pellet pail

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Made my own pellet pail for less than $20. It has a triangular plus shaped knife in the bottom I made from sheet metal and attached with screws to cut the bag when dropped in. It's a galvanized 10 gallon garbage can that also came with a lid.
 

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I bought that same can last year at TSC. I didn't put the knife in it, but that's a good idea. Gonna have to give it a try.
 
Looks good, and a lot less $$ than the one for sale commercially.....how well does it work? You should make a video and post it here.
 
Looks good..... That's something I would consider doing myself..... Thanks for sharing it.
 
what is the point of a pail?
 
chrisasst said:
what is the point of a pail?

The pail allows you to fill from the bag while outside thus reducing the dust from pouring from the bag into the stove.....

Great job.
 
woodsman23 said:
chrisasst said:
what is the point of a pail?

The pail allows you to fill from the bag while outside thus reducing the dust from pouring from the bag into the stove.....

I guess the original manufacturer didn't think that was important, as their video shows a woman doing it indoors, with a LOT of dust flying out of the pail as she pulls the bag up.

Also interesting to note is the fake "full" pail she "fills" the stove with.....with the speed that she lifts it, either she's REALLY strong, or there's only 1 pellet in the pail.... :lol:

www.pelletpail.com
 
macman said:
Looks good, and a lot less $$ than the one for sale commercially.....how well does it work? You should make a video and post it here.

Video, thats way over my head! It works pretty good but the pail could be a shave wider or even oval shaped would help.
 
The pail at Tractor Supply is $18 with tax. Bought one today. I'll make up a knife at work tomorrow and weld it in. Great idea.
 
Panhandler said:
The pail at Tractor Supply is $18 with tax. Bought one today. I'll make up a knife at work tomorrow and weld it in. Great idea.

Pail is tough to weld, it's pretty light guage. Tried it and blew a hole as soon as I hit the trigger,also it's galvanized so don't breathe the fumes. Ended up screwing it in from the bottom up.
 
I just set the bag on the edge of the hopper and cut the bottom w/ a jacknife. Already got one of those.
 
kimeric said:
Panhandler said:
The pail at Tractor Supply is $18 with tax. Bought one today. I'll make up a knife at work tomorrow and weld it in. Great idea.

Pail is tough to weld, it's pretty light guage. Tried it and blew a hole as soon as I hit the trigger,also it's galvanized so don't breathe the fumes. Ended up screwing it in from the bottom up.

Thanks, I work in a galvanizing and aluminizing plant, weld down to .012 sometimes when the steel strip breaks. Kinda spot welding. But I could just use something like Liquid Nails. Oh, and I've had the "Zinc Brain" from welding and gouging zinc. Not good at all.
 
Webmaster said:
Use rivets in sheet metal for easiest and best general fastening.

Is anyone thinking about making a lid....maybe with a spout or something...would that make it pour easier and less dust?

I wasn't till you mentioned it. :lol:
 
Webmaster said:
Use rivets in sheet metal for easiest and best general fastening.

Is anyone thinking about making a lid....maybe with a spout or something...would that make it pour easier and less dust?

Oh, great, now I've got something else to think about. Ok, the pail comes with a lid, what about something like one of those spouts you shove into an oil can attached to the lid? Something like that as a pattern.
 
sawdustburners said:
hossthehermit said:
I just set the bag on the edge of the hopper and cut the bottom w/ a jacknife. Already got one of those.
what kind of knife? :lol: will a jillknife work, u think?

Just borrowed the wife's knife (her name's Jill), and opened up a bag, works just like mine. Must be a Maine thing, huh?
 
something that would clip on would be neat......or something that only covered 1/2 the bucket....just thinking out loud.
I have some ideas for pellet moving and storing stuff that I've never followed through on....if anyone want to get rich, let me know (but you have to make 'em and sell 'em)...I'll think 'em up!
Typical white collar guy (I am).
 
