Grain bins (flat bottom pit clean outs).

[r.reid]

I am going to be needing some more grain storage in the near future. These large diameter pit clean out bins have caught my eye. I've been looking through "The Book Prairie Farmers catalogue". But there are so many brands and types to choose from,and everyone claims to have the best. Thought I'd post this message and ask some real experts. Do you want a steel floor or concrete? Do they clean out totally, or do you still have to shovel? Do they require much maintenance? Any input would be really helpful thanks...

[Jagfarms]

The big bins with the center unloading and build in sweeps seam to work pretty good. There is just about 1-2 inches of grain left on the floor and you can sweep it into the center hole with a broom.

I farm as well as do quite a bit of custom hauling so I have seen many types of bins. The bins with the in ground hoppers are hard to clean out and you have to get inside and shovel and it is hard to stand in them without sliding down into the auger.

A steel floor is easy to clean out with a good sweep like a E-kay or Wheatheart sweep with the shield on the back. There is very little shoveling. If I was buying bins I would buy flat bottom with steel floors. For airation bins the high profile hopper bins or flat bottom bins with the cement floor with center unloading and airation build into the floor.

We have been having trouble with the low profile hopper bins unloading out of them with peas the pods plug up the boot and it quits flowing into the auger. If there is a bit of spoiled grain it also plugs up the boot and you have to keep taking the auger in and out of the boot and poking whith a stick to get is unplugged. This can be more tiring than shoveling a bin and it takes very long to load when this happens.

[les]

R.Reid
One other way of thinking is a good grain vac. You dont need all the expensive hoppers and clean out systems then.I have a brant grain vac and there is very little effort to cleaning out a bin also use the vac on full bins too.Also no dust. I can fill a superB including cleaning out one bin in an hour.Cost of a grain vac is about 13000 bucks, that dosent buy many hoppers.

[cropduster]

Hoppers are the most expensive (with Opi-ones and air) but you`ll never go back.Utility for small bits.Basically nothing to screw up at -40 with the superbee`s standing there.And these guys will literally fight to haul your loads.Call Elwood at Skyway in Airdrie.

[Freesaw]

I have 5 24 foot and 3 19 foot steel floors with pits the 24 foot floors also have the door air packages which fold up out of the way. clean up is very easy with a wheathart sweep and priced right at about 1 dollar per bushel. I keep hard to handle crops in these bins like lentils.