IBC totes in Nevada County

[ning]

I've started doing the firewood totes thing recently, and totes around here (Nevada County) are few and far between and expensive to boot.

I just talked to a fellow who's making a delivery in the GV/NC area next Sunday and it sounds like he's got room for 12 more - something around $50 a piece.

I don't have a stake in this other than he's delivering some to me, but if you're in the area and want some, I haven't seen a better deal (in fact, I bought 6 a few weeks ago for 50% more and had to go to some sketchy grower's land to pick them up myself).

 

[sea2summit]

Their price is soon to go up as well, plastics are going nuts. Even "Homer" buckets at Home Depot are up like 30% over last month. It's freaking crazy out there.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

$50 is a good price for anywhere. Scoop em up! I got a bunch of totes without the bladders in them last fall and it has made firewood processing 2 or 3 steps easier. So far I have just used tarps over the top, I will need to think of a better system once I start putting them into service this fall.

 

[Doofy]

You are lucky to live in civilization. I saw a couple here last week being advertised for $300 each. For that price, they should be filled with a quality bourbon.

 

[ning]

$50 is a good price for anywhere. Scoop em up! I got a bunch of totes without the bladders in them last fall and it has made firewood processing 2 or 3 steps easier. So far I have just used tarps over the top, I will need to think of a better system once I start putting them into service this fall.

I haven't put a lot of thought into covering yet. I showed the "cut the bladder in half diagonally and use it like a cap" concept but that offended others' sense of aesthetics...

I may build a small 4'x4' or so roof unit with wood & corrugated galv that just gets tossed onto the top of each one (also like a cap, but cuter?) and tied down.
Considering the rain we've gotten the last few years, I barely have to be concerned with the wood getting wet, and I can stage one or two under a carport at my barn to dry out before bringing over to the house (where I need to set something up for sheltering the "active tote", though the little roof concept would work there too).

You are lucky to live in civilization.

When it comes to buying stuff, definitely.
I'm not so sure the benefits outweigh the downsides sometimes...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I haven't put a lot of thought into covering yet. I showed the "cut the bladder in half diagonally and use it like a cap" concept but that offended others' sense of aesthetics...

I may build a small 4'x4' or so roof unit with wood & corrugated galv that just gets tossed onto the top of each one (also like a cap, but cuter?) and tied down.
Considering the rain we've gotten the last few years, I barely have to be concerned with the wood getting wet, and I can stage one or two under a carport at my barn to dry out before bringing over to the house (where I need to set something up for sheltering the "active tote", though the little roof concept would work there too).


When it comes to buying stuff, definitely.
I'm not so sure the benefits outweigh the downsides sometimes...

I have seen the cut bladder method, and I like it. It is a good use of the bladder rather than throwing it in the dump. If I had bought a bladder with the totes I would use that system. However, that still leaves 75% of the plastic unused, still seems like a lot of waste. I could always take the bladder out of one of my old ones and use all 6 sides. Definitely not cute though! I am going to go a similar route with wood frame and 5v metal roof. I have a bunch of nice excess 5v sitting around. PT frame with a bit of a pitch with metal roofing over it.

 

[ericm979]

I cut off one side and make two cuts so the bottom is a flap. Then heat form the flap with a propane torch and 2x4 so it bends over the edge of the cage. I end up with a cover that keeps the rain off even when it's driving sideways (if you have the cover oriented right.) But there's still plenty of air circulation under the cover. We're in a funny microclimate and our rain often comes in sideways from the east.

I park the totes in my wood processing area in one orientation and when I move them up to the house for consumption they go in the same orientation, so it works out for me.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I cut off one side and make two cuts so the bottom is a flap. Then heat form the flap with a propane torch and 2x4 so it bends over the edge of the cage. I end up with a cover that keeps the rain off even when it's driving sideways (if you have the cover oriented right.) But there's still plenty of air circulation under the cover. We're in a funny microclimate and our rain often comes in sideways from the east.

I park the totes in my wood processing area in one orientation and when I move them up to the house for consumption they go in the same orientation, so it works out for me.

I'm having a hard time following you. Picture please.

 

[ericm979]

Here's some pics. If you look down from the top (or measure) you'll see that the tote and bladder are not square. One side is about 6" wider than the other. I orient my bladder cover so the large side ends up on the top. I cut away the other large side. That leaves more room for air circulation. You do need to space the totes out a bit because of this, and leave room between them to get the covers on and off. I take the covers off for our rainless summers. I use a hole saw first at the corners where I am going to cut, then make the cuts to the holes. That way there's less chance of the cuts tearing later. And also drill a hole in the end of the flap to make it easier to pull on. You can barely see it near the bottom edge of the flap. When I grab wood for the stove I push the cover off, stack the wood in small boxes to carry inside and pull the cover back on.

The tag in the first pic is a piece of the part I cut out which has the date I filled the tote written in sharpie. So I can find the tote with the oldest wood. Yes I know I'm overthinking this, that's how I roll. (and also I need to get a cap for this tote that I got free)

 

[HawkinsHollow]

View attachment 715939

I mean NO offense by this ... definitely not an elegant solution but a very functional one that solves the issue of a wasted bladder. Thanks for the pictures and explanation!