Winter equipment storage ideas ..good and bad

Hay hay hay · Sep 27, 2018

I don't have enough room to put all of my equipment under roof in the winter, so I am looking for ideas.

Mainly I get the tractors and balers under roof (year round), but the manure spreaders, mowers and rakes set out year round. I have considered using tarps or pieces of roof metal to reduce the weathering, but wonder if these increase the rusting by holding in moisture.
Of course wind is a big factor, making the covers windproof won't be easy.

What do you do, and what have you learned over the years? Please share ideas.

larry@stinescorner · Sep 27, 2018

I dont have an answer,,but its a good post,I eagerly await the replies.

Mike(NEOhio) · Sep 27, 2018

Cover them to keep the rain and snow off but allow air circulation and keep the weeds down underneath. An old friend who grew up with boats told me this is the best way to store wooden boats. Same for firewood.

Bret4207 · Sep 27, 2018

One of the problems with farm equipment is all the sharp points and angles. These tend to tear tarps when the wind blows. I found a hunk of 3/4" plywood that happily fits over the knotters and bale chute of my baler. I can use a tarp over that now and it lasts much longer. Metal roofing would also work. I myself would worry less about maybe trapping moisture with the tarps than the certainty of moisture getting to the equipment uncovered. Of course the best answer is a large, airy pole barn!

Russ from MN · Sep 27, 2018

If you cover it with a tarp down to the ground it will probably rust worse, because of ground moisture, I don't know how much of that you have in your area. I have to pile some firewood outside as my wood shed isn't big enough, and I only cover the top, and I have it up on pallets.

ss55 · Sep 27, 2018

You will always have some condensation under any cover. Some ventilation lets moisture evaporate again.

coshoo · Sep 27, 2018

Didn't have room for the baler inside (back when I had one)- so got a suitable size tarp, and drove 4 fence posts at the corners and tied the tarp about 3 feet up, to get air circulation. But that probably wouldn't work in the Midwest, with your winds in the winter.

DIM · Sep 27, 2018

In side or out one thing I always do is grease the machine before storage. This fills bearngs full off grease and helps keep water out.

MSS3020 · Sep 27, 2018

I tell ya this I wont use plastic tarp.. I have bought all canvas. they breath and are heavy but work really well.. Keep them oiled helps rain roll off too..I have big enough building to house everything.. my problem is I work a field 30 minutes away for couple months.. 12 days putting up hay the rest of the two months equipment sits and gets rained on.. so tarps..

Also you already know this but blowing the dust, grass etc off before storage helps too..

Mike M · Sep 27, 2018

What I have learned is that in Ohio if you do not have totally enclosed and insulated building that you can put some heat in forget trying to keep anything in nice shape.

Part Time Pete · Sep 27, 2018

I clean everything up, grease and oil it, then spray it with motor oil or fluid film
Pete

Ken Macfarlane · Sep 27, 2018

Always fun this time of year. Last few years our Tedder, rakes and mower stayed out. In process of trying to rent some space for the mower, it did it no good.

Bob Bancroft · Sep 27, 2018

When I put up my first drying bin 30 years ago I didn't like the idea of the blower/burner and all the gas and electrical components setting out, so I threw a canvas over it. I didn't do that again as it just gave the rodents another place to hide under. I built a little pole shed over it the next year.
I've built buildings myself a little at a time over the years, and it has worked out OK income tax wise. My building days are over, but more, bigger, expensive machinery setting out bothers me. Right now I'm on the verge of hiring a large pole barn put up and leasing it, so I can write it off over the next several years. That ought to get me out to where I'll either have a grandson to take over, or I'll quit.

Gary Mitchell · Sep 27, 2018

Russ, don't forget the part about how much the mice love it when you tuck them in that way. BTDT gm

DoubleO7 · Sep 27, 2018

Get you some retired vinyl billboards. They last twice as long as any blue tarp and you can get them for free.
Then create an open ended pup tent over the equipment.
The billboard vinyl has a perimeter hem that you can slide in top rails from a chain link fence to create a frame. You can use bolt together chainlink gate corners or a top rail clamp @ $1.50 at each corner.
Can use the clamps to add more rails in between to keep it taught.
Common billboard vinyl are typically 12' or more by 30 feet and more.
Take two of matching size, framed and then lean them together. Then clamp them together to form a ridge.
Or use the framed billboards leaned up against an existing barn.

showcrop · Sep 27, 2018

I put a poly tarp over a baler once soon after I got it. The bungies held it pretty well, but then I saw where the tarp when blown by the wind was wearing the paint. So no more tarps for me. Even under a tarp or a shed roof you are still going to get condensation on the heavier steel and cast iron parts. The best protection is cleaning it so that there is no dirt or chaff to hold moisture, lubricate it where needed, then just leave it where the wind and sun can evaporate the condensation off.

Russ from MN · Sep 27, 2018

And snakes! I posted a picture of a pile of snake skins I found when opening up a wood pile, about 20 of them!

mtny · Sep 27, 2018

If you know anybody in construction , rubber roof scraps work great . I have some on my wood pile 20 years old.

caterpillar guy · Sep 27, 2018

Take the spreader and load it on the hay wagon then back them both in stacked. The rake could also be put on another wagon stacked this would double you capacity for that much. The wagons will hold the weight if they are worth their salt. Neither are really very heavy.

Hay hay hay · Sep 27, 2018

Good idea, but not easy, and only works after the wagons are empty.

Roger in Wisconsin · Sep 28, 2018

Haybine and tillage sit outside. I paint the sickle, guards, disks, and shares with EZ-Slide (grafite based coating). I get the quart cans. Stir well, wear disposable gloves, and throw away brush. That has worked for me many years.

Bret4207 · Sep 28, 2018

(quoted from post at 14:07:30 09/27/18)
I put a poly tarp over a baler once soon after I got it. The bungies held it pretty well, but then I saw where the tarp when blown by the wind was [b:34bc92499e]wearing the paint.[/b:34bc92499e]

Wearing the paint? :shock: I don't own much of anything with any paint left on it!!! :wink:

chuck t · Sep 29, 2018

(quoted from post at 06:30:42 09/27/18) I don't have enough room to put all of my equipment under roof in the winter, so I am looking for ideas.

Mainly I get the tractors and balers under roof (year round), but the manure spreaders, mowers and rakes set out year round. I have considered using tarps or pieces of roof metal to reduce the weathering, but wonder if these increase the rusting by holding in moisture.
Of course wind is a big factor, making the covers windproof won't be easy.

What do you do, and what have you learned over the years? Please share ideas.

I cover my stuff with plastic truck bed liners. Strap them down. I have one in my tractor, disc, mower. Cut to fit with chain saw. Get them free at a place that installs new ones and does spray in bed liners. Junk yard sells them cheap

Winter equipment storage ideas ..good and bad

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Similar threads