Bulk Feed Bin Made From 1,000-Gal. Gas Tank

Bulk Feed Bin Made From 1,000-Gal. Gas Tank LIVESTOCK Feeding Equipment 23-3-3 Discarded underground gas tanks can be converted into low-cost bulk feed bins, says Doug Attoe, Lodi, Wis., who used a 1,000-gal. gas tank to make a bin that holds up to two tons of feed. "I use it to fill 5-gal. buckets which I dump into bunks for my lambs. I got the tank free from a neighbor so it cost very little to set up," says Attoe. The tank is supported by four 3-in. angle iron legs welded to a rectangular base also made out of angle iron that mounts at a 45 degree angle, with the bottom end about 3 ft. off the ground. Feed gravity flows out through a 10-in. sq. opening fitted with a chute. A truck-type endgate controls the flow of grain. The tank is filled by a grinder-mixer auger through a 1 by 1 1/2-ft. opening at the top of the tank. "It isn't fancy but it does the job," says Attoe. "I use it to feed about 100 lambs. It would be easy to make a hopper at the bottom of the tank so that feed could be automatically augered away. All I bought were two 20-ft. lengths of 3-in. angle iron for the legs and one 20-ft. length of 1-in. angle iron for the base and support. I also bought the slide gate. "I got several of these tanks from neighbors who dug them out of the ground years ago. Before cutting the tank I run exhaust fumes into the tank from a car. The exhaust consists entirely of carbon monoxide which ensures that there's no oxygen left inside the tank to ignite whatever gas fumes might be left. I run the exhaust for about two hours or so before cutting. "The tank doesn't empty out completely but leaves about a 5-gal. bucket of feed on each side of the bottom opening. I reach in with my arm to sweep the feed out. If the opening was a bit wider the tank would empty out completely." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Doug Attoe, N2085 Hwy. 113, Lodi, Wis. 53555 (ph 608 592-5513).

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