Inexpensive and/or Homemade Pelletizer Info?

DarleneJ · #1 08/03/13, 09:42 AM

We are wanting to use a pelletizer in a two-fold manner.

First we would like to use it to make grass/weed pellets to feed into a pellet stove. We’ve seen a video of someone that was making bricks with a unit that he made and that is would work would work for burning, but not for animal feed.

We also want to pelletize comfrey as animal feed. So a pelletizer that would process both is what we are most interested in.

Does anyone do this on a small scale? What products do you use? Have you made a pelletizer?

Money is an issue so a new small-scale pelletizer for 5k is out-of-the-question. Thanks.

TraderBob · #2 08/03/13, 10:05 AM

Try these small home pellet makers
http://www.pelletizermill.com/pellet_equipment.htm

texican · #3 08/03/13, 11:24 AM

I think one has to do some hard calculus... to get an accurate cost/benefit analysis to see what the payback time on one of these small mills actually is. Cost of mill + labor of collecting raw materials/processing the pellets + power costs vs. buying pre-made pellets.

Their have been several long 'pellet debates' here on HT. My position hasn't changed on the pellet's for heat debate... even if you have a free pelletizer and a free wood source (and a necessary shredder/sawdust maker), a pellet stove is only good when everything else (civilization is up and running, with it's attendant grid power) is working. If the power goes off for a few weeks, or forever, the pellet stove isn't going to work, and there'd never be any more pellets... but, there'd always be something 'burnable' that could be thrown in a wood stove... tree limbs, books, furniture (if one lives in a treeless area)...

melwynnd · #4 08/03/13, 11:43 AM

I agree with Texican,

We had a pellet stove for just a short time and hated it. It was messier and harder to clean than a regular wood stove and if you don't have electricity it doesn't run. If the electricity went off when it was running, the house filled with smoke.

In the Little House book "The Long Winter", Pa and Laura made twisted sticks out of grass hay. There is also an article here on burning horse manure if you happen to have one around:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/hooker87.html

DarleneJ · #5 08/03/13, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TraderBob

Try these small home pellet makers
http://www.pelletizermill.com/pellet_equipment.htm

Interesting. I've seen these before. Which one do you use?

DarleneJ · #6 08/03/13, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

I think one has to do some hard calculus... to get an accurate cost/benefit analysis to see what the payback time on one of these small mills actually is. Cost of mill + labor of collecting raw materials/processing the pellets + power costs vs. buying pre-made pellets.

Their have been several long 'pellet debates' here on HT. My position hasn't changed on the pellet's for heat debate... even if you have a free pelletizer and a free wood source (and a necessary shredder/sawdust maker), a pellet stove is only good when everything else (civilization is up and running, with it's attendant grid power) is working. If the power goes off for a few weeks, or forever, the pellet stove isn't going to work, and there'd never be any more pellets... but, there'd always be something 'burnable' that could be thrown in a wood stove... tree limbs, books, furniture (if one lives in a treeless area)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by melwynnd

I agree with Texican,

We had a pellet stove for just a short time and hated it. It was messier and harder to clean than a regular wood stove and if you don't have electricity it doesn't run. If the electricity went off when it was running, the house filled with smoke.

In the Little House book "The Long Winter", Pa and Laura made twisted sticks out of grass hay. There is also an article here on burning horse manure if you happen to have one around:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/hooker87.html

I am not interested in a debate about the pros/cons of pellet stoves, although your opinions are appreciated. I am interested on gaining information on a pelletizer. We have dual functions in mind. Feed is primary, heat is secondary as we already have a wood fireplace.

Let me please restate that we are interested in those having some knowledge/experience in either making their own small scale pelletizer or purchasing a very low budget one. (But it would need to be better than what we could make ourselves for that price.)

I know there are some really ingenious homesteaders on here. Even if you've tried this and it didn't work, please let us know. We'll learn from your experience. Thank you.

Wanda · #7 08/03/13, 05:56 PM

I would suggest that you go to the closest feed mill that makes there own pellets and chat. Some things can not be done in an economical and simple form. You need to see first hand how a pelletmill works and the changes that need to be made when the recipe changes. I do not say this to discourage you but you need to have some knowledge of the process before you set out to conquer it.

TraderBob · #8 08/04/13, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarleneJ

Interesting. I've seen these before. Which one do you use?

I don't have one yet, but I was turned on them by a guy a couple hills over. He has the 125, and will probably be the one I get. He has a single phase motor on it and it works good for him.

He is mostly off grid, with solar and a large battery bank, we have power outages from the ice storms in the winter, and can use it off his battery bank.

Not sure how much power it consumes, and my solar/wind won't have the capacity of his.

He uses it for making pellets for his rabbits as well.

My father in law has a pellet/corn stove, and only burns corn in it...I just can't see using a potential food source for a heating source though.

It's the only heat source they have, and it's in a much colder area than where I live.

While looking at others, I liked this one for making fuel pellets from grass and leaves, but the $1650 price turned me away.
http://makepellets.com/catalog/i1.html

DarleneJ · #9 08/05/13, 07:05 AM

While looking at others, I liked this one for making fuel pellets from grass and leaves, but the $1650 price turned me away.
http://makepellets.com/catalog/i1.html[/QUOTE]

Nice. I especially like the diesel-powered model.

I wish they had some videos of producing animal feed, but processing comfrey would be like the leaf processing video. I was just wondering about adding grains for a more complete feed mix, but I think it would work. The key seems to be the moisture ratio. I liked how he fed the pellets that didn't come out right back into the machine for a redo.

I'll definitely run this information past my DH. The 125 looks the same as the 3HP from makepellets. Is makepellets just a reseller? Hm-m-m.

Thanks for the information.

Lazy J · #10 08/05/13, 07:58 AM

The pelleting process requires heat and moisture to manufacture a quality pellet. The commercial pellet machines have preconditioning chambers where the heat and steam combine to cause gelatinization of the starches in the ingredients, then the mix is forced through a die to form the pellet. The pellet maintains its shape because of the crosslinkages between the starches in the pellet.

Making a good pellet is a combination of art and science. The settings on the heat, pressure, and die can be affected by the environment and temperature so a good operator can feel that the pellet is not being manufactured correctly.