Stacking Pellets

[ylomnstr]

So when I finally place my order from pelletsales.com, they'll come deliver and place the pellets in front of my garage. Then I have to unwrap the stack, and manually move the pellets into my garage. Is there a strategy in stacking them so that I can get them to look as close to neat as they were when they were delivered? Last year, after I moved 2 tons, it seemed to have taken up double the space than it would have if I were just able to keep them stacked the way the were when they were delivered. Thanks.

 

[TboneMan]

How many ton this year? It might make sense to rent a pallet jack for a couple of hours.

 

[ylomnstr]

Just 3 tons this year. My only concern with the pallet jack is the small lip from my driveway to the garage. Probably only about 1 or 1.5 inches, but will the pallet jack roll over that?

 

[Souzafone]

Having just moved 6 tons from them into my basement to go with the 2 tons from last year, I have some experience. A pallet jack is the way to go, build a small ramp to go over the bump with plywood or dirt or whatever. If you have to restack, you must first lay the rows down as they are on the pallets and alternate directions after each row. It's very important to level the bags, that is distribute the pellets evenly in the bag, after you place them on the pallet. If you're carefull, you can get over 1.5 tons on a single skid.

 

[TboneMan]

I picked up pellets myself the first year I owned the stove. 4 ton in total but not all at the same time.

Last year I had 5 ton delivered. The vendor used a forklift to get them from the road to the garage and then a pallet jack in the garage.

I would, as stated, build a small ramp unless renting pallet jack really isn't convenient (try your local Home Depot).

Stacking is not hard, in fact you'd take less space in your garage if you stacked one of the three ton on top of the other two. You can also be more creative with you space utilization by stacking. Fore instance, running a single row around the perimeter of the garage (on boards of course).

 

[imacman]

......they'll come deliver and place the pellets in front of my garage. Then I have to unwrap the stack, and manually move the pellets into my garage. Is there a strategy in stacking them so that I can get them to look as close to neat as they were when they were delivered? ..........

OK, there's probably something I missed here, but if they can deliver them to the garage, what is stopping you from having them bring the forklift & pallet INTO the garage? Is the garage door height too low?

I had PelletSales deliver to me, and the driver put the pallets right into my "shed", and that's only about 5 1/2' high, and I know most garage doors are higher than that.(see pic below).

He put the pallet as far in as he could before the forklift hit the edge of the roof, and then he used the ends of the forks to push the pallet in all the way (we put a piece of 2x6 across the edge for him to push on).

 

[ylomnstr]

Hmm, good question. It's a normal size garage, but I like to stack the pellets in the rear of the garage. I've never ordered from them, but the last time I had pellets delivered from someone else, they told me there was no moving them into a garage. They can only drop them outside. Maybe Pelletsales is different. I'll give them a call.

 

[tinkabranc]

If the door on your garage is not too small they should be able to move the
pallets inside for you.

I have to move my pellet bags into the basement one by one, but last year the driver
from pelletsales had no issues driving over a high berm at the end of my yard to
bring them around back for me.

If you do have to stack them by hand, stack them the same way they come from
the mill. Takes up less room and they are more stable than stacking them all in
the same direction.

 

[imacman]

Well, when the guy delivered mine, he just asked where I wanted them....I could have said my garage, and I don't think there would have been a problem. But like you said, call and ask.

I'm curious....what was the other companies reason that they couldn't put the pellets in the garage???

 

[ylomnstr]

I'm not really sure. I selected to not be home when they delivered, so that was part of it, but I'm pretty sure when I placed the order they told me they wouldn't move into a garage. I don't remember the reason.

 

[imacman]

Well, you not being home when they delivered would be a good reason for them to NOT want to go into the garage. But if you can swing it so your home when they deliver, I don't think there will be a problem.

As you saw from my pic, it's very nice having the pellets still wrapped just the way they came from the plant. The only ones that got unwrapped was the the other ton I put into the basement.

 

[smoke show]

stack em to the ceiling.

 

[langewi]

I too ordered from pelletsales.com, the mast on the fork truck won't fit thru a 7' high garage door but the driver did put first skid in as far as he could reach and then pushed first skid farther in with second skid and the same for third skid.
I then cut open shrink rap and stack along side wall on pre made platform just a matter of off skid turn and stack no carrying, now have 3.9 tons of cleanfires ready to go for this winter.

 

[humpin iron]

My company delivers with a lg trk and moffett, just like pellet sales. You would not believe the hoops I jump through to get insurance just to drive down the driveway and drop skids. Most insurance will NOT pay if your property is damaged doin anything that was out side the scope of coverage, i.e. "inside" delivery. Everybody is happy until that first garage door gets dinged and someone holds their hand out.

 

[Souzafone]

Hey, no pane, them last couple of rows on the top don't stack as nice, do they? Looks like the stacks in my basement.

 

[smoke show]

yep it's hard to even out the bags when they're up that high.

 

[dmathieu]

I just had 5 tons delivered from Pelletsales. There fork lift is 9ft wide so it won't fit in a standard garage, however he was able to push two pallets into the garage. I moved them where I wanted them with a pallet jack, now I am going to try and stack 5 tons onto two pallets. I am planning on bracing it with 2x4s, so the pile won't tip over.

 

[drizler]

stack em to the ceiling.

Thats what I did the last couple years, didn't hurt a thing and none fell down.