Hay elevator into dirt conveyor

[marcomjl]

Hi, looking to convert a hay elevator into a dirt conveyor to dig out the basement. Already looked at all my options. Conveyor is the only way. Head room is an issue with buckets and there's over 40 yards compressed to remove. I already got 5 yards dug out in a pile at the opening ready to go.

I can get a good deal on a hay elevator. It's cheap and less time consuming than fabing up my own frame. Plus with the centralize chain and attaching a belt to it I don't have to worry with a roller driven conveyor with tracking and such.

My idea is to attach a rubber belt to the chain and then add some side rails and cleats to cup the material. My problem is how to attach the belt to the chain without having an issue with the sprockets that run the chain. I could step the belt in sections instead of one long belt also.

 

[RickB]

Why not just find a single-chain silage conveyor and plug it in, no mods required.

 

[marcomjl]

I'm looking still haha, it's just I found the hay elevator for very little.

I did find a dirt conveyor for $1800 but waiting to hear back on it. It's made for what I need, even with removable axle, tail lights, etc. If that falls through I may just get it and rent or sell it when I'm done.

Just brainstorming while in wait.

 

[Craig Clayton]

Neighbours hired a local handy man for the summer to dig out their basement, he wrecked the tractor that hauled away the dirt. He did not finish the job and they were left to resub the job.
Are you digging all the dirt yourself?
A buddy at the plant just bought the house beside his parents house and he wants to dig out out the crawl space. I said that will keep you busy if he ever does it.
Another guy did do it, he was as strong as a horse and could really work.

Craig Clayton

 

[marcomjl]

Neighbours hired a local handy man for the summer to dig out their basement, he wrecked the tractor that hauled away the dirt. He did not finish the job and they were left to resub the job.
Are you digging all the dirt yourself?
A buddy at the plant just bought the house beside his parents house and he wants to dig out out the crawl space. I said that will keep you busy if he ever does it.
Another guy did do it, he was as strong as a horse and could really work.

Craig Clayton

Well I work like a horse lol. I am bench ledging the entire foundation and digging out 2' down everywhere else. I got 6 columns I have to dig footings for a little deaper. I have the bench ledging in 3 phases. Phase 1 is already dug out completely (18 2.5'x2.5'x5' each) with a massive pile that takes up half of the basement right now in front of my bulkhead door.

That took me 3 nights, maybe 16 hours. I did hit ledge on one corner but was the soft kind that just crumbles with a pick. I'm leaving out my back yard also so once I get a conveyor its gonna shoot right where I need fill anyways so killing 2 birds...

 

[zzvyb6]

If the elevator is like mine (a grain elevator actually, not a skeleton hay elevator), then I believe you could replace or reinforce the metal scrapers with pieces of tire tread or sidewall or some other reinforced rubber material. They would follow the chain just like the metal ones do now except do a better job of wiping the dirt up the channel. As long as the lift height isn't too severe, I think this would work pretty well. You'll need more than 1/2 hp motor to do the work, I'll bet.

You might have to wet the dirt down just a bit. If its too loose and dry, it may not travel very well. You will need to plug the screen(s) too.

I like this idea. I wonder if a grain auger lift would work just as well (keep the big rocks out of it, though). I've actually used an old single stage 3 pt snow blower for doing something similar (manure management). Wear a dust suit and keep the rpm's up...

 

[roygage]

Hi, looking to convert a hay elevator into a dirt conveyor to dig out the basement. Already looked at all my options. Conveyor is the only way. Head room is an issue with buckets and there's over 40 yards compressed to remove. I already got 5 yards dug out in a pile at the opening ready to go.

I can get a good deal on a hay elevator. It's cheap and less time consuming than fabing up my own frame. Plus with the centralize chain and attaching a belt to it I don't have to worry with a roller driven conveyor with tracking and such.

My idea is to attach a rubber belt to the chain and then add some side rails and cleats to cup the material. My problem is how to attach the belt to the chain without having an issue with the sprockets that run the chain. I could step the belt in sections instead of one long belt also.

