How do I keep my buckets stacks from sticking?

[mikek101]

Should I put a piece of cardboard between the sides or mayber a block of wood between them?

[maple flats]

stack them all 1 high. :lol:

[Jay]

I put them in 20 pail stacks and carry a small hammer with me, most of them will pull right apart but the ones that stick I just give a LITTLE tap or 2 on the top edge of the pail and they come apart quick. Jay

[Sugarmaker]

MikeK101,
I also put mine in stacks of 20-25. and any of the ones that stick I try to examine as to why. They usually have a ding or a dent that makes them stick. yep the hammer will work too, plastic or rubber mallet would work good too and avoid damage the the lip.
I have some mismatched buckets that aer so bad that I don't even take them to the woods I call them " STICKTITES". I take these and will try to sell them for a buck apiece to some one that wants a flower pot.

Good luck,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Tap on the lips softly with a rubber mallet and it almost always does the trick for me! :D

[Russell Lampron]

Chris, a buck apiece! Have you seen what rusty old buckets are sold for on ebay. Those sticktites could be worth a small fortune.

Russ

[Sugarmaker]

Russ,
OK maybe I will age them a while longer, and check E-bay too.
Thanks,
Chris

[Sugarbear]

When we used to have some "beat-aparts" we stored the laying flat.We had them sloped so the open end was toward the bottom.We sold about 1000 of them 17 years ago and could have sold twice that many if we had them.We have all Wheelings now.

[Sugarmaker]

The Wheeling, King, Leader, ( and several other brands) comprise our 400 buckets that we use. These stack and unstack pretty easy. The old sticktites are also for emergency or to get new local sugar makers started.
We are really getting a blizzard snow storm today. Time to fill the wood boxes for the house and hunker down. I have drained the water in the sugarhouse anticipating this cold spell.
Need to think about jugs and glass requirements for the coming season.

I talked to a local sugar maker (Don) and he is very happy with his new pump type cream machine!

Regards,
Chris

[Jay]

Chris stay warm and dry, last time I heard we were down somthing like 17" of snow for the year here in Cornwallville, NY. Does anyone know where to get those Wheeling pails?

[Sugarmaker]

Jay,
What a difference a day makes. Temp is in the low 20's and the old wood fire feels real good. We have about 6 inches of blowing and drifting snow. Even had to plow the drive!

Watch the local farm sales for buckets. I just called someone with a add in the local Area Shopper and they just sold buckets and gathering equipment today. But I don't think they were Wheeling style??? The Wheeling style are definitely in demand and was somewhat surprised when some sold for $5.00 each.

Chris

[Father & Son]

Chris,
If it was the same ad I called Friday when the shopper came, the guy was about 45 minutes south of me and they were a mix match of about 250 buckets.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Rub some Axle grease on them/They shouldn't stick too hard then? :lol: :lol: :lol: No No No don't do that.

[Sugarmaker]

Kevin,
That axle grease causes lumps on the pancakes. But they slide down easier.

Jim,
I called about the buckets and the lady said some one called and said they weren't the type they wanted. Must have been you. Anyway when I called back someone had bought the whole lot, buckets and tanks.

Chris

[OneLegJohn]

I called as well. All sold. I am looking for some decent 16 quart buckets. If you hear of any in the NW PA area let me know. I might be willing to go into NY a little ways.

[gearpump]

I know this may sound like a silly question, but what does a wheeling bucket look like?! How can you tell the difference between the different kinds?

Marty

[nhmaple48]

Come up to West Campton sometime and I'll show you.

[Russell Lampron]

Marty, the Wheeling Steel Co. which is now out of business made 16qt. heavy gauge galvanized buckets. Leader, King and Small Brothers also made heavy gauge galvanized buckets that were pretty much the same as the Wheeling. Leader, King and Small Brothers stamped their name or initials in their buckets so you tell them apart. I have Grimm, Small Brothers and Wheeling buckets if you want to come over to check them out.

Russ

[gearpump]

I will have to take both of you up on the offer after I get my sugarhouse up and running. I got 75 of the new style grimm buckets when they were only $9.50! Now they are $11.50! I wish I had got another 25. I liked the idea that they had lead free solder. I wonder how much lead older buckets do put out? I would guess it would be high at the start then once a flim covered the seams it would be the same as the lead-free buckets? I am also starting to put out sap bags. Much easyer to clean and you don't have to worry about them sticking together! Its also good for families who stop by with kids to sit and watch the "drips" thru the bag.

Marty

[Russell Lampron]

Marty, I just bought 100 used Grimm buckets. They look like the lead free buckets but I'm not sure if they are. I paid 4.00 each with a cover and spout. Older buckets do put some lead into the sap but that can be minimized by gathering often so that the sap doesn't sit in them too long. How many quarts do the sap bags hold? I was thinking of trying them but found the used buckets at a good price. I have a bucket washer and a person to wash them for me so the cleaning isn't an issue. Have you plumbed in the new RO machine yet? Good luck with the new sugarhouse.

Russ

[gearpump]

I think the sap bags will hold up to 2 gallons of sap. I was a little leary of the bag breaking at first, but after some crash test with a little ice in them they held up well. The RO is almost hooked up, as is the evaporator, and vent pipes. I have been spending too much time out putting up lines and getting ready to tap. Its seems that I might be getting the cart before the horse, but one way or another I will make syrup in my new sugerhouse!

Marty

[maplehound]

I have used the old king sap bags and did have some crack or break open along the seams. Especcially when there was ice in them. Other than that I loved them and would prefer them to buckets. I haven't used any of the new bags that aren't reusable though.
Ron

[Johnny Cuervo]

Did anyone try using white plastic buckets; a dollar store near me has 2 gallon white buckets with a handle. Just make a top out of tin and I think they should work great. Also being white they reflect the sun light and are easy to carry. I use some 5 gal pails and a 3 tap harness I made, they seem to work ok.

John

[markcasper]

gerapump--I have used the throw away Sap-Sac holders and bags for many years. They hold 4 gallons when full, a little less if you put them on the wrong way. At .16 per year, well I'm not going to wash buckets for that price. Mark

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Do they last an entire season and will the bust if ice freezes in them??

[markcasper]

Brandon-Yes they are intended for use the entire season. Ice can and has been a problem, but only if you let it. What I mean is that if you know there is a COLD spell coming and the bags are full, it would be wise to get them dumped. I have had them clear full and freeze solid and they take it pretty well. When the sap starts running again, thats when you have a problem b/c a 4 gallon block of ice does not thaw very fast. The only way to get the ice out is to take the bag off the collar, dump the block of ice and then put it back together. One year I got caught and ended up filling 2, 400 gallon stock tanks with ice blocks, what a waste of time!!!!

If you are the victim of squirrels, then they are not a good choice. Its not squirrels that I have had a problem with before, its been those blasted wild turkeys. Mark