Making pellets vs Buying pellets

[kenc]

I've been burning corn for the past year and lately have tried pellets. I have used 18 tons in a year partly due an old house but also heat a gazebo and in the summer a swimming pool. If investing in a pellet mill will pay for itself in a years time seems like an easy decisions... but its not. I need to know more before deciding for sure. Is anyone out there making there own pellets? I talked to one person who has a mill and he has been having trouble finding a good binder. The cabinet shops near by are eager to get rid of there saw dust waste and hauling it isn't a problem. Bagging and storing 10 or 15 tons wont be easy but worth it if it will save money in the end. Moisture and drying before bagging needs more thought. Any input would be helpful.

 

[GVA]

I think the hardest thing for the homeowner to be able to make consistant pellets, is just as you said (keeping the sawdust dry till it's used).
Pellet companies don't need binders the wood has lignuns which holds them together....
Also while making them keeping the moisture content consistant is gonna be an issue. There's a tour of NEWP somewhere in here, which will show you more of the particulars......

 

[MainePellethead]

http://www.hernironworks.com/conifer.html
been burning this [111] for 20 yrs. cant beat it once u cop the chops

I love it!

 

[drizler]

Sounds like a lot of work for doing it only for yourself. Have you considered the savings if you simply bought a tractor trailer load of pellets. Buy that many and you can negotiate a nice price I bet especially in Minnesota. Both corn and pellets are cheap by comparison out that way. I bet you can do a better deal and save yourself a lot of aggravation in the process. Of course if you are doing it as a hobby thing then it may be a different story. I bet you can swing some sort of deal with one of the big box places and get a decent price.

 

[pete324rocket]

http://www.hernironworks.com/conifer.html
been burning this [111] for 20 yrs. cant beat it once u cop the chops

My dad built one of these about 20 years ago and we ran it successfully-terrific heat but not so good when it burned up into the hopper and smoke entered the house.The sawdust was free and we packed it into a sawdust shed using a snow-blower.In the winter,would use a pick-ax to chop at it and fill feed sacks and bring into the house-seems to me 2 bags a day kept things going-insurance man would never go for that now.Most of it is sitting out back in the weather but still in decent shape.