Hauling pellets into the house

[MellieNH]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any genius ways to haul bags into the house? Every year gets tougher for me and I hate to use my propane furnace. I've thought of buying some kind of motorized yard cart and then put planks on my steps. That would get them right to the slider on the back deck.

I cant seem to find anything less than,I think, it was $800 last year.

You would think someone could make something for less than that! I mean for crying out loud Ive seen motorized beer coolers for $80!!

Any ideas? TIA

 

[jackman]

I'm not trying to be glib but how about hiring one of the neighborhood kids to come by perhaps once a week to haul the bags into the house. I purchased a large food grade 84 ounce scoop (http://www.amazon.com/Adcraft-ALS-1...qid=1443383776&sr=8-4&keywords=Adcraft+ALS-12) so that my wife did not need to lift the bags if I'm not home. The scoop and a couple of buckets make it more manageable.

Perhaps you can also describe your situation a little more to give the rest of the forum a better understanding of your needs. I have a situation whereby I need to haul the pellets from the back of my truck to the storage space under my deck. Here's a video of how I do it:

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[MellieNH]

I use a big grain scoop too. Found a large one at Tractor Supply.

My pellets are outside the house probably only about 20-25 feet and then up 3 stairs and another step into the house. Its not that bad but Im having some issues with muscle weakness. I found I could not even pull the starter thing for the lawnmower! That is what got me thinking about the pellet bags. My boyfriend comes over a couple times a week and he can bring bags in for me and of course whenever any able bodies visit me I can ask them to bring in a bunch.

I just don't like to lose my independence so I was thinking of finding a way to haul several bags at once up to my deck. From the deck, the place they go inside is literately right inside the door.

Im thinking of having someone build something for me.

Here is the DR Powerwagon but they want $1800 for this!
http://www.drpower.com/power-equipm...ft-lbs-torque-b-s-es-new-premier-50st-epa.axd

Im thinking something like this but simpler with a flat bed. Something that I could carry 10 bags on.

I just wondered if someone had already had something like that.

 

[MellieNH]

BTW I think I sprained my back watching your video! Thats great that you can haul your own! I have to actually order from someone that will place them just where I want them and not too many places do that!

 

[Funnydirt14]

Do you have room on your deck to store a ton or two of pellets and cover them with a tarp? That way they would be right outside the door. Have your delivery guy stack them there.

 

[bogieb]

OMG Jackman, at my previous house I stored firewood under the deck - one winter. I was forever banging my head, and I think my deck was a bit higher than yours. Built a lean-to (okay, the EX built it) the next summer so I wouldn't have to go thru that again!

Mellie - can you have someone come in and build a ramp to replace the stairs to the deck? then a motorized "something" would be easier to work with. I'll bet you could find an old lawn mower tractor for a couple hundred $$ on CL. Then get a cart of some sort (love my 4 wheeled dumping cart from TSC) that you can tow behind the mower.

Good luck, it can't be easy losing muscle strength and wanting / trying to be independent.

 

[jackman]

...I was forever banging my head, and I think my deck was a bit higher than yours...

Yeah, been there done that, LOL! Did you notice I was wearing a hard hat.

The steps are probably the challenge. Even a couple of long boards to use as a ramp might make pulling a garden wagon into the house easier.

 

[Bioburner]

How about a cart on rails like you see on old westerns and a simple winch to pull. I see on CL stair lift systems to get elderly up steps.

 

[Lake Girl]

(broken link removed to http://www.staton-inc.com/store/catalog/1_Motorized_Wheelbarrow-18-1.html)

Why not put the challenge to the high school technology class? If you are having difficulties with a pull cord engine, you'll have to make sure they can give you an electric start...

A snow blower with the self-propelled back tires could probably be a good base/frame that could be modified...

 

[Northern Guy]

nothing fancy but get the jobs done. have to give wife credit for putting board on it for me. allowed me to get more on it. holds about 10 at a time but not going to far with them

 

[Bioburner]

Couple planks and a electric winch could get the cart up the steps. I got my folks a similar cart with llttle larger wheels to move firewood into house.

