# bulk salt tote



## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

This year we switched to using bulk salt in a tailgate spreader. We have always used bagged salt due to no local place to get loaded during an event. I can get bulk a mile from our barn but only during regular buisness hours. We have also always kept extra salt around and have never had a problem during shortages. We have a loader and pleanty of room but don't use enough salt to justify building a bin and using a v box but hate how much bagged costs. We had a couple of totes we used for water in the summer and I had the idea to put salt in them. Basically I can now use bulk like it's a pallet of salt. I always loaded and unloaded the pallets of bags so this is really no different other than shoveling into the spreader. Here is the newest tote I cut up today.










I just cut the frame down lower on one side making it easy to reach in and shovel out. The piece of plastic I cut out is used to make a lid. I planned on just using a tarp but this works out nice.










I cut to opening on the 4' long side the tote is 3Lx4Wx4H. It fits inbetween the wheel wells and leaves enough room in my short bed for room to stand and shovel along with buckets and other junk in front of it. I have only had to get one of these loaded so far this season but a yard fits in with plenty of room for extra.










The totes are kept in the barn until it's time to use them. I know that bulk is a different animal but I am hoping that closed up and in the barn it stores ok. I would like to have atleast a couple of these loaded at a time but don't want to find out it turns into a brick. It easy to throw them in the dump trailer and get them loaded on a nice dry day. I have had salt in one for 2 weeks and it's still just the same as when it was loaded. We do have a pallet of bagged from last year just in the event something doesn't work out !


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## road2damascus (Apr 26, 2010)

Good idea. May borrow it.


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## Moonlighter (Mar 31, 2008)

Nice setup on the totes, I like the lid idea. I got some free ones with the filler caps already cut out, I was using them for water collection off the roofs to water the gardens with. I took two of mine and cut them in half. I set them up so I can back right up to them hit the switch on the salter and empty the vbox if I have left over salt, I just have to tarp them to keep them dry. I use it for sidewalk salt or like you mentioned quick runs that don't require a full load, just sucks to shovel it in lol.


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## SServices (Feb 25, 2010)

I was going to use 5 gallon buckets, but after seeing this I'm sold.... Great idea!!!


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## snowish10 (Oct 29, 2010)

Really smart idea!!


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I may try that as well. I have 3 totes laying around right now. Was it a mess to get it filled up? Wondering how well it holds up to the weather before it hardens up because all my stuff is stored outside. Oh and how much salt would it hold?


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

I've only been using the totes for a few weeks now and so far so good. Our barn isn't heated and so far there hasn't been any trouble with salt freezing. Even the couple of nights it's been left in my truck the salts also been fine. When I get these filled I load them into my dump trailer. They load them with 1/2 yard bucket that is only 4' wide so most of the salt makes it into the totes. I'd rather have salt spill into the trailer than the bed of my truck. The way I cut the totes they will hold a yard and half of salt. I've had three salt events to try this out and so far so good. The only thing I changed after the first outing was to put a big tarp in the bed of my truck before loading the tote. Now it's real easy to clean out anything I spill after each run.


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

Sweet I know what I'll be making later on today! Lol


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## stotts1 (Jan 4, 2010)

Great idea!


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

Did you ever slide on of the full totes in a pickup truck bed? Just wondering about rearward visibility. My old buyers salt spreader is hard enough to see obstacles around it because it sticks up so high. I may try to cut the whole tote down to help with visibility.


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

I thought about making one that was shorter for just that reason. 30" tall would still hold a full yard but the lid would have to be cut even with the top. I am getting a couple more totes next week so I might do it. The way it is right now is no different than a v box or full pallet of bags in the bed. Either way you loose visability. My tgs 07 is so much bigger than my old spreader that I lost most of it anyways. I haven't had to plow yet but with the 3 salt runs I have done it's not too bad. I'm used to using my side mirrors most of the time.


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I'll have to measure what a full skid of salt is. I usually hand load it the way I want. I just worry about visibility on a couple of my lots because of idiots and obstacles.


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

Good idea!


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I'm going bulk! I did basically an exact copy of your design but I removed the skid from the bottom so it would sit lower for visibility. I think I hacked about 10 inches off of the top. I can see over it in my rear view mirror barely. I have about 1700 lbs in it right now.I'm sure it would hold a ton no problem.


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I got a cheap tarp and bungie straps to keep the weather off of it. I'm gonna fill the spreader with a bucket. 50 lbs fills a 5 gallon bucket exactly to the top.


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

Looks real good. I was going to use a tarp also but just got to thinking that I had a perfect cut lid with the piece I just cut out. With a rigid top I figure it will hold some snow up it it ends up sitting. I think I'm going to cut a short one next week I was looking at it today while I was loading up. I want to keep the base because I fork these in and out with my skid. I plan to just remove about 12" or so out of the middle and then reattach it before cutting the top open. Again looks good I hope it works out as well for you to !


