5 gallon buckets

[Bob Saunders]

I have a number of used paint and dry wall mud buckets but the seem to loose the handles or crack after a few years. YETI makes the load out 5 gallon bucket for about $36.00 U.S. Has options like a tool holder bag or cover. Very pricey but thick and rugged. The big box stores even sell empty ones. I've found a few along the road side on trash days. Your thoughts please.

[Kane]

Given the ongoing costs for fossil-related equipment and gear, from boots, pants, replacement tools, sturdy backpacks, gloves, containers/wrapping, glue, travel/accommodation, and everything else, I have no qualms going cheap and sticking with affordable paint buckets.  

[caldigger]

One thing about the new empty buckets at some of the big box do-it -yourself stores is many are made too cheaply.

Turn them over and press on the bottom. If it flexes and is wobbly don't buy it. That one won't last you very long and you will regrettably lose your contents in the field.

You can get nice used strong buckets from house painting companies or used fluid buckets from oil storage.

They usually throw them out and likely would be more than happy to put some aside for you if you will take them off their hands.

And another note, do not get the buckets with plastic carrying handles...you will quickly regret that when the handle snaps off.

 

Yes, I am with Kane on this one. Why spend hard earned money on a single bucket when you can have multiple good strong buckets for free if you just ask for them.

[FossilNerd]

I’m in the cheap/free bucket camp as well. I have free 5 gallon paint and drywall mud buckets readily available to me. I use them until they break, then get another free one. I’m also known to reuse old coffee cans, plastic food containers, and other things, for fossil separation and storage in the field. I’m not fanatical about it, but I like to reduce/reuse/recycle when I can.  

[RJB]

  Being a painting contractor for over 2 decades I can agree with @caldigger that painting buckets can be very sturdy compaired to the big box store buckets but my favorite container is what I call the milk crate.  Ive found em at garage sales (25 cents), along side of the road and even one in the middle of nowhere one time.  They are square or rectangle an dont waist any room.   They dont have a single handle though.  You have to use both hands to pick one up. 

 

RB

[Bob Saunders]

58 minutes ago, RJB said:

  Being a painting contractor for over 2 decades I can agree with @caldigger that painting buckets can be very sturdy compaired to the big box store buckets but my favorite container is what I call the milk crate.  Ive found em at garage sales (25 cents), along side of the road and even one in the middle of nowhere one time.  They are square or rectangle an dont waist any room.   They dont have a single handle though.  You have to use both hands to pick one up. 

 

RB

Nice thing about Michigan is we have a fine of $100 for keeping a milk crate. Seems college kids made dorm room book shelves. That seems to have wen't by the wayside years ago. Thankfully. I save the coffee cans with the plastic screw covers. If you ask a sports store for a rugged ruck sack they don't know what you mean. The type for foot balls or ball bats. to put your gear in. Garage sales can be good. Some rock hounds carry small squares of aluminum foil to wrap finds to protect them. 

 As for the cost, in a former life I worked building motor yachts in the $3-7 million dollar range. Pocket change for some? leaves me out. Thanks to all. 

[FossilDAWG]

48 minutes ago, Bob Saunders said:

Nice thing about Michigan is we have a fine of $100 for keeping a milk crate. Seems college kids made dorm room book shelves. That seems to have wen't by the wayside years ago. Thankfully.

Really?  A $100 fine for having a plastic milk crate is a good thing?  I have a couple and they are very handy.  I used to see them for sale in stores, and they definitely were not being sold to hold milk jugs.

 

Don

[jpc]

1 hour ago, FossilDAWG said:

Really?  A $100 fine for having a plastic milk crate is a good thing?  I have a couple and they are very handy.  I used to see them for sale in stores, and they definitely were not being sold to hold milk jugs.

 

Don

all of mine say "property of such and such milk company" on them.  

 

3 or 5 gallon buckets from the bakery section of your local grocery store are good too... and free.  And instead of yucky paint or oil products in them they had sugary donut coatings and cake frosting.  Much easier to make clean bucket.

[Bob Saunders]

4 hours ago, jpc said:

all of mine say "property of such and such milk company" on them.  

 

3 or 5 gallon buckets from the bakery section of your local grocery store are good too... and free.  And instead of yucky paint or oil products in them they had sugary donut coatings and cake frosting.  Much easier to make clean bucket.

thanks I haven't tought about the grocery/doughnut shops. As for the milk crates, when my wife helped manage retirement home we had delivery. If it didn't have their dairy name he didn't want them back. So What? One time the Congressman that wrote the legislation was found with one.  So "just because" we are fining you! 

[erose]

Many types of plastic do not hold up under extended exposure to direct sunlight. Problem is not the heat but is the UV light. Breaks down the bonds in the polymers, or something like that. Store them in the shade not the back of the pick up.

[Bob Saunders]

14 hours ago, erose said:

Many types of plastic do not hold up under extended exposure to direct sunlight. Problem is not the heat but is the UV light. Breaks down the bonds in the polymers, or something like that. Store them in the shade not the back of the pick up.

my wife has many to save the roof rain for her gardens. saves electric for well water, but the it is probably the sun making them to crack etc.. A local lumber yard has some now around $4.00 and looks really good quality. I am going to make a couple more shaker screens for fossils in the spring. 

[Scylla]

I am a fan of both 5 gallon buckets and milk crates. Most of my buckets are used ones from driveway sealer. Once the product dries it can sometimes peel out of the bucket, same thing with latex paint. I do have a couple of orange box store ones that hold up ok with my infrequent use. I find work gloves or a wrap of my packing material helps me to tolerate the torture device that passes for a handle on these. I have some buckets with a square profile too, these waste less space when multiple buckets are needed side by side. I think they formerly held kitty litter (hmm maybe from Mc Abee fossil beds?)

 

The crates come from garage sales and such. I try to avoid ones from dairies that are still in business, but so many have gone out of business in the past few decades that this is not a hindrance. You could always just buy them new, 48 crates cost $360 and they will stamp you custom logo for a couple hundred extra bucks if you want. I can see it now, dayglow green crates with "Gus's Fossil Farm" embossed on the side in Orange lettering