Bucket Cover Racks/totes/Boxes

[ibby458]

I just built several boxes to store/carry 5 gallon plastic bucket covers. They're loosley based on the ones I got from Fred when I bought his plastic buckets, so I know they'll work fine.

Now I'd like to build some to carry/store my metal bucket covers, and I'm looking for advice. I can size them by measuring my covers, but I don't know how MANY in each box would make a reasonable load.

How does the other bucket tappers handle the covers when tapping, or pulling taps. In the past, we've just thrown a bunch of loose covers into a big tin box on the trailer, refilling as necessary. In the off season, they're just stacked in a pile, which always tips over and scatters.

There's got to be a better way!

[mountainvan]

I use milk crates to store and carry my lids.

[H. Walker]

I store and carry mine in milk crates with the spile mounted on. 25 per crate and that makes it easy to keep track of # tapped.

[Fred Henderson]

Ibby, Are they plastic or metal? I know that with the metal covers a 3 foot rack is all I want to try and handle. Now that I am older I think I am going to a 2 foot one.

[ibby458]

24 inches is what I was thinking, too. It cuts out of a 48" sheet of plywood nicely.

I REALLY like the milk crate idea, though. I used to have quite a few of them, but I know a lot got broke. I'll have to check. Thanks for the idea!

[Sugarmaker]

We use a 20 gallon plastic tote with lid for storing and moving metal lids. This works good to get them on the pickup and they are not all over the place. (50 per tote) This works good to wash them also. Just fill the tote with hot water and let them soak. Dump and repeat or rinse. Amazing the dirty water that comes off these.

Chris

[ibby458]

I just got back to this project. We used some milk crates this spring, plus some totes. Neither was just what I was looking for.

Yesterday, I built a bunch of wood boxes 10" wide x 24" long, with the ends being 13" high. (The sides are 10", so the covers can get air.) I put 2x3 handles on the end pieces (With finger grooves), slightly higher than the board.

This allows them to stack neatly and securely, and the handles extending upward kinda lock them together. They'll hold 50 covers without cramming. Next I gotta prime and paint them.

I bored several large holes in the sides and bottoms. After pulling spouts, I'm hoping to just use the pressure washer on the covers, while they're in the racks. A good sunny day should dry them back out.

[3% Solution]

Hi Ibby,
Haven't heard from you lately.
How's the Amish doing?
I do the same as Mountainvan ..... milk crates.
Also use one to get in and out of the back of the truck (it's this age thing I think, granson jumps in and out like I did when I was his age!!)
Well what ever works for you, it's like model railroading, if it works it's good!!
Another rainy day here.
Stay safe and have fun!

Dave

[Russell Lampron]

I use 1 bushel wooden apple boxes. They ones that my parents had from way back when and I am not sure if they can be found anymore. I will get and post the dimensions as they would be easy to make. I put 50 covers in each box.

Russ

[ibby458]

Hey Dave!

The Amish family is doing great. They enjoyed sugaring so much that we're going to tap 2 more (closeby) places together. We may be up around the 1000 tap mark, which is probably a bit more than we should. Still - with the improvements that I've made, and If I don't have to gather, I should be able to get it all boiled every day.

I've been working on the plastic bucket covers in my "spare" time. Instead of jumbling them in the racks, I'm sorting each type/size in seperate racks so it's easier to find the cover to fit any specific bucket at first grab. I'm also cutting off all but 2 locking tabs off each cover so they're easier to get on/off quickly. A great tip from Fred!