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## kc2006 (Oct 16, 2005)

magneto259;1683542 said:


> I'm going bulk! I did basically an exact copy of your design but I removed the skid from the bottom so it would sit lower for visibility. I think I hacked about 10 inches off of the top. I can see over it in my rear view mirror barely. I have about 1700 lbs in it right now.I'm sure it would hold a ton no problem.


Make sure you park it indoors most of the time, bulk turns to a rock quickly if left outside even if you keep it tarped it sucks up moisture bad. I let my truck with vbox sit out for two or three days in a row last year and it was solid, and my bulk is super dry.

I like this idea though, seems like the original poster has the perfect scenario for this. If I had a loader I'd do the same thing because I don't use a lot of salt per storm but like paying a third of what bagged goes for.


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## cdqat1432 (Dec 3, 2010)

Magnatrac, what did you put around the edge of the tote in the original picture to take up the gap? It looks like door seal material. I like the idea.


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

cdqat1432;1683950 said:


> Magnatrac, what did you put around the edge of the tote in the original picture to take up the gap? It looks like door seal material. I like the idea.


The material you see is trex that was ripped down for a veneer on a job I did. That was just scrap I put up on the shelf. Figured I could use it some day. The pic of the tote with salt in it now matches the other with a lid. We had an early season salt run and I just had not gotten it done yet. I have two of these made so far and plan to build one more. I bought a load of treated salt from a different supplier and their loader has a 6' bucket. Needless to say I had to shovel some salt into the tote after that load. We got hooked up though because it wouldn't even fit In the tote. I have 8 five gallon buckets sitting in the barn as well. Next time I get loaded there I want 2 totes next to eacher in the dump trailer. This will avoid having to clean out the trailer !


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I had to shovel as well my supplier has a 6' bucket. I think I will make a big funnel out of osb and 2x4's to keep from making a big mess. Certainly will need a vibrator too.


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

Hopefully it doesn't turn to stone. I don't have the option of parking inside.


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## TKLAWN (Jan 20, 2008)

Great idea! I'm wondering if I could keep this on site with treated salt without it turning to a rock??


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

TKLAWN;1685159 said:


> Great idea! I'm wondering if I could keep this on site with treated salt without it turning to a rock??


I think if you can keep it dry it will be ok. It's no different than the big plastic salt boxes that buyers ,snowex, etc make. I had salt in one for weeks with no issues. It was in a barn but just dry cold storeage. For me this set up is working great !










We just got reloaded after a busy weekend now were ready for tonight .
I still want to make atleast 1 or 2 more of these totes. The best part is all of this salt is less than one pallet of 80's !


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## magneto259 (Aug 2, 2012)

I got it tarped over. I'll check on its status later today. Got a vibrator on its way.


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## Lawnapp (Aug 19, 2017)

How did your salt totes work out? Are you still using them after 4 years?


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

Lawnapp said:


> How did your salt totes work out? Are you still using them after 4 years?


I used the totes for a couple years. I switched to a snowex 7550 a couple years ago. I now only use the totes to store leftover salt during the summer. We just shrink wrap the totes. For running bulk salt through a tailgate spreader the totes work great. That said we have a skid loader so we could easily swap out empty ones when needed.


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## Gracefulsnow (Nov 5, 2018)

What are those called? Def tank? I'm trying to find one or two of them to buy and I'm not having a bunch of luck. 

Any suggestions?


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Gracefulsnow said:


> What are those called? Def tank? I'm trying to find one or two of them to buy and I'm not having a bunch of luck.
> 
> Any suggestions?


I see them on Craigslist all the time, usually between $50 & $75.
You can also try this place, depending where you're located.
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mad/d/rain-barrels-pickle-barrels/6732349359.html


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## Brettny (Jul 12, 2017)

There IBC totes. You could prob strap the cage to the fork frame on a loadet and just dump the salt into a spreader.


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## Gracefulsnow (Nov 5, 2018)

They hold up all winter? Crack bad with sub temps? Tarp sufficient to keep on back of truck at all times? The cutting of the lid and adding a hinge looks sufficient maybe adding some rubber to add a little extra protection perhaps 

Thoughts? First year for me and all the insurance adds up so this is a great way for me to start cost wise. Found them for $30 each. 300 galons I'm sure will hold at least a ton. Probably get like 3 of them and keep 2 in the garage ..


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

I still have all the totes I made. Haven't used them in years for anything other than storing salt over the summer. One tote with a steel base is getting pretty rusty from sitting in the dirt all year. The plastic is all just as good as new. If your just getting started it's a great way to haul/store bulk salt for a tail gate spreader.


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