how to fill mesh bundle bags

[unclemoustache]

For those of you who use the mesh bags, how do you fill them? Just got my first load of bags, and it's not an easy task! I'm thinking it might be better to set the wood in a ring or tire at a certain size and then pull the bag down over them like a condom. Help!

 

[bowtechmadman]

I have a feeling that your the last person to advise on how to use condoms!!!

 

[bigbadbob]

Do we have those in Canada,, need a picture!!
BBB

 

[zogger]

I have only used mine for chunks, I shrinkwrap full size splits.

With that said, ya, you'll need something to hold the splits pretty tight, then the bag, then lift it out, something like that. Or perhaps a large straight PVC tube, down in the bag, load it up, then slide it out?

 

[woodchuck357]

A piece of fairly stiff plastic (like from one of those black slip sheets used to load trucks or that toboggan sheet) rolled and slipped into the bag then pulled out after the bag is filled.

 

[Philbert]

+1 on the smarter guys above.

Here is a link to a YouTube video I have posted a few times before. It uses mesh wrap, but the same idea could be applied to pre-formed mesh bags. I am sure that Uncle Moustache could figure out the details (and share photos with us!!!).




Philbert

 

[Philbert]

OK. Here is another:



(Note that finger picking music is required for this approach to work successfully!)

Philbert

 

[Hddnis]

This shows you the easy way to do it in the first 30 seconds of the video. Basically a chute on threes sides that you slide the bag over and then push the wood into it.



Mr. HE

 

[Philbert]

I can see Zogger dreaming about that machine!

Philbert

 

[zogger]

I can see Zogger dreaming about that machine!

Philbert

Looks like a good job with the shorties it busts.

 

[brenndatomu]

Well, it's a 10 step process really. The trick is to complete them all, almost simultaneously. Oh, I know, grab all the kids and...oh wait...you only have 9 you say. Hmmm, I guess you are outta luck unless you can figure out how to come up with a 10th slav...er, I mean helper!

 

[dancan]

Hey Unc , this what you tryin to do ?

 

[zogger]

Hey Unc , this what you tryin to do ?

U shaped box that tilts seems to be the ticket, albeit that is another example with shorties going in sideways.


Looks to me like one could mod a cement mixer tub to do this. Heavy duty and tilts up and down already.

 

[Philbert]

U shaped box that tilts seems to be the ticket, albeit that is another example with shorties going in sideways.

Same set up would work with the wood aligned the other way. Our Uncle has not told us what size wood or what size bags he is working with. What I found interesting with Dancan's video is how much bigger the bag appeared to be, compared to the chute, until it was cinched up.

Philbert

 

[unclemoustache]

I have a feeling that your the last person to advise on how to use condoms!!!

I just knew somebody was going to make a comment like that!!


I've got 16" splits and my bags are 18" x 32". Here's what I came up with all by my lonesome:


Metal buckets



Fill 'em up.



Put the bag over the top (this was the difficult part)



Turn it upside down and take off the bucket.




The biggest difficulty was getting the bag over the firewood. I see I can cut off the bottom of the bucket, put the bag on first, fill with wood, then slip the bucket out. That would faster. I'll have to give that a shot. Maybe a 5 gal plastic bucket would be better/stiffer.

.

 

[iowaowb]

Were do they sell the mesh bags for the pallets?

 

[GeeVee]

Unk- You are on the right path with the buckets, but they are three inches too short, the mesh is grabbing the barky- end of all the splits, Rivet three legs ontp the sides so the splits dont show out the top, then the bag will slip down easier.

I will look for the picture of the merry go round of trays that tilt down after you fill the trays and have put the bag over.

 

[GeeVee]

Unk, you get the idea from this picture? I had seen one like a merry go round and can not find it, but the keys points are. Trays are tall enough, that the splits don't exceed height of sidewall and make sliding the bag on hard. (snags).

You have family production line working in your favor, I would think four trays would be plenty. You just need to find a welder to trade a couple of good cords to for fabricating this for you. http://www.fuelwood.co.uk/product-images/Fullsize/4cd98f24-9922-4ea3-8913-cc120292dca0-1.jpg

 

[GeeVee]

The merry go round was also manual but had four people steady busy.

 

[GeeVee]

If you are in a hurry, you can pay retail and buy 7 gallon buckets, I;ve seen them used mostly for food products, but they are hard to find, because they make great stools being a bit taller. The 7 gallons will probably take care of that snagging issue.