[WoofsPlow]

I just finished pricing bagged salt locally. For $3.88 I can get 40lbs of the solar salt. For $5.00 I can get 50lbs of rock salt. I want to do a mix of salt and sand bagged sand is going for $2.50 for 50 lbs. To fill my Buyers 300# hopper with 50/50 mix would cost about $23.00!I am not even sure how long that would last based on a specific feed rate. I can also pick up per-mixed 50/50 bulk salt/sand mix for $30 per ton. My concern is it turning rock hard and becoming useless. Any suggestions on keeping it in good shape. It might be worth getting the bulk and hoping it lasts a few storms, I could keep the bagged stuff in the back as back-up/ballast. Thanks all


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[Adams Plowing]

you cant really beat the price of bulk ive heard of a few people putting the bulk in the bed of their pickup with a tounnu cover but you can still get some moisture in there... but if you decide to go that route i would definatly get the bed rino lined so the salt doesnt destroy the bed... with the snap in liners it always seems to get underneith... that or get it and unload it somewhere at your house/business tarp it well and then just load what ya need in the bed b4 a storm and keek the rest well protected elsewhere...

 

[Mick]

WoofsPlow, if you have room - get a pile of sand/salt mix of about 10% salt (mixed bulk will run about $35-$40/ton). Then cover it with a tarp or Poly - anything to keep snow and rain off.

 

[Mick]

I just re-read your post and realized you can get 50/50 bulk for $30/ton. That's a little heavy on the salt, but the principle is the same. You'd get some good melting action with that heavy of a mix.

 

[WoofsPlow]

They say it's 50/50. Should I be concerned about runoff from the salt, everyone has wells, myself included. Any ideas on containment?

 

[Mick]

You should always be concerned with runoff with streams or wells. If you're storing just enough for yourself for a season, I wouldn't be too concerned, though. Here in Maine, a salt pile of less than 100 yards is not regulated.

It doesn't sound as though you'd have enough to have much to worry about.

 

[WoofsPlow]

I was thinking of 2x4 or 2x6 border frame with heavy duty tarp as floor folded up sides and then with mix on top of that with heavy duty tarp cover.:grinz

 

[Adams Plowing]

I was thinking of 2x4 or 2x6 border frame with heavy duty tarp as floor folded up sides and then with mix on top of that with heavy duty tarp cover.:grinz

the only problem with that it will trap the water and moisture in there and basicly the salt pile will be self dissolving in the traped water.

 

[BWhite]

runoff

I have some of the dreaded wetlands at the end of my property . I dont even want to give the appearance the runoff could be a problem

 

[Alan]

If you're looking at straight salt in bags why are you considering mix for bulk use? Why not straight salt? If you're applying mix to get deicing capability you're handling 50% filler material in the form of the sand. With straight salt you'd be getting twice the coverage per load with no additional labor.

 

[BRL]

LOL Hmmm... Double post, I could swear I just replied to this post. Ditto Alan's comments! Why are you going to add that much labor to your cost & put sand down to mess up your lots. Put straight salt in & melt the ice instead. Plus you will need a vibrator if you are going to run sand through that single stage unit I believe. However, if you are going to mix it, you can probably simply dump the opposite material every other bag straight into the hopper and mix it a little by hand or with a stick or something clever. I have done that when mixing up some treated salt into my straight salt in the small hoppers and it worked

 

[wyldman]

Ditto Alan and BRL.

Straight salt unless you really need sand for traction.

Either way your pretty much stuck with bagged products,as the little Buyers won't spread bulk or mix well.You will spend more time unclogging it than spreading with it.

 

[WoofsPlow]

Thanks to all for your input. I will start by using the bagged rock salt. Does anybody know what I can expect for product usage based on a spread of about 10'? How many mins. would the one load last? Thanks again