Moving around green coffee bags

[stolenchurch]

Anyone have any advice, favourite type of hand cart, dolly, pallet jack, that is useful for moving around single bags of green coffee beans? For small roasters that don't have loading machines, what do folks do to lift coffee beans and move around beans?

Thanks!

 

[peterjschmidt]

I use a two-wheel hand truck, bought at Northern Tool for $40. When I worked in a warehouse, I remember seeing some hand-trucks that had little metal fenders welded in front of the wheels; these would come in handy, as most coffee bags rub the burlap against the rubber wheels... it doesn't really hurt anything, just puts a black mark on the burlap and makes it a bit harder to roll.

I tried the 4-wheel dolly things you can get at Harbor Freight for cheap, but you have to bend down or use a long hook, and the thing seems to have a mind of its own with the casters turning every which way.

 

[expat]

Hey guys, don't you know that this is what a teenage son is for? You should run out to the local discount store and get yourself a couple and your coffee moving woes will end. But others may start :decaf:

 

[topher]

My location is less than ideal We are set up next to our original bagel shop. We have windows so people can watch whole process. The problem is that it is in a strip mall. My roaster is under 900 sq feet. We bring in 80 bags a month. We have a single door so a pallet jack does not fit through. We found it is quicker to just have 2 people pick up the bags and hump em. Can't wait till we build a new facility..would love just once tp bring in pallets with a pallet jack!!

 

[PinkRose]

Hey guys, don't you know that this is what a teenage son is for? You should run out to the local discount store and get yourself a couple, and your coffee moving woes will end. But others may start :decaf:

From my experience, feeding those two teenage "sons" would totally wipe out the profits.

But, that would be a great business for a couple of enterprising teenagers (if they exist anymore).

It would be nice to be able to rent a teenager to do chores around the house, and then you could send them back home.

Rose

 

[sae]

I bought some white tubs and put caster wheels on the bottom. I can fit a whole bag of green in there. I usually scoop out about 1/2 the bag and then I can lift the rest to put it in there. Then I can wheel it around as I need to.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

I, like Peter, use a two-wheeled hand truck. That is when my sons are not around to help me. In their 30's and families of their own.
It is an aluminum one with pneumatic tires. It has a large base plate and bottom/back plate so the bags do not come in contact with the tires.
Easy to maneuver. I guess if I am still around in ten years, my grandsons will have some chores.
The only downside to owning the hand truck, is, every relative wants to borrow it!
If I could wait around 11 years, this guy(my youngest grandson on vacation with us), will be put to work.

PinkRose, you think teenagers can eat? This kid eats all day!
Titus the Titan, he will be 2 on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I bought some white tubs and put caster wheels on the bottom. I can fit a whole bag of green in there. I usually scoop out about 1/2 the bag and then I can lift the rest to put it in there. Then I can wheel it around as I need to.

Once I get my bags to where my roaster is, I too transfer the beans... to a Rubbermaid Brute 33gal. NSF-rated bin (looks like a garbage can) on a dolly. That lets me roll the whole bag to the scale instead of walking back and forth.

 

[PinkRose]

PinkRose, you think teenagers can eat? This kid eats all day!
Titus the Titan, he will be 2 on Thanksgiving Day.

Cute photo!

I bet Titus will grow up to be big and strong, and he'll love helping his grandfather lift those heavy bags of coffee beans.

 

[slurp]

Just hire more staff and tell them where they go