5 Gallon Buckets (Reuse/Recycle)

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I found a source for lots of Free 5 gallon buckets. I have many uses for them as imagine most of us do. I can sell the excess at the local small animal auction.

But here is my problem, when I have tried to store them in the past they get stuck together and many times are impossible to get unstuck. Storing them seperatly takes up too much room and makes them difficult to transport to the Auction.

Does any one know of any secrets for storing these buckets with out them sticking together? THANKS!!!

-- Mark in N.C. Fla. (deadgoatman@webtv.net), May 28, 2001

Answers

Hey Mark! Sure I do! I put a small slat inside each bucket as another is stacked inside. The slats that I use are about 3/8"wide and about 1/8" thick. Larger ones can be used just as easily. Most of the time it's the vacume that holds'm together and other times it's the tight fit. Either way the slat will remendy the problem for ya'll. hoot, "the old know it all" gibson. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), May 28, 2001.

Never had to (yet), but first determine how much space is between two of them, and place something between them to hold it up. ( a tin can comes to mind).

What is a good source for these buckets?

-- Rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.


Hoot you beat me toot.

-- Rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.

Mark, where are you getting all these buckets? Since my kids quit working at the bakery I have to scrounge for them.

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.

I stick a couple of sheets of newspaper in between mine. Daryll

-- Daryll (twincrk@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.


Hoot, Thanks for the idea using the slats, I knew thier had to be a simple way to do it.

John, I am getting my buckets from a few resturants, I also get some from auto detail shops. The ones from he detail shops had soap in them, I feel safe using them considering I wash out the ones I get from resturants with soap and water. I don't use them for water buckets but they are good for carrying dry goods like grain. I also don't use the soap buckets for storing any foodstuffs.

-- Mark in N.C. Fla. (deadgoatman@webtv.net), May 28, 2001.


Another good source is construction sites.Drywall compound comes in 5 gallon buckets and they are easy to clean if you soak them for a few hours.The compound is fairly inert so there are no health issues. Cut the bottom four inches off and they make good feed pans,chicken waterers,and ,with drain holes,flats for starting seed.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.

We store food in the soap buckets by using trash compacter bags. They are very heavy, food safe and a double layer works very well.

-- Barbara Fischer (bfischer42@hotmail.com), May 28, 2001.

I'm certainly not a bucket expert... but I recall there being different types of plastics used, one being "food grade". I always assumed that the others were either recycled plastics or contained chemicals which made them unsafe for storing foods (even when thoroughly cleaned). Perhaps someone can add to or clarify this.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), May 29, 2001.


If the orginal use of the bucket wasnt for food then it should never have food in it. Buckets are not alike. There are many different types of plastic buckets and many types of liners that are in the buckets. The drywall and paint buckets should NOT!!! be used for any food storage. Both of these buckets have special liners that protect the product they were designed for and can be dangerous for food.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), May 29, 2001.


I have been getting mine from alone the road. Got about a dozen now. Only use them for hauling dirt, water (for the orchard), manure, ect.

Some-one said, "You may be a honesteader, if you stop for or turn around when you see plastic buckets laying beside the road." Well I do!

-- Tom S. (trdsshepard@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.


We collect our buckets one by one at Wal-mart with laundry soap in them. With 6 children we go through about one a month. Use them for trash cans inside the house, as well as for rabbit feed (the only animals we have right now), and saving the rest for future use. CountrySide ran an article about using them for chicken and rabbit nest boxes, but our mama rabbit seemed too big to fit comfortably.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), May 29, 2001.

Honestly, I don't know how people farmed or homesteaded before the five gallon plastic bucket was created. I get mine from a local company which recharges fire extinguishers. I pay $1 each and they are clean when I get them. I suspect someone could get them cheaper as they tend to accumulate at companies like this. I felt $1 was a good price to offer.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), May 29, 2001.

We save the five gallon buckets that QUICK-CRETE comes in. They just need to be washed out. Then we use them for: I shovel rabbit droppings in one and haul them out to the compost pile (the rabbit barn is not wide enough for a wheel barrow and this works great!); hualing stuff to and from the garden; and all kinds of other uses!

Also, turned upside down they make a handy temporary seat!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), May 30, 2001.


This is a regular Bucket Brigade here! 5 gallon buckets really are great. It's nice to see so many others who appreciate them. My wife thinks I'm nuts- "What do you need another bucket for?" I always find a use.

When I was getting them from the bakery they would have a bunch of frosting in them - very hard to get clean. Found out, if you set them over an ant hill, they will get clean in a day or two and saves a lot of work.

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.



I used to use the buckets to transplant my celery in the fall. Dug up the plant, roots and all and transplanted them in the buckets. Watered them every few days and was able to keep them until Nov., Dec.

You can always find another use for a 5 gal. bucket!

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), May 30, 2001.


When I was working, we had a bakery next door and I would buy buckets there, sometimes with lids. But, now I get them at the local donut shop.

I would still ask the bakery if they would sell them. I've paid 50 cents to $1.00 each.

We use coffee cans to keep them separated. Also try not to stack when they are wet, that really gets them stuck. Sometimes laying them on their side and pressing on them can break that seal or loosen then enough to pull apart.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), May 30, 2001.


Jennifer had an idea that I'd forgotten about. If you have some that's already stuck--another way to separate them is to blow air down beside them. I've done that with the air compressor. Works purty good. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), May 30, 2001.

Haven't had time to get on line as often as I would like, but today it's raining so I have time. Here's Uncle Brad's best use for 4 or 5 gallon buckets. First, cut off the bottom, and if you have the 5's, cut it off high enough to leave 3" or so and you have a good dog food bowl, or chicken nest, or whatever. Take the top part, and push it into the ground 3" or so around your tomato seedlings. It will protect them from the wind for the first few days until they gain strength. It will make them easy to cover if an unexpected frost should loom. And you will be able to water them very efficiently during dry periods, since all the water will go to the roots, where it is needed instead of all over the ground. Every 3 weeks add a water soluble fertilizer for a nice boost, but don't overdo the nitrogen. It's a system I've used for over 10 years, and it will give you the best tomatoes you've ever had, especially during dry years. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), June 02, 2001.

One ingenious use for a five gallon bucket that I ahve seen, was a child's chair. You cut straight across the center of the bucket halfway across, and then turn and cut upwards, slanting frontwards a little, so that both sides of where the bucket handle meets the bucket is left on. Round the edge a little. Then you cut a peice of plywood to fit snugly down into the opening straight across. Pull it out and pad and upholster it. Put the seat down in and screw into the seat all round through the bucket. Sand the rough edges, and wrap it for Christmas! It makes a wonderful child-sized chair that can be carried by the handle.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), June 02, 2001.

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