Joe,

How much corn? I ask because you might be able to use wood snow fence to make sides. 50' of fence would make about 15.9 ft circle. You might be able to go two high (7 ft with one ft of lap). Just make sure that the bottom fence is in good shape if you go two high. Make sure to fasten the ends together tightly.

Without a photo, a small crack is no problem. The problem might be if there is vertical separation across the crack.

I have most of a Behlen wire crib that is 15 ft tall. The ends of the horizontal wires are loops that allowed bolts to hold the panels together. I think that the panels were probably held to the concrete with similar clips as a grain bin. My observations are that Behlen was the most robust of the wire cribs.

An idea that I had for storing corn that I would have grown if I installed a corn burning stove was to buy a thrower bale rack and line it with wood snow fence. Then it could be parked under roof, but moved easily if needed.

Good luck,

Neal in Iowa


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Here in North central NE a lot of ear corn was stored in round cribs made of snow fence some as high as 3 layers of wooden snow fence each layer was set in about 1 foot as they took the corn out they just took the fence down and used it for next year.


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Here are the pads with the cracks. I was thinking vertical 4x4's in a octagon shape fastened with angle iron to the pad along with 2x4's spaced in between and at the top. The cone would be also be 2x'4's. How to do the door and framing ,along with the sheet metal angles and cuts,I have not a clue...

Thanks, Joe


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I was thinking of a more permanent setup. Maybe vertical 4x4’s in am octagon pattern and horizontal 2x4’s fastened to the concrete for the bottom. The same for the top(2x4’s). However I am confused as to how to build an frame for the sheet metal and what angle to cut that sheet metal. Any additional inpit would be great. The height would be eight or ten feet high and maybe 6 foot on the 2x4’s in the horizontal part.


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

4 by 4 would be more than stout enough.

Your biggest issue will be holding it together. I would recommend cables around the top and the bottom, and maybe one about one third of the height from the bottom. If you could find silo hoops so that you had one every 2 feet, you could fasten your "wire" to that.

You will need to have something between adjacent verticals to keep the verticals from being pulled together. Think of the cables as barrel hoops and the horizontal braces as the staves.

strutn at hotmail dot com if you want to have a more detailed conversation.

You do know that if you build this, you need to document it and send an article about it to Uncle Joe.


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I found plans for a 20' octagon that you might find interesting and that you might be able to adapt.

www.ag.ndsu.edu/aben-plans/6182.pdf


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

Hi Joe. If you email me (editor@ruralheritage.com) your photos I can try to add them to this thread. And, yes, take photos and notes during construction and we will run a story in the magazine. Thanks for suggesting it Neal.

Uncle Joe


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

The North Dakota State University site is a treasure trove. I've looked in it for years, just either day dreaming or actually building. The portable road side stand is a winner for a beginning market garden seller.

The home of the site is here: www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension-aben/buildingplans/

Make some popcorn and enjoy!

Merry Christmas to all and God bless

Mike and Valerie


2 years ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum

I am in the process of collecting materials to start this journey. I havent quit just yet. Yes ,I will take pictures along the way.


1 year ago via Forums | Front Porch Forum