
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