Cleanning buckets

[Uncle Tucker]

I bought some used buckets last summer and I was wondering how to clean the white stuff that looks like niter off the bottoms? I only have 20 so I will do the cleaning in the bathtub.

[Gary in NH]

I have aluminum buckets and have used those green Scotch-Brite scrub pad things with warm water. They are abrasive enough to remove the stains without soaps or chemical cleaners. Sometimes it takes a little elbow grease but they come clean. Rinse a couple of times with clean water and you should be good to go.

Gary in NH

[markct]

not to change the topic but you mention aluminum buckets, is there any disavantage to these over galvanized, i see they are available used from bascoms but not new so i wondered if they went away for some reason, seems like a good thing to me, no rust, no worries of lead solder, but is there something im missing!

[VtSugarhouse]

The aluminum buckets get damaged and just in handling them get dented easily. They just do not last as long. Also they do bust open easier than the galvanized ones and now there is usually no easy way to repair them.

[markct]

ahh ok i hadnt known these shortcomings of the aluminum buckets, i sorta assumed they were stamped or spun, as in being one piece, but if you say they bust open then they must have bottoms crimped on or such i see. still might consider a few for my small operation tho since they seem to be cheap on the used market.

[TapME]

mackct, the aluminum buckets are spun of one piece, the biggest downfall for me is that they don't like to be handled rough. I have 40+ and they hold up if you don't bang them around. If you get some don't forget the lids.

[gmcooper]

The aluminum buckets are smaller also. I think Bascoms told me few years ago most were coming out of Canada. I had heard someone maybe Bascoms? bought a semi load for scrap price before scrap went up. I feel th alum are much easier to clean as they are one peice and no seems.

[markct]

so they take different lids of just that the lids are aluminum, will ordinary lids fit?

[tuckermtn]

the other disadvantage of the alumunim buckets is that they are lighter than the big galv. buckets and tend to get blown around/ blown off more. But on the upside, no seams, no lead solder...just wish they are twice as big.

And I just bend the "roof" lids a bit more and can make them fit on alum. buckets. there are also some flat top roofs that pin on the tap and stay on while you empty the buckets...but I have only seen these taps on 7/16 size taps...

[Gary in NH]

The aluminum have worked good for me. I use the 1/2" taps and the lids pin through the tap. I bend the hook on the tap up a little to keep the bucket from blowing off. Once they have sap in them they stay put. If they get dented they are easy to reshape. I bought aluminum primarily because they were readily available. I also liked the idea of staying away from galvanized due to the heavy metals. I have never had one bust open, even after freezing with sap in them. The size isn't a problem for me because my trees are all close to the house so we collect everyday when its running.

Gary in NH

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you will turn your hooks around backwards, the buckets stay on the tree really good. I use the 5/16" Leader tree saver spouts with a stainless bucket hood and a small hole drilled in the top upward lip just big enough to stick a wire hinge lid thru and it works good. Walk up to the tree with a 5 gallon bucket, push lid up, rotate bucket and dump. Takes about 2 seconds and never have to take bucket off the tree. I only use about 10 buckets now, but those still work great and I use the 9 quart aluminum. These work great for freezing blocks of sap in too to throw in the bulk tank.