 

[mik_kane]

Not sure how many steps you have to haul your pellets up.
You can look at this thread where someone built a system with a shop vac
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/vac-system-build-cheap-and-effective.146172/#post-1968471

How about using an electric hoist?
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001YIUZC/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=

and hook it up to a bulk bag
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JHK9A4/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=

 

[CapeMayDan]

This guy has a good idea but for your purposes you would need a longer hose. You have to deal with static building in the hose which could lead to fire or explosion. You would have to ground the hose. The size difference of wood pellets is bigger so the hose would need to be bigger.
A lot of experimentation so do not assume it will work with wood pellets.

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[Mealie38]

I supervise my husband hauling them through the garage and down into the basement.I feel bad for him
but feel worse for me when I have to lug them up basement steps to put in stove all winter.

 

[scotthershall]

Couple planks and a electric winch could get the cart up the steps. I got my folks a similar cart with llttle larger wheels to move firewood into house.

This was my first thought as well. Might be the cheapest option. This: http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-120-volt-ac-electric-winch-96127.html with attached to some kind of wheeled or skid-based tote/cart or even a sturdy snow sled maybe.

 

[Havilcek stole the ball]

I cut a piece of laminate to size so that I could slide it between the sides of an extension ladder, probably 24' or so. I slicked up the laminate with silicone spray, and then ran the ladder from the driveway where they dropped the pellets through the cellar window. We used the ladder/laminate as a gravity conveyor down to the basement. I prop up one side of it outside on a roller stand, but it really could be on almost anything as long as it's high enough to create some momentum for the ride into the cellar. Had the whole family help out last year, and it saved me a lot of time.

 

[TimfromMA]

Find a couple of local teenagers who need a few bucks.

 

[DBNH22]

Every year I order six tons of pellets which are dropped right outside my basement bulkhead. I usually get two shipments of 3 tons or one of 4 and another of two. I carry them all into the basement by hand by myself and restack them on pallets.

I enjoy it. It's very good exercise.

I figure in another ten years when I'll be closing in on fifty my son will be old enough and strong enough to split the work with me.

 

[Bioburner]

Yea I was stupid enough to hump a couple tons down the basement too. Way easier to setup a ramp of a couple 2x8 through the easement window and can slip about a dozen bags on them and go down and stack. Takes me about a 1/2 hour per ton without breaking a sweat.

 

[bogieb]

Every year I order six tons of pellets which are dropped right outside my basement bulkhead. I usually get two shipments of 3 tons or one of 4 and another of two. I carry them all into the basement by hand by myself and restack them on pallets.

I enjoy it. It's very good exercise.

I figure in another ten years when I'll be closing in on fifty my son will be old enough and strong enough to split the work with me.

I don't think you read the part where she is struggling with muscle weakness onset, so it isn't a matter of avoiding exercise, but of physical limitations.

 

[DBNH22]

I don't think you read the part where she is struggling with muscle weakness onset, so it isn't a matter of avoiding exercise, but of physical limitations.

I read the original post and I didn't see anything about that. Sorry, I must have missed it in a post that followed.

I think some of the other posters had the right idea about finding a couple of teenagers in the neighborhood that might be willing to help out for a few bucks.

 

[Bioburner]

Our local church is a great resource for aid. Everything from tree trimming to meals.

 

[Peterfield]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have any genius ways to haul bags into the house? Every year gets tougher for me and I hate to use my propane furnace. I've thought of buying some kind of motorized yard cart and then put planks on my steps. That would get them right to the slider on the back deck.

Any ideas? TIA

I know there is one brand of pellets (LG Supers) that comes in 30 pound bags rather than 40 pound bags. McManus Fuels in Barrington, NH is one of the vendors that carries them.

 

[Lake Girl]

OP has help carrying in the bags as needed but wants to keep a certain degree of independence ... find a better way to minimize body strain while still being self-sufficient to a degree.

Mellie, take the time to contact the high school ... Shop teacher could challenge his students to come up with a plan using repurposed motors, wheel barrow, etc. Who knows, it may be the jump start for a budding entrepreneur! With second hand/minimal cost materials, you may come up with a really useful item as you are likely not the only one who has a need. What kind of dollar amount are you looking to spend?

 

[Pellet-King]

Hate your propane furnace?, you crazy?, propane is .99 cents here a gallon, no lifting, no dust and a EVENLY heated home!