# Bagged Salt Storage/Fill Help



## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

We currently run 2 Gators (soon to be Bobcat 3600s) with Accuspread salters to salt about 6+ miles of sidewalks. We use 50lb bags of ice melt and our spreaders can hold 8-10 bags. This puts our gators at capacity and so we can't carry extra bags.

In our other location which use TORO Workman units with the vehicle mounted Topdresser, they use 1000lb sacks. 

I have been looking for a way for us to use the 1000lb sacks and fill a hopper of some sort and be able to back under the chute and fill our Gator spreaders. It would save a lot of time and possible back injuries to do it this way.

I have been looking at poly and galvanized grain silos but wonder if any of you guys are using something like this?

This unit would be stored in a heated shop.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

You're on the right track. Use an old grain or fertilizer auger and tube. Works great for filling small hoppers. Check farm auctions, dealerships, local ag-trader magazines... If you want to keep the affair mobile, look for an old (but not rotted out) forage wagon to mount it on. You'd still need to get the stuff dumped into the wagon with a loader first, though... but you can pull it in and out of the shop as necessary and keep the top tarped easily.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

I think you may mean gravity wagon

since it is salt I would stay with poly


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## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

Ended up getting this unit. It has a top that goes on it with a ladder and flip lid but since it is going to be indoors I decided not to install it. Plus without the top it has a much larger opening. I had to fabricate the braces from the frame to the motor since it doesn't come with any.

Today I added two 4x6x6.5 posts across the bottom side legs because it is very tippy with the weight of the motor way out there. That took care of it. I can hang from the motor and it doesn't want to move. Plus the height of the discharge was the exact height that the largest UTV spreader is so it would be too close for comfort, the boards lifted it enough to clear.

Going to install a cord reel with a male end to the back side so we can keep the cord tidy when not in use and a switch on the frame.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Very nice setup! Must have cost a pretty penny to buy it all new...


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

Pretty cool!


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## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

derekbroerse;1838964 said:


> Very nice setup! Must have cost a pretty penny to buy it all new...


Just under $2500.

We were going to go with a stainless auger assembly but it was $8000 just for the auger. This one was $850 so we can replace it a few times for the price of the stainless one.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

gottaloveOT;1839000 said:


> Just under $2500.
> 
> We were going to go with a stainless auger assembly but it was $8000 just for the auger. This one was $850 so we can replace it a few times for the price of the stainless one.


 Hopper, stand and all?? Wow, it would cost that just for the poly hopper here...


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## newhere (Oct 13, 2009)

Is this on one of the college sites?


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

nice job...hope it works for you


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## JohnRoscoe (Sep 27, 2010)

Mind sharing your source or any brand names for that setup? Thanks in advance.


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## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

derekbroerse;1839036 said:


> Hopper, stand and all?? Wow, it would cost that just for the poly hopper here...


Yeah, everything. They preassembled the auger which cost a little extra.



newhere;1839067 said:


> Is this on one of the college sites?


No, government complexes.



JohnRoscoe;1839473 said:


> Mind sharing your source or any brand names for that setup? Thanks in advance.


It is a PolyDome brand bin, 1.5 ton. I don't know what brand the auger is.

We bought this through Foxworthy Supply out of Kent City but PolyDome is sold through distributors so give PolyDome a call and they can tell you who your local dealer is.

I'm still waiting for the electrician to come wire it up for me so I can test it out.


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## gottaloveOT (Jan 6, 2009)

We have used it a few times now and for the most part it works like we wanted it to. The auger motor is a 1/2hp farm motor and it just doesn't have the oomph to move much salt. We can only open the bin gate about an inch otherwise it stalls the motor out. I am looking at replacing it with a 2hp unit which should allow us to open the gate more, thus filling the spreaders faster. 

We also found that we need to install a vibrator on the bin. Just this morning the salt was developing pockets and the guys had to hit the bin with a rubber mallet to get the salt to fall. 

Filling it has been a pain since our John Deere 544K doesn't lift high enough to get the 2000lb bags up over the side. We had to set it on a pallet and then cut the side of the bag to fill the bin. But we can't get the 2000lb bags until January since everybody is backordered now. (Slow government paper pushers)

All in all it works well and lowers fatigue from loading 50lb bags.


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