How do you store your buckets??

[Jmsmithy]

Hello All

Getting ready! I have a question, getting away from buckets with vaccuum, Gravity runs etc but will still need approx 100 or so for those few trees "here and there". I use food grade 5gal pails w/ lids (purchased new) and run a drop into each.

My question, once they are cleaned and dry, how do you store? I've been nesting 8-10 at a clip and putting them in heavy contractor garbage bags, lids in separate bags.

When I nest them into each other, SOMETIMES, they can be a real Bxx!H to separate as they seem to almost get vaccuum stuck together....how do you combat this? Do you combat it at all or just grin and bear it and use rubber mallet as needed (my usual method)???

Appreciate any thoughts:lol:

[NhShaun]

I have the same issue with the buckets we use for water at work when we stack them. They take a little finagling to get free, Usually hold with my legs and twist/wiggle the top one. But if you try and put something in each bucket before you stack them it should prevent the suction, because the bucket wont quite make it to the bottom. Maybe a ping pong ball, plastic bottle cap, or just and old fashioned clean rock. Just a thought though, i have never tried it.

[psparr]

I too stack them. When I get them ready for the season, I hook up the garden hose to the drain on the hot water heater. I rinse the buckets and when they stick together I I spray the outside. It expands and releases the inner bucket.

[sugarsand]

We usenearly 600 plastic pails, and yes they can be a pain to seperate. We found that by standing on the handle and pulling upward on the ribs they come apart easier. Some brands of pails pull a little better.

Sugarsand

[Bucket Head]

Somewhere I remember reading some storage advice. It was reccomended that stacks of plastic buckets be stored on their side. That way, the weight of the buckets could not force them together tighter. It was explained that the summer heat would expand the buckets a little bit, then the weight would push each bucket into the next pail a little further, and then the cold weather would come and the buckets would contract. Unfortunately, everyone does'nt have the room to lay stacks of buckets on their side.

Steve

[SDdave]

Upside down in stacks of 20 or so. Then when spring comes I have to tap them with a hammer, then beat on them with a hammer, then throw the buckets out the door while cussing newly made explicitives.

SDdave

[Jmsmithy]

I'm VERY familiar with that technique, hence my post... :lol:

[psparr]

I have a couple doubles sitting under trees.

[Bucket Head]

The only variation from SDdave's technique here would be my father holding one end of the stack and I, after throwing the hammer, pulling for all I'm worth on the other end. So that would be two people cussing...

[mailman44094]

I just put a 4" X 10" piece of cardboard between the buckets leaving a couple inches hanging over.

[PeddlerLakeSapper]

Take a compressed air blow off and blow in between the buckets. Has always worked for me.

[Schiefe4]

Take a compressed air blow off and blow in between the buckets. Has always worked for me.

Unless its oil free compressed air, you may want to consider another option. Used 5-gallon pails before vacuum. Wash and let air dry. I stacked them like a pyramid. Biggest thing is to make sure the outside bottom is free of water.

[bowtie]

i use aluminum buckets (325) after washing them I pyramid stack them until dry then stack in groups up to about 45-50 tops, I usually have a some that are "stuck" together but with some banging on them usually come apart. just part of the fun of buckets.

[Michael Greer]

Never haul them or truck them ina standing stack. Lay stacks down on their sides to transport, and they won't get stuck.

[backyard sugaring]

we put a piece of cardboard between them. They pull apart with no effort. Lee

[sugarsand]

Some mentioned that when stacked - one inside the other-the weight and vacuum that is created can prevent buckets froom coming apart. There is a simple, easy, fast remedy, and I cant believe that someone wouldnt have thought to Drill A Hole in the bottom of every pail. Presto, problem solved. Wonder if too late to apply for patend on this?:confused:

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Some mentioned that when stacked - one inside the other-the weight and vacuum that is created can prevent buckets froom coming apart. There is a simple, easy, fast remedy, and I cant believe that someone wouldnt have thought to Drill A Hole in the bottom of every pail. Presto, problem solved. Wonder if too late to apply for patend on this?:confused:

Take a lot less time to gather too.

[maple marc]

Standard wood shim along the inside of the bucket, preventing the next bucket from settling all the way down.

[Radnagel]

We stop at the local grocery store pickup all the cardboard boxes that they all ready have broken down and are about to go in the compacter. My uncle and me set the table saw at an inch wide. stack all boxes that are the same size and rip them all down. when we start getting close to the end. we take the end pieces and throw them in the shop wood stove. We keep this up until all boxes are gone. We save two big boxes to put all the strips into. Ten minutes and we can have several hundred strips. Take two strips but them inside bucket bend them over the edge of the bucket and then put the next bucket on and repeat. We can stack 20 high and no sticking whatsoever. Used to use newspaper between them but this is way better plus this lets a little air in the bucket to make sure they stay dry and no mold. Best part is they are free and takes very little effort compared to trying to separate to stuck pails.

[Ausable]

Hey - I read the other posts before reading Yours - Lots of Good ideas. What I do - Is to place a paper towel just over the lip of the bucket - with most hanging inside before stacking another bucket - repeating the process. It works and the buckets don't stick - but------- One year I noticed something had trimmed the exposed hangover off all the buckets - quite a feat. I didn't have a clue who or what did it - until one day I went into the Sugar Shack and spotted something on the floor that belonged on a shelf. I picked it up and was about to return it to the shelf and came face to face with a Momma Red Squirrel. She had built a nest up on the shelf with the missing paper towels and was hopping mad. I jumped out of the way and She flew out the door. I found where She entered and took care of that little problem. Always an adventure when making Maple Syrup.......


Hello All

Getting ready! I have a question, getting away from buckets with vaccuum, Gravity runs etc but will still need approx 100 or so for those few trees "here and there". I use food grade 5gal pails w/ lids (purchased new) and run a drop into each.

My question, once they are cleaned and dry, how do you store? I've been nesting 8-10 at a clip and putting them in heavy contractor garbage bags, lids in separate bags.

When I nest them into each other, SOMETIMES, they can be a real Bxx!H to separate as they seem to almost get vaccuum stuck together....how do you combat this? Do you combat it at all or just grin and bear it and use rubber mallet as needed (my usual method)???

Appreciate any thoughts:lol:

[S&STappers]

A friend of mine puts a piece of baler twine between each bucket. Personally I like the air compressor best

[Bruce L]

All of our buckets are stored horizontally like firewood. We don't use many anymore, nut they sure come apart a lot easier when needed. Incidentally, quite often a "group" of buckets is usually only 15-20, whatever you can carry comfortably, then not pushed together extremely tight. There are over 1000 buckets in an area roughly 10' long x 4' wide x 2' high.

[buck3m]

That's what we did this last go-round. They were never vertical in a stack. We didn't have to hammer a single one this year. It made a huge difference.

[fisheatingbagel]

I cut squares of 1 inch styrofoam insulation and put between the buckets. Works well, but they tend to blow away and end up everywhere when taking the buckets apart.

[Michael Greer]

After they're all washed and dry,dry, I put them in big garbage bags and stow them in the loft above the sugarhouse....on their sides. Whenever you have to transport buckets, lay them down. Any time you can, save a few seconds doing repeatative work by avoiding what's avoidable.

[Lukie]

I have a hundred five gallon buckets and probably 4 diffrent band names (if you look on the bottom it will tell you the name) if i stack the same brand in side each other i have no problem taken a stack of 10 apart i store them in my basement