Anyone use 275/330 gallon totes for wood storage/transport? (2024)

When I sold firewood years ago I used the cages from the IBC 275/330 gallon liquid totes. i used to get them free all the time and now I can't seem to find them for less than 75 bucks a pop. 3/4 full is about the perfect weight that my little tractor can safely move with 500lbs of counterweight.

I've got a couple of the 330s. One is full of grease for my biodiesel production. I'm using a U made of 3 pallets, and a couple braces across the top. Pallets I get delivered to the house for 2 bucks each. I've got 70 or so U's built. I didn't think the metal was all that rugged. Do you unload out thru the holes? or do you reach in till it gets too low, then flip it on it's side?

JP

curber said:

Yes I got 19 of these free just a month ago. Now have 17 full of locust/elm/ash!! Guy I got them from says I can have all I want next summer too. I move them with a toro dingo 420tx. This wood will stay in the crates for 2 full years. Pat

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yeah that was a mega score there. I found a guy two hours away that has about 50 of them for 35 bucks each. I like that you can mark them easily on the metal tags to tell when they were cut/split and type of wood. It makes seperating and identifying it easily. if you are good, you can stack them two high. That's what i used to do with the bobcat when I sold firewood.

JP11 said:

I've got a couple of the 330s. One is full of grease for my biodiesel production. I'm using a U made of 3 pallets, and a couple braces across the top. Pallets I get delivered to the house for 2 bucks each. I've got 70 or so U's built. I didn't think the metal was all that rugged. Do you unload out thru the holes? or do you reach in till it gets too low, then flip it on it's side?

JP

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I prefer the 250 gallon sized, they are shorter. My little tractor wont pick up a full 250 gallon tote of green wood anyways. the 330 gallon I cut two rows off to make it shorter to get wood in and out easily. Ive made some out of wood also, but the wieght it what really kills it for my baby tractor. I keep all my wood at the back of the property and keep one tote close to the house. i made this wood one and it doesn't work as well as I'd like... of course my tractor is a midget....I don't own enough property for a real tractor

Whatever works. As long as you stack once after split.. and go from there to the boiler.. you're ahead of the game.

JP

mellow said:

If I could find these for free I would have to build a wood kiln for sure, they are perfect for that.

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hmmm wood stove heated kiln.... i like the idea of that.!

http://www.fivestarfirewood.com/Kiln-Dried-Firewood.html

That is where I got the idea from.

swagler85 said:

Freakingstang, pm me i have a local guy that sells for $30, also another place for $45. If u take multiple totes they may deal more

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Pm sent. I'd much rather not drive 40 mins south of Mansfield. I was planning on heading down there tomorrow since I had the day off. Let me know. I don't have to have the tanks. I wouldn't mind having one, but I I just want the cages.

mellow said:

If I could find these for free I would have to build a wood kiln for sure, they are perfect for that.

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I don't see how those totes would work for drying firewood. Are you talking about using the metal cages as framework for a firewood kiln? I don't think the plastic/poly will hold up to the temps needed for drying firewood. I've seen them melt at my last place of employment, when an operator was filling them up with material that was too hot. I don't remember the exact temp., but it wasn't much hotter than the boiling point of water.

Edit; they will handle about 120 degrees Celsius.

Freakingstang said:

Pm sent. I'd much rather not drive 40 mins south of Mansfield. I was planning on heading down there tomorrow since I had the day off. Let me know. I don't have to have the tanks. I wouldn't mind having one, but I I just want the cages.

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Did you get the totes?

imiller1974 said:

I don't see how those totes would work for drying firewood. Are you talking about using the metal cages as framework for a firewood kiln? I don't think the plastic/poly will hold up to the temps needed for drying firewood. I've seen them melt at my last place of employment, when an operator was filling them up with material that was too hot. I don't remember the exact temp., but it wasn't much hotter than the boiling point of water.

Edit; they will handle about 120 degrees Celsius.

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Yes, just the metal crate, removing the plastic. Anyone need any 300 gallon square jugs?

Freakingstang said:

Anyone need any 300 gallon square jugs?]

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I'd buy one off of you for a "Rain Barrel" attached to my garage? Or 2 maybe?

i'm keeping one tank and cage for spare fuel oil in the basem*nt if I can get it down in the basem*nt. the other five i'm going to use just the cages for wood storage and transporting from the backlot to the house.

I'm not sure how stable those tanks/jugs would be without a cage around them. Although now you have me thinking about water as my well water out here is crap....but anyways for now, I'll have 5 tanks sitting out back after tomorrow morning.