bucket failures - advice?

[MetalgodZ]

I've got a number of Wal-Mart food grade 5-gal buckets with Gamma Seal lids installed. Stored indoors, climate controlled (55-75 degrees), dry, on a tile floor.

Every bucket with a substantial amount of weight in it has failed with a crack at the bottom by each of the feet / mold injection points. One, two, or three cracks each. More weight, more cracks. None large enough to compromise the structure of the bottom, but all large enough to cause spoilage if I had been storing longer-term without a liner.

Anyone find a better option for bulk storage, or is this why people are using mylar liners? I use the large Gamma Seal horse feed containers for pet food, but they're WAY too expensive to replace all of my buckets.

 

[Rider]

I have a bunch of standard round 5 gallon pickle buckets going on 20+ years and none of them have ever cracked. One of them was filled with gravel for a couple of years.

 

[enbloc]

.

 

[In God We Trust]

Are you stacking full buckets on top of each other? Additional weight could case rupture.
Also, you could "nest" a bucket in a bucket on the bottom tier for added support.

Yes, try not to stack more than 3 high. I bought a few from Emergency Esentials and they are fine after 3 years. Kind of pricey, but top quality.

 

[Kicker96FS]

You ever get to Boston?

I will donate 20 buckets to you as seen in my KARMA.

These will not crack, they sit wit 40lbs in them all day long. As a matter of fact, DukeinFlorida stores his lead in them! Not one cracked one yet!

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/263614-KARMA-!-Yellow-buckets-once-again!

PM me if you want them.

 

[MetalgodZ]

Not stacking - I didn't like the way the Gamma Seal lids looked when stacked with decent weight in them. Nesting is a no go unless I change where I'm storing them, as it worked for a few years, so I built the pantry shelving around a tier of them at the bottom. Taller buckets won't work, but I could certainly go shorter.

Kicker96fs, PM inbound shortly. Thank you!

 

[PaulR]

I searched for 5 gal lids with spouts one time, ended up buying from US Plastics. They seem to have every container imaginable in the form of plastic:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=687&parentcatid=-1

 

[MrsStrangeNH]

I've been using these for almost 10 years now. Never had a problem with them at all. Stacked 2 high, they're quite stable. If you want to go 3 high you may want to brace them. Bought mine at PetSmart or PetCo, but I've seen them at feed stores. They're food grade and made in the USA.

 

[xtry51]

Uline. Screw top locking lids with seals. They stack stable 5 high and don't crack. Worth every penny. I usually order 10 at a time and they come in a single box.

I have 5 pails, each with more than 30lbs in them stacked on top of each other and there is no sign of deformation.

http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetailRootItem.Aspx?modelnumber=S-13652

 

[Chet0729]

I have a bunch of standard round 5 gallon pickle buckets going on 20+ years and none of them have ever cracked. One of them was filled with gravel for a couple of years.

My brother has a bunch of these as well and they are full of all kinds of stuff and they don't break. I am guessing the Walmart ones are the same quality as most Walmart items.

 

[MetalgodZ]

I searched for 5 gal lids with spouts one time, ended up buying from US Plastics. They seem to have every container imaginable in the form of plastic:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=687&parentcatid=-1

I think the WalMart food grade buckets used to be US Plastics, but they appear to be Encore Plastics now: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Encore-Plastics-5-Gallon-Pail-White/20703096

I've been using these for almost 10 years now. Never had a problem with them at all. Stacked 2 high, they're quite stable. If you want to go 3 high you may want to brace them. Bought mine at PetSmart or PetCo, but I've seen them at feed stores. They're food grade and made in the USA.

Very nice. Roughly what I've got for pet food. Too pricey for this application, though.

Uline. Screw top locking lids with seals. They stack stable 5 high and don't crack. Worth every penny. I usually order 10 at a time and they come in a single box.

I have 5 pails, each with more than 30lbs in them stacked on top of each other and there is no sign of deformation.

http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetailRootItem.Aspx?modelnumber=S-13652

This may be the winner. Roughly comparable, price-wise, to the bucket + Gamma Seal combined purchase. Potentially sturdier.

Definitely going to go with the ones generously offered by Kicker96FS in the meantime.

Thanks, all.

 

[MetalgodZ]

Ooh. While I've got everyone's attention...

Any brick-and-mortar sources you're aware of for O2 absorbers, mylar bags, and food safe desiccant?

 

[Bob J]

You ever get to Boston?

I will donate 20 buckets to you as seen in my KARMA.

These will not crack, they sit wit 40lbs in them all day long. As a matter of fact, DukeinFlorida stores his lead in them! Not one cracked one yet!

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/263614-KARMA-!-Yellow-buckets-once-again!

PM me if you want them.

+1 for these..... I've used these for all kinds of storage.... Since they are shorter (2.5 gal) they are stronger when stacked than 5 gal and are food grade to boot.... Also better portions when you have to open one up to use it and less weight if you have to carry one anywhere..... I use them to store honey which is 60lbs in a 5 gallon bucket and cutting that in half has been a godsend for my back when I have to shuffle my stores..... ;- )

 

[Archilochus]

.... a number of Wal-Mart food grade 5-gal buckets ...

^^ I've not used any walmart product - but to me, that sounds like the problem right there. Even if it's a reputable manufacturer, you can be pretty sure it's bottom-of-the-line stuff if found at walmart.

I've never had a bucket fail in that way - even really abused ones. (non-food)

 

[knfmn]

Ooh. While I've got everyone's attention...

Any brick-and-mortar sources you're aware of for O2 absorbers, mylar bags, and food safe desiccant?

This, X1,000. I need bags, buckets and absorbers and have no clue where to get them, other than online.

 

[FrugalFannie]

I've got a number of Wal-Mart food grade 5-gal buckets with Gamma Seal lids installed. Stored indoors, climate controlled (55-75 degrees), dry, on a tile floor.

Every bucket with a substantial amount of weight in it has failed with a crack at the bottom by each of the feet / mold injection points. One, two, or three cracks each. More weight, more cracks. None large enough to compromise the structure of the bottom, but all large enough to cause spoilage if I had been storing longer-term without a liner.

Anyone find a better option for bulk storage, or is this why people are using mylar liners? I use the large Gamma Seal horse feed containers for pet food, but they're WAY too expensive to replace all of my buckets.

Walmart sucks

 

[JayMcB]

This, X1,000. I need bags, buckets and absorbers and have no clue where to get them, other than online.

Try the LDS cannery in Worcester

 

[knfmn]

Try the LDS cannery in Worcester

Excellent. Been planning a trip there with the wife for a while. Thanks!