"It eliminates climbing and probing," says Lorne Olson of his handy new device for obtaining accurate grain samples from steel bins.
The "pipe within a pipe" sampler, made of pvc, is installed at a 45 degree angle inside the bin. It's 13 ft. long and has three "grain inlet" sampling ports at the top, middle and bottom. You simply go to the discharge end of the sampler, located outside the bin about 6 ft. off the ground in a 5,000 bu. bin. Turning the sampler's inside pipe (2 in. dia.) to the 3 o'clock position aligns its top opening with 2 in. dia. outside pipe's top opening, allowing grain to flow into the matched slot openings, down the inside tube and into the sampling container. You sample from the middle port by turning the inside pipe to the 6 o'clock position, and from the bottom opening by turning it to the 9 o'clock position. To close off the sampler completely, you turn the inside pipe to the 12 o'clock position.
Grain gravity-flows into the slot opening (about 3 in. long and 3/4 in. wide), allowing you to let it run however long it takes to collect the desired-size sample. One sampler serves bins up to about 6,000 bu. Two or more samplers can be installed, as needed, to take care of larger bins. Nylon ropes tied to ceiling eyebolts secure the sampler at a 45 degree angle inside the bin.
Standard 13-ft. long sampler comes with steel pipe outlet and wall mounting plate for the lower "outlet" end.