Home made steamers

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poiuytrewq

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Im wanting to pick the brains of anyone who has made a hay steamer.
Im going to use a wall paper steamer and think it is fairly simple to make one but wondering on a suitable container for the haynet (I only need to steam one net but I guess two would be super helpful!)
We use a Haygain at work but its the sort that takes a whole bale- the steam unit broke and they replaced it with a big wall paper steamer and a year later its still going strong at a fraction of the cost.
A wheelie bin or similar? I think the lid needs to seal completely?
Any other ideas?
 
Hi Poiuytrewq

My OH has made a home made steamer for me, it's wonderful. He did us the wall paper steamer & bin method but we ordered a galvanised steel bin as we were concerned about the heat (and it does get pretty hot!) affect on anything plastic. That said, I believe people have used the same method with wheelie bins to get larger amounts in, as mine takes 15 mins to produce steam & I then steam the nets fr 1/2hr, I just do 2 nets if needs be. The bin is has a 'lip' to keep the lid on securely & keep the steam in- I'm pretty careful when I use it at weekends as there some children about & they're all aware it gets very hot, I've also positioned it as out of the way as possible.

Hope that helps x :)
 
I use a plastic bin but as I have now bought a new wallpaper steamer which seems more effective than the old one I have noticed the bin softening when in use - eeeeek- think I will get a metal bin. Wheelie didn't work. Steamed top portion of hay nicely but not bottom half and you needed to get it out half way through steaming to change it round - pain in the ass!
 
I steam up to 15lbs of hay in a wheelie bin. We drilled a hole about 2" from the bottom & YO put a connector that the hose from the steamer screws onto so no steam lost. She also found some sort of squidgy stuff (sort of thin, firm foam) that I put across the top but underneath the lid to seal at that end. I put a weight on the lid to make doubly sure, but not sure if that is necessary.
I steam for about an hour & use a timer so it's ready when I get to the yard. Hay is thoroughly steamed right through. I can get away with 30 mins if time is tight but prefer to give it an hour to be sure. I think if you are steaming a lot it's vital to make sure you get a beefy enough wallpaper steamer - the one I use is 2400w. Also fluff up the hay a bit so it's not in solid slabs & don't overfill. I've found 15lbs is the max for a wheelie bin to make sure you don't get dry spots. It gets hot but the bin is in it's 2nd winter with no harm.
 
I use a heavy duty plastic water tank that holds three hay nets side by side and have two wallpaper steamers running in to it so that there is never a dry spot. You don't need to have the lid tightly sealed, I use a half sheet of plywood. Steamers are on timer switches and have lasted for years.
 
This is really interesting, I'd love a steamer but no way can I afford one, and I have a wallpaper steamer doing nothing in the garage!

So how do you actually build one yourself?
 
Bin with lid. Cut hole in the side of bin 2 inches or so in diameter. Take steamer plate off the hose, shove hose through hole, lean in and reattach steamer plate. Whack four wedges in, lid on, steamer full, one hour. Steamed hay? Done.
 
I used a steamer & a water butt but I was never happy with it. Not least the haynet was a nightmare to get out of the butt when soaked. I resorted to a dustbin & a kettle of water, much more sucsessful
 
I went for the up-market version - a small (dead) chest freezer: wooden laths round top edge with gap left for steamer hose - fixed with vinyl adhesive for bathroom, hinges slacked off at the back to raise lid. Steamer plate sits at bottom, block of wood either side on which I rest an old oven shelf, 3/4 slices of hay on top of that, lid down and steam for about 40 minutes. Result! ;)
 
Fab idea's thank you! Im wondering about a metal spike with holes in and spearing the hay net onto the spike so the steam is going right up through it (maybe im getting a little carried away!?

Thank you to Queenbee for her uber helpful pm :)
 
Does anyone have any pictures of their homemade steamers? I'm so rubbish at DIY type things I can't really picture how I could do it haha :)
 
ive used an old round heavy duty water tank, it hold one large hay net, you can get oblong ones as well which will take a bale, im really pleased with mine it works brilliantly, il take some pics tomorrow :-)
 
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