Fertilizer hopper?

[jjeff]

Buying something like this is very expensive if existent so Looking for ideas on smaller scale two bin fertilizer hopper to load into a three point spreader and a small garden tractor pull behind. Found it much cheaper pd per pd to buy by the ton vs 50 or so lb bags, but requires a careful/gentle finesse of controls and is time consuming loading with use of mini x to load 3 pt spreader at least without tearing the bag open. After testing the soil on the 10 or so acres I hobby farm it's in need of potassium aka potash and nitrogen which I use granular urea to supplement, Anyways curious if anyone ever thought of or built something like this? Good control of gates to discharge into spreaders is important. I have old steel plate ready to be repurposed, and a few pieces of old square tube, channel and smaller I beams to elevate estimate 3 or so feet pending measurement of how low I can get three point spreader to load. Hopper would be used and stored inside my barn, may consider buying a material vibrator to assist in discharge if i build this. Id Probably like to design it for 500 lb capacity per each bin and will be loaded with mini x from 1 ton bags when fertilizer in hopper gets low. I apologize in advance but I'm guilty of asking for advice on some of my hairbrain ideas only to find a different route cuz of either cost of components I feel I need, inability to find or repurpose junk in what I want it to do, much more knowledgeable insight from others than me, lack of finding time, or frustrations attempting to electronically document during building etc. Thanks.

 

[Rustyiron]

Not exactly what you're asking, but fertilizer dealers have " buggies" (trailers) that are available if you buy enough tonage. They may even make up your needed mix. You'll need enough tractor to pull it through the field. Check with a farm bulk supplier.
Used feed bins came to mind initially but they usually require an auger truck to deliver the fertilizer.

 

[jjeff]

Yeah I'm aware of fertilizer delivery methods current set up is the company I buy it from loads one ton palletized bags on my deck over trailer haul it to my hobby operation unload 4-500 lbs directly into spreaders if I don't need that much ill drive trailer in barn during inclement weather , I can lift them off with my mini around1500 lbs off the front boom in close front blade down, replace on pallets and slide into storage in barn until I need a few hundred pds. or so again. Just started this method last year and estimate one ton bags should last 3 years minimum. Like I said much less than purchasing lesser amounts especially by the individual bag usually around 50lbs. Id like to make something that probably would look like a elevated trough with a divider each side has its own gate to put fertilizer in either a small pull behind or 3pt spreader. Unsure on ideas how to make control gates, almost everything that was close to what I want is either for huge farms and or way out of my budget. Even junk I was hoping to convert for my usage was out of what I was willing to pay, thanks for the reply.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've never used the big bag "totes" but a buddy does. He always has trouble in the field with trying to meter it into his spreader (just a 3 pt spinner) and ends up with spilled fertilizer because it doesn't "shut off" very well. I understand your need but building several 500# bins would be more than a casual project but well worth it in the end.

 

[old and tired]

Get more seat time, spread the fertilizer one at a time, don't combine the two. Just use a regular fertilizer spreader for the 3 point hitch.

Get to know your fertilizer spreader, calibrate one fertilizer at a time so you can dial it in correctly. Write down the setting on the side of the spreader so you don't have to calibrate it again. Then do the same with the other fertilizer...

Seems to me like you are trying to reinvent the wheel to save a little bit of time.

 

[jjeff]

I don't mix fertilizer hence my reasoning to put a divider and separate gates in it. figured potash is solely for my frasers and other verities of evergreens, nitrogen is for my sweetcorn, though twice a year ill put nitrogen own tree rows of new plantings.
Countless times what I thought were good ideas turned out otherwise probably why I'm so cheap with certain ideas lol, I'm due for a future debacle provided I get the motivation and time.

 

[jjeff]

Handy drifting hack I learned if your using a small backhoe or mini x with teeth on the bucket to partially empty a one ton fabric tote, roll top down to level of material with tote fabric facing outward point bucket teeth down on inside of farthest edge from mini and plunge the boom down the side, curl it when you stop lift and repeat. Use slight movements on joysticks and finesse. Time consuming but minimal wasting of material plus gives you stick time. Also had a large old piece of cardboard under 3pt spreader which easily curls up and empties spilled material to use. Anyways thanks for the insight and now I'm figuring out the size and shape I need to hold 1k lbs hoping i have enough old plate lying around to make a sizable enough hopper.

 

[oldnslo]

What size are the hoppers on pickup mounted salt spreaders for snow and ice? Could one of these be used vs trying to build something?

 

[jjeff]

Good idea probably around 1/3 yard x2 which would probably be close to the weight cap I want, and would need briefly thought of them. Worth at least looking for a broken down tailgate spreader if I find one. I'm only looking for enough volume to initially remove 500 or so pounds from totes so I can get them off trailer but would go bigger if building it myself depending on how much steel I have. Figuring out how to build or repurpose opening and closing gates and have them mounted strong enough and work reliably and controlled especially on a old poly salt spreader might be somewhat challenging though.

 

[oldnslo]

jeff,
I have never looked at a tail gate spreader but don't they have some form of gate on them from the factory for controlling salt - sand flow rate? Was just thinking they might have corrosion resistant components since fertilizer rusts everything and dust gets in every crack imaginable.

I believe some company used to also make a small pull type spreader but do not recall the company. Might have been Wilmar spreaders and this is going back 50+ years so memory is definitely foggy.