Grain Bin Calculator
Our Grain Bin Calculator is the best web tool for anyone in the farming sector looking to efficiently manage their grain storage. By providing detailed insights into bin volume, weight, and grain value, our calculator helps you in optimizing storage strategies and financial planning. Get accurate, immediate results with just a few clicks. Use the Grain Bin Calculator below.
Grain Bin Calculator
How to Use the Grain Bin Calculator
The Grain Bin Volume Estimator is designed to provide quick and accurate estimations of the volume, weight, and value of grain stored in a bin. Here’s a short step-by-step guide on how to use it:
- Select Grain Type: Start by choosing the type of grain you’re storing from the dropdown menu. The calculator supports multiple and popular grains, including wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, canola, lentils, and peas. An “Empty Bin” option is also available for estimating the volume and potential cost of an empty bin in case you’re looking to buy one or build one for yourself.
- Enter Bin Dimensions: Add the width and height of your bin in feet. These dimensions are needed for calculating the volume of the bin.
- Calculate: Once you’ve selected the grain type and entered the bin dimensions, click the “Calculate” button. The calculator will then give you the volume of the bin in bushels, the total weight of the grain (in pounds), and the estimated value based on current market prices which are estimated and should be verified in your region.
- View Results: The results will be displayed immediately, showing the total volume in bushels, total weight in pounds, and the value of the grain stored. If the “Empty Bin” option is selected, it will display the bin’s volume in cubic feet and an estimated material cost for building or buying a bin.
Formula Used in the Calculator
The Grain Bin Farming Calculator uses several formulas to compute the results:
- Volume Calculation: For simplicity, the calculator assumes the bin is cylindrical. The volume of a cylinder is calculated using the formula �=��2ℎV=πr2h, where �V is the volume, �r is the radius (half the width of the bin), and ℎh is the height of the bin. The result is in cubic feet.
- Conversion to Bushels: The volume in cubic feet is converted to bushels using the conversion factor 1.244 cubic feet per bushel, resulting in Volume in Bushels=Volume in Cubic Feet1.244Volume in Bushels=1.244Volume in Cubic Feet.
- Weight Calculation: The weight of the grain is calculated by multiplying the volume in bushels by the density of the selected grain type (in pounds per bushel), Weight in Pounds=Volume in Bushels×DensityWeight in Pounds=Volume in Bushels×Density.
- Value Calculation: The value of the grain is determined by multiplying the volume in bushels by the price per bushel for the selected grain type, Value=Volume in Bushels×Price per BushelValue=Volume in Bushels×Price per Bushel.
- Material Cost for Empty Grain Bin: For an empty bin, the material cost is estimated by multiplying the volume in cubic feet by a material cost per cubic foot, Material Cost=Volume in Cubic Feet×Material Cost per Cubic FootMaterial Cost=Volume in Cubi Feet×Material Cost per Cubic Foot.
Why Use The Grain Bin Calculator
This calculator is a helpful tool for farmers, agricultural professionals, and anyone involved in grain storage and management, providing a quick way to assess the capacity and value of their grain bins. Farmers need this to help with their financial and storage plans before each major season to help them have an effective season, because farmers usually only get paid once a year.
I grew up on a large farm of over 20,000 acres and know how important it is to get numbers right. Grain costs money and when it comes to harvest season especially, you need to know your numbers. I was happy when we started building hopper bottom bins, it meant I didn’t have to shovel flat bottom bins, which was hard work and required muscles and a shovel. These days farmers use tools like self-moving augers and grain vacuums to clean out the flat bottom bins.
Another busy season is grain cleaning season, where grain is cleaned to prepare for the seeding season in spring across Canada and the United States. Cleaning grain is an essential part of planning your volumes and bushels to make sure you don’t clean too much or too little grain. Bushels is a measuring unit farmers use because they are familiar with it. When I was young I was told a bushel is the amount of grain that fits into a wheel barrow.
Final Thoughts
Using the Grain Bin Calculator can help you take the guesswork out of managing your farm when it comes to volumes and save you tons of money. We created this calculator light-weight and fast-loading so you can get quick numbers when trying to figure out bushels, wights, and prices of grain.