Forty years ago I had a friend I worked with dig out a basement. I never saw his rig but as described it was a old bale conveyer he set up to which he hooked five gallon buckets to. I think he had it set up so the buckets hung under the conveyor on hooks. Guess at a forty five degree angle you could lay one on the top side and not much would fall out.

Anyway, under or over, you could get twenty buckets and fill them then have a helper on the top end when you dump.

 

[marcomjl]

Sounds cool. I'm still going for a one way route, shovel in conveyor dumps out.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

We used a hay/corn conveyer (the one with solid bottom and paddles attached between two chains) to do similar to what your trying. It did the job but the elevator was old and the weight and stress from moving up the stones/dirt ended up wearing it hard. As we went to haul it back it buckled. So I'm still not sure if it was the stress of moving that dense material that weakened it or if it was just at the end of its ropes. A few hours of welding though made it good again.

You can find them still but their getting rare in my area. I've been looking for one to help with hay as I get tired of man-handling the skeleton elevators and needing helpers just to get set up. A nice tow behind model would be ideal as I can move it on my own easily and between barns if needed. Just haven't found a decent unit at an affordable price yet.

 

[RickB]

We used a hay/corn conveyer (the one with solid bottom and paddles attached between two chains) to do similar to what your trying. It did the job but the elevator was old and the weight and stress from moving up the stones/dirt ended up wearing it hard. As we went to haul it back it buckled. So I'm still not sure if it was the stress of moving that dense material that weakened it or if it was just at the end of its ropes. A few hours of welding though made it good again.

You can find them still but their getting rare in my area. I've been looking for one to help with hay as I get tired of man-handling the skeleton elevators and needing helpers just to get set up. A nice tow behind model would be ideal as I can move it on my own easily and between barns if needed. Just haven't found a decent unit at an affordable price yet.

Why not a decent skeleton elevator with an undercarriage for your bales?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Why not a decent skeleton elevator with an undercarriage for your bales?

In this section of NY I have never seen one so their even more rare. I kind of like the versatility though of the other style. As long as you don't abuse it you can actually use them for plenty of things other then cob corn or hay. But my need isn't major and its basically a luxury item which is why I am not searching hard. The OP of this thread sent me a few links to some decent units he found but the closest is over 2 hours away and is too big for my trailer. So to get it I would have to drive 2+ hours there, change both tires and have a spare still, then drive 6-8 hours back towing it slow. I don't need it that bad so I am just going to keep watching locally and hopefully find one closer.

 

[bearmtnmartin]

Just rent a miniveyor from your local ez rent or what have you.

 

[marcomjl]

Just rent a miniveyor from your local ez rent or what have you.

Closest place to me is 40 minutes that actually has an Ez Lift Conveyor which is what I'm looking at right now very cheap. Renting would be $150 per day or $90 per day if rented by weekly. I need it at least a dozen times between digs and pouring over 1.5-3 months. That'll cost me the price of the things brand new.

 

[muddstopper]

I own one of these Ventrac Slip Scoops Attachments. I have used it to dig out a basement once. I would think that as long as the door to the basement is large enough (4ft), you can probably rent one and dig the dirt out in one day, put it where you want it, and do it cheaper than buying and modifying a hay conveyor. Not to mention it would be a lot easier than a shovel.

 

[marcomjl]

I own one of these Ventrac Slip Scoops Attachments. I have used it to dig out a basement once. I would think that as long as the door to the basement is large enough (4ft), you can probably rent one and dig the dirt out in one day, put it where you want it, and do it cheaper than buying and modifying a hay conveyor. Not to mention it would be a lot easier than a shovel.

Thanks for the tip but if you read up I got to dig out the basement in 4 phases, not all at once. I got a bulk head doors to the basement then about 8 steps down. I have a toro dingo which would out power that scoop attachment. Only way is a conveyor, luckly just came back from my trip yesturday and got the ez lift dirt conveyor 23' long **** cheap too. Will take some pictures soon and post up.