Bolltless Grain Bins Spiral Into Place

Bolltless Grain Bins Spiral Into Place CROP STORAGE Grain Storage 2-6-30 A new way to build boltless and leakproof grain bins, manure storage tanks or silos is catching on fast throughout the midwest. "We're now set up in 24 states and will be expanding into additional areas in the month's ahead," Paul Buchholtz, president of Lipp Systems Midwest, Terre Haute, Ind., told FARM SHOW. The "factory" comes right to your farm. A 3 or 4 man crew comes with special machines costing about $200,000 to custom build a bin, tank or silo right on the site from large coils of aluminized or galvanized steel. Individual structures, which are boltless, and have smooth interiors, can be anywhere from 12 to 25 ft. in dia. and can be spiralled up to 60 ft. high. The steel used in construction comes in 20 in. wide coils. A Profile Machine forms the edges and curves the steel. A Folding Machine joins the steel strips with a patented double lock. This locking technique is weather tight, according to Buchholtz. It also provides an external "stiffening" rib which helps keep the structure rigid. As the structure rotates during construction, it spirals up 15 in. for each revolution. Construction is halted at about the 6 ft. level to trim the top and install the roof and any special hardware. Construction is then resumed. When the proper height is reached, the bottom edge is trimmed, the Lipp machines removed, and the structure counter rotated down to the pre-built concrete foundation and secured. Because the structure is made of continuous strips of steel, it is much stronger than a conventional bin, tank or silo, and its smooth interior surface makes it ideal for storage of a wide variety of liquid or solid products, Buchholtz points out. He adds that "both the roof and side walls are made of aluminized or galvanized steel. Grain bins are available in sizes up to 75 ft. in dia., and up to 60 ft. high. Cost of a bin 36 ft. in dia. by 20 ft. high (approximately 20,155 bu. capacity) is $11,200, not including the concrete foundation. Roofless manure tanks are available in diameters up to 75 ft., and up to 20 ft. high. A tank this big retails for approximately $17,291. Manure storage tanks, made of aluminized or galvanized steel, are painted inside with a special epoxy paint to resist the corrosive action of the manure acids. _Manure storage structures can also be made of a special chromalized steel which is corrosive resistant and requires no special coating. Lipp System structures for storing high moisture grain are available in sizes up to 30 ft. in dia. and 60 ft. high. For more details, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lipp Systems Midwest, 1000 Spruce Street, Terre Haute, Ind. 47807 (ph 812-238-2966).

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