Webmaster said:
something that would clip on would be neat......or something that only covered 1/2 the bucket....just thinking out loud.
I have some ideas for pellet moving and storing stuff that I've never followed through on....if anyone want to get rich, let me know (but you have to make 'em and sell 'em)...I'll think 'em up!
Typical white collar guy (I am).
How about getting one of those plastic funnel things that snaps onto a 1 gallon paint can so you can pour it without getting paint dripping down the can? Cut it in half (the back half of the circle) and pop rivet the funnel lip onto your bucket.
 
DiggerJim said:
Webmaster said:
something that would clip on would be neat......or something that only covered 1/2 the bucket....just thinking out loud.
I have some ideas for pellet moving and storing stuff that I've never followed through on....if anyone want to get rich, let me know (but you have to make 'em and sell 'em)...I'll think 'em up!
Typical white collar guy (I am).
How about getting one of those plastic funnel things that snaps onto a 1 gallon paint can so you can pour it without getting paint dripping down the can? Cut it in half (the back half of the circle) and pop rivet the funnel lip onto your bucket.
You have to leave enough room to drop the bag in, and it's a little tight now.
 
kimeric said:
You have to leave enough room to drop the bag in, and it's a little tight now.
I was giving thought to switching to an office trash can - one of those rubbermaid oblong ones instead of the metal can you're using although I'd have to add a handle to it (maybe stolen from a 5 gal bucket). The other one I'll try is one of those kitty litter buckets - they've got handles, lids and are rectangular vs. round so may fit a bag better.
 
Yes theres always room for improvement regarding everything. Keep us posted.
 
I have to agree w/ HossTheHermit's post above.....if you're going to be picking the pail up to empty into the stove anyway, why not eliminate the extra step of lifting the bag into the bucket, and then having to lift the same weight again.

Just put the bag on the edge of the hopper, slice w/ a razor knife, and you're done. Hey, I'm all for gadgets, but IMO, this is one that we can do w/o.
 
macman said:
I have to agree w/ HossTheHermit's post above.....if you're going to be picking the pail up to empty into the stove anyway, why not eliminate the extra step of lifting the bag into the bucket, and then having to lift the same weight again.

Just put the bag on the edge of the hopper, slice w/ a razor knife, and you're done. Hey, I'm all for gadgets, but IMO, this is one that we can do w/o.
Maybe true for you, but I've got one thumb that met an unfortunate accident with a razor knife (actually I had several fingers over the years get sliced back when I worked in the supermarket) to the point that the top third of it along the length has minimal to no sensitivity except to pain and numbness. They wanted to do microsurgery on it but couldn't guarantee that the nerves would heal better that way or if they'd just get better over time.

Something I'd rather the wife or kids not have to experience. Considering the small investment (heck most people drink more Starbucks every week than this thing will cost), it's worth it to me. YMMV. Besides, the double work burns a few more calories which keeps me warmer and to be honest, I can use to drop a couple of pounds. I may be able to convince the teenager that lifting 40lbs a day will make him buff for the girls :-)
 
DiggerJim said:
Maybe true for you, but I've got one thumb that met an unfortunate accident with a razor knife (actually I had several fingers over the years get sliced back when I worked in the supermarket) to the point that the top third of it along the length has minimal to no sensitivity except to pain and numbness. They wanted to do microsurgery on it but couldn't guarantee that the nerves would heal better that way or if they'd just get better over time.

Something I'd rather the wife or kids not have to experience. Considering the small investment (heck most people drink more Starbucks every week than this thing will cost), it's worth it to me. YMMV. Besides, the double work burns a few more calories which keeps me warmer and to be honest, I can use to drop a couple of pounds. I may be able to convince the teenager that lifting 40lbs a day will make him buff for the girls :-)

OK, OK, I get it....there IS a need for this sometimes...my apologies. :red:
 
Someone that criticizes the pail obviously hasn't melted one of the bags to their stove yet
 
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