I have an opportunity to pick up some 250 gallon IBC totes. But I don't have a way to move a full tote. I was going to use them in order to stack wood higher. Any thoughts on good idea or bad. Also should I stack inside the totes or just throw it in. I want the option that dries fastest
I think wood will always dry fastest when stacked. Having no way of moving the totes I would not even consider buying any. One thing for certain is that it is easier to get the wood in than it is to get it out. I've found getting the wood out is a real pain in the...
I use them for campfire wood. Cut the front out & they work. With no way to move them I not sure I'd bother. I also agree that stacked is best. At 16" a tote will hold 1/3 of a cord.
I'm the odd guy out. I have 11 totes so far and I'm always looking for more. They are easy to move empty with a pickup or a 2 wheel cart. If you bring the wood to the totes or if you can stack wherever the wood is, they are a fantastic option. I get tree service wood dropped off and that's where the totes are. I split straight into them and "loosely" stack to maximize the amount of splits they hold. I've also see guys that use smaller processors and the conveyor dumps into the totes. You won't get as many splits that way but there's almost no touching the wood. The going price where I live is about $50 per tote. I've always paid $20 but usually end up driving 25-40 miles to find those prices so I buy multiples. If you're paying top dollar AND you can't move them, it does become difficult to justify.
I had access to free totes for a while and that started me collecting a few...the problem for me is that my lil forklift can't pick them up, not because of overall weight, but depth...my forklift is tiny, and has short forks...so the load center of the totes is too far out for me to pick them. So I have given some away, cut some up for other projects, etc...all in all I wouldn't pay for totes if I couldn't easily move them while loaded.
well you could always stack them on their sides leaving a bar across the middle of the top for support- Not the most convient way to stack but last longer and likely no tipping over vs pallets ( which rot out after a few years) . Me I just use them for uglies , shorts, and larger splitter trash. I do not have a good way of moving them full either. going to try some clamp on forks for the tractor bucket. Max load on that is 700# course that changes as you get further out in front. Other option is forks on 3 point- more lift weight but a pain to line up and can't stack on top of each other. I have plenty of room and no idiot ordinances to deal with ( yet)
You don't understand...this is a little baby forklift...1000# capacity, but, that's also at a 6" load center, so fork extenders lower load capacity (moves load center out, puts "leverage" on the forklift...adding more counterweight just stresses the front axle/housing more, which is already very old, and kinda rare to begin with, let alone be able to get replacement parts for (It's an old Prime Mover concrete buggy with the forklift mast option...probably older than me...seriously, I got it from my dad, and it was old when he got it (when I was a kid) I have pics of the thing on here somewheres...EDIT, here it is: My firewood storage and handling system...
I collected the totes for awhile. Free totes from a buddy. Complete waste at my place without the complementary $5000 (minimum) skid loader or tractor damm. Thought I was on to something... I'm still a pallet user for now. All but one tote have been gifted (happily) to friends who are using them to contain H20 off there roof for garden water. It all worked out in the end.
The price is right! Just depends on your application if they turn out to be a great value or wasted space in the woodyard.
, that's what we did in the snowy place I grew up in, all my little high school girlfriends got out and stood on my bumper/sat on the hatch back of my rear wheel drive car Such great memories!
My son’s mother had to sit on the hood of the old FWD Tercel to get up a snowy hill once... she said she’d kill me if I ever told that story. This marks the 326th retelling.
