Fifth Project( off-road Diesel transporter)

Mansker · Dec 27, 2004

I just hate to pay Diesel prices at the pump /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif so this is what I did to save myself a little of my hard earned money!

Mansker · Dec 27, 2004

Here it is ready to go! I changed to a bigger Pallet, the first one was too small and wanted to tip over.

oliver28472 · Dec 27, 2004

Exactly the same barrel, and similar pump as mine. You must use a FEL to get it off your pickup or trailer. Since I don't have a FEL, I just screw in both bungs pretty tight, and strap it in the PU. When I get it home I can lay the barrel down on it's side and roll it to the tailgate then turn it just enough to tip it off to the ground. Then twist it around into place. My pump has a metal spout that has a piece of garden hose slipped up on it. I use a 5 gallon bucket sitting on top of the barrell for a catch can.

Bird · Dec 27, 2004

That looks like my pump and hose, but my barrel was blue and I didn't have the straps to hold it down; just gravity. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I stayed with the smaller pallet and loaded and unloaded it into the back of the truck with the forks on the FEL bucket.

OkeeDon · Dec 27, 2004

That's pretty slick. I'm still going at it the hard way. Start with strapping the empty drum upright in the back of the pickup and take it to get filled. I leave the hose fittings in place with shut-off valves, remove them at the fuel dealer, and replace them to seal it. Lay it over in the pickup bed when I get home. Roll it into the bucket of the FEL and strap it in. Carry it to my 5' high fuel stand and lift it to the platform. Roll it off the bucket and chock it in place. Then, reattach the hose and fill nozzle to the shut-off valve. Then, my gravity rig is ready for business again. To make it flow, there is a vent attached to one bung and the hose fitings to the other; both have ball valves to shut them off. No pictures for now; the temporary platform is a section of an old porch deck, several different colors and ugly as sin, I'm a little ashamed of showing it in public. One of these days, Real Soon Now, I'll get a round tuit and build a nice platform with a roof.

Even as bad as it looks now, it's till better than our pre-temporary, really brief temporary stack of blocks we used for the first few days. Since that dangerous concoction is long agao history, I don't feel so bad showing a picture.

AndyMA · Dec 27, 2004

They all look good to me. Even though I work for a fuel supplier and can buy off road at cost about 100 feet from my desk I am still using 5 gallon yellow plastic jugs. 10 of them I think. and yes it is a pain to fill the 80 gallon tank on the excavator...... the tractors I don't mind so much. they barely use fuel compared to the piggy excavator.

I plan on geting a 275 gallon home heating oil tank and bringing a fuel truck home at night if I ever build my house on the farm..

Andy

Andy

OkeeDon · Dec 27, 2004

My oil distributor wants a minimum of a 300 gallon tank in order to make a free delivery, and he would prefer it to be almost empty to make the trip worth while. However, I discovered that his chief driver lives diagonally across the street from me, and stops at home for lunch almost every day. If I can finagle a tank larger than a 55 gallon drum, I'll be able to work out deliveries. Problem is, we don't use oil heat much around here, so there are no old home heating tanks. Once we get the house built, and I turn my attention to the refueling center, I'll talk to them about a bigger tank.

But, I think it will still be a gravity fill. No expense for a pump, no power to worry about, one less thing to break. Right now, I'm working on finding a large (500 to 1,000) gallon propane tank with a dispenser pump. I'd like to be able to fill my own 20# cylinders for mosquito magnets, etc., and be able to refill the motor home at bulk prices. I think I've got a line on one that isn't currently being used, but I haven't been able to get the guy to name a price, yet. I may just insult him with a disgustingly low price and see where it goes from there...

NY_Yankees_Fan · Dec 28, 2004

If you do use an old oil tank remember to keep the vent lines when you convert it to fuel storage. The vent lines are required if you have a fire near the tank, the tank pressure increase does not cause the tank to explode. Very important if it is in your garage or close to your home. Make sure those vent lines are metal at least 1.25 inch pipe for up to a 660 galon tank and 1.5 inch for greater then a 660 galon tank and not near any windows where the fire can ignite and cause more of a problem.

Also please do not use plastic tanks if you plan to have them inside or near a building. Here is a link to a thread on why this is not a good thing.

web page

AndyMA · Dec 28, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My oil distributor wants a minimum of a 300 gallon tank in order to make a free delivery, and he would prefer it to be almost empty to make the trip worth while. )</font>

Remember that off road diesel and home heating oil are the same product. Most Oil companies will deliver with 100 or 125 gallon min. There is something else fishy about his statement. The typical home oil tank is 275 gallons and usually holds about 230 when empty. A typical delivery for us with a 1/4 tank is 150-160 gallons. ????

Andy