Shipping container as bulk feed/grain store

johngalway

Just looking at a thread on this subject elsewhere. Has anyone here used a shipping container as a bulk feed/grain store? Trying to figure ways of reducing bills in the future, one of which is bulk buying feed as either grains or rations if it's possible to get them as far as me and "blown" into a store.

locky76

I use an old refrigerated container off the back of a truck.
it works out ok but there is a slight leak in one corner and you end up with some spoil (50kgs out of 4 tonnes)
i would be wary of a regular container as they are just steel and you will get condensation in them during frosty weather leading to a lot of dripping etc.

johngalway wrote: »

Just looking at a thread on this subject elsewhere. Has anyone here used a shipping container as a bulk feed/grain store? Trying to figure ways of reducing bills in the future, one of which is bulk buying feed as either grains or rations if it's possible to get them as far as me and "blown" into a store.

mayo_lad

johngalway wrote: »

Just looking at a thread on this subject elsewhere. Has anyone here used a shipping container as a bulk feed/grain store? Trying to figure ways of reducing bills in the future, one of which is bulk buying feed as either grains or rations if it's possible to get them as far as me and "blown" into a store.

i havent seen one of them used as a store yet but they would make a very good one if you can get one cheaply, i have seen all manner of things used as a store for meal including a couple of sheets of plywood in a corner of a shed built up like a stud wall with a half wall at the front if you had a spair shed going or even a corner of one that a lorry could get with in 10 feet you could build a store that would be just as effective as any one on the market all you would need is a 5x10 foot concrete floor space and 2 6 foot walls in the corner of a shed with a half door for access ie you could split the door at 3 foot and fill up to that level, that size of store would probably hold 4 tone or so maybe more

reilig

I have something similar to Locky. About 10 years ago the local partnership boards was giving grants for the purchase or construction of a bulk feed store. It was EUR 500. The only conditions were that it had to be vermin proof, you had to be able to blow the grain into it and it had to be capable of holding at least 5 ton. We had an old stone cow byre beside a slatted shed that we had constructed at the time. It had no roof ........ soooo, we spent about eur 30 on timber and corrigated iron for the roof. We went to a local cold store manufacturer and got loads of "seconds" cold store wall panels for free. We kinds made a timber frame inside the shed that we could fix the panels to. Joints were all sealed with strips of steel sheeting and tex screws. I made a fully enclosed room from the cold store panels, a 4 inch sewer pipe for blowing in the grain and a steel door in 2 halves so that the top half can be left open when blowing in feed to allow the air escape. It can hold 16 ton. I feed out of it with the wheel barrow and its very handy. After 10 years using it its as good as the first day.

Roof for the shed, tex screws, timber for the roof and frame and steel for the door came to Eur 400 when we put the receipts together and they allowed us to claim Eur 100 for our own labour. So it really didn't cost anything.

Muckit

I know very little about loose meal storage as we still buy in bags so I'm very curiuos about this tread. Sounds like a great idea having insulated side panelled store...condensation wasn't something that I ever thought about, so those large cylindrical silos are they built like a large thermos flask... ie, does the 'skin' consist of two or more layers with a gap or insulation in the middle or how do they overcome condensation??

mayo_lad

hi muckit those cylindrical silos are only a single lair thick they are made of the same coragated iron sheets as most roofs . the condinsation dose lead to the meel sticking to the sides of them so you have to empty them fully every 3 months or so ,

kay 9

What about a couple of meal bins John? They hold about 600kg and you could have a couple of them around the farm where you feed. Handy as hell as they will go in a link box or bale handler.

mayo_lad

you could go for this for around 1,500 euro you would have a very nice set up http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/machinery/1615188

johngalway

I'd like to keep to the idea of the shipping container at the moment, as it can also double as a shed etc.

I can't seem to get a definitive answer on the condensation issue. Brother in law has a nice container got for €1700, stored cement in it but he reckons he wouldn't put grains in it unless it was lined first. Hmm.

Need to talk to people who've done it.

Apparently the one the guy used was used for carrying milk powder and came with three vents installed in the roof, that may be how the condensation problem is tackled.

vanderbadger

johngalway wrote: »

I'd like to keep to the idea of the shipping container at the moment, as it can also double as a shed etc.

I can't seem to get a definitive answer on the condensation issue. Brother in law has a nice container got for €1700, stored cement in it but he reckons he wouldn't put grains in it unless it was lined first. Hmm.

Need to talk to people who've done it.

what if you got container and did this to the inside
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/buildingmaterials/1617837

johngalway

Maybe Van, I'll do some more asking of this other guy, he couldn't upload photos unfortunately. Keeping the cost down would be good too.

hammer73

johngalway wrote: »

stored cement in it but he reckons he wouldn't put grains in it unless it was lined first. Hmm.

thats cause the cement was probably in bags and on a pallet so would have been safe enough. you want to have bulk meal blown in, this will be in contact with the sides of the container hence exposed to condensation and will get damp. Insulate it and you should be ok.

maidhc

hammer73 wrote: »

thats cause the cement was probably in bags and on a pallet so would have been safe enough. you want to have bulk meal blown in, this will be in contact with the sides of the container hence exposed to condensation and will get damp. Insulate it and you should be ok.

We used to use a trailer for years with boards on top (it was in a shed). Worked perfect with no wastage. We still do something similar, but made up our own trailer, with hinged lids and hatches to let the meal come out.

mayo_lad

johngalway wrote: »

I'd like to keep to the idea of the shipping container at the moment, as it can also double as a shed etc.

I can't seem to get a definitive answer on the condensation issue. Brother in law has a nice container got for €1700, stored cement in it but he reckons he wouldn't put grains in it unless it was lined first. Hmm.

Need to talk to people who've done it.

Apparently the one the guy used was used for carrying milk powder and came with three vents installed in the roof, that may be how the condensation problem is tackled.

hi john some thing like this might suit you and no condancation problems eather http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/machinery/1694662

OnTheGame

If you want to keep the container and use it for the store you could consider using spray on expanding foam insulation like this: http://www.expandingfoamkits.co.uk/
I would enure the container was watertight and clean first( apart from door of course), and then spray this on and then plywood put over this for the floor. Care would have to be taken while using tractor bucket or shovels around the edges if you didnt ply them as well.