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Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder #7956415 08/31/20 03:22 PM
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BigDad Offline OP
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Do I need a funnel for my 55 gallon drum feeder, I was thinking about not using one? I can find 55 gallon drums with lids for $20 each but the funnels are more than the barrels.

What are the drawbacks of no funnel?

If I need one, any thoughts on which funnel I should use?


Joe
Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956648 08/31/20 05:25 PM
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titan2232 Offline
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I've seen guys run without a funnel and it'll do fine for a bit. It'll eventually get moldy corn in the corners and you'll have a mess to deal with

You can also "hammer" out the bottom of the drum to create it's own funnel that can work well depending on motor/timer box mounting brackets.



Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956705 08/31/20 05:59 PM
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I've had a mixture of funnels and no funnels over the years, as long as your corn is fairly clean and the lid doesn't leak to where the bottom of the corn gets moldy, not a issue. I have 15 feeders running pretty much year around, only 2 have funnels ... you can always go back and add a funnel later if you think it's necessary.


"everyone that lives dies but not everyone who dies lived..."

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Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956741 08/31/20 06:27 PM
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You are good without a funnel until you have a leak or get a good batch of corn weevils.

Either will leave you a nice caked up mess in your feeder.

If you have weevils, dump a half a bottle of robbing alcohol in the barrel in the morning after it feeds and close the lid.
The alcohol vapor will kill the weevils and in Texas heat totally evaporate in a day.


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Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956756 08/31/20 06:42 PM
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Have went with and without funnels over the years, I personally like funnels. As mentioned above there is the mold issue at the bottom, but the funnels really do help to keep the corn moving out the hole. I used to have insulators at work make funnels for me for free, but those guys are gone now so now I buy them from All Seasons Feeders website. They normally have black plastic and galvanized funnels in stock. The galvanized are more expensive, but are solid and don't usually shift/move inside the barrel. On the plastic ones (most of mine are plastic) do yourself a big favor and run 3 screws through the barrel and into the lip of the funnel once you get it lined up good with the hole in the barrel. Then just put a little silicone on the screw heads outside the barrel. The funnels do have nipples that will feed through the barrel hole, but depending on your spinner set up you may need to cut it shorter or not use them. The reason for screwing the funnel in place is to keep it from shifting. This normally happens when the feeder is empty and the first bag of corn gets dumped in. If you pour the first bag or two in slow it's not a problem, but I can't remember how many times the funnel shifted after someone dumped the first bag in and now your hole is choked by 1/3 or 1/2 of full open. Just a little tip there. A few screws and you're good to go.

Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956913 08/31/20 09:01 PM
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BigDad Offline OP
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Thanks for the feedback and advice. All Seasons has a god price on the funnel, will probably go ahead and get the plastic ones.


Joe
Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7956931 08/31/20 09:16 PM
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Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7957148 09/01/20 12:31 AM
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Michael W. Offline
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If anyone wants it, I have a metal funnel that I have not used in years. About 20' dia. down to about 5" and about 24" tall. I am just north of San Antonio. Send me
a PM if you want to pick it up.



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Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #7957257 09/01/20 01:55 AM
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Get some poster board from the school supplies section of the dollar store. The pattern needs to be bigger than the diameter of the barrel. Make a pattern like the top pic. Then make your paper funnel to fit the barrel, once you have the pattern finalized take it to a AC tin shop, a good tin man can make it or you can make it yourself.

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Re: Funnel for 55 gallon drum feeder [Re: BigDad] #8115017 01/04/21 08:41 PM
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I've ran a couple without and they do fine. One thing I do wish I had done in the begging is go with a 12volt motor system. I absolutey hate fighting with feeder motors.

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