Source for 5 gallon pails

[sbotsford]

...  Yeah, that's right.  Thousands of the suckers.

This isn't strictly related to water, but most of the rain barrel discussions are here.

I'm trying to find a steady supply of 5 gallon barrels that I can divert from the waste stream. (I want free ones.)  Here's what I do with them.

Some of them get 4 1.5" holes drilled in the bottom.  These get buried up to their chins in long rows, 2 feet apart.  Others get corners cut out of them, putting 4 drain holes (Corner:  Where side meets bottom.  Hold pail at 45 degree angle, and make one pass over a 3/4" dado head set 1" high. The net effect is a chunk taken out of both the side and the bottom.

I plant trees in these pots, then set them in a half buried pot.  Net effect:  Roots are protected in winter, and they can't blow over.

By diverting pails from the landfill, I do my bit from the municipality.

Currently most of the pails are oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid or soap.  None of these are particularly harmful.  They get rinsed with warm soapy water.  The water eventually gets dumped on the compost pile, and the bacteria munch it up.

I'm looking for a better supply.  My local dump can provide about 50 per month, mostly farmers dropping them off.

Ideas where to look?

[TomW]

Painters, Drywallers,Restaurants, Bakeries and some catering outfits all use stuff that comes in 5 gallon pails. Some car washes and Dairy supply places do, also.

Tom

[kurt]

find a drywall outfit they throw away 5 gal buckets by the stack at the end of every job you would just have to clean the drywall mud out of them. pressure washer works great for that i used to get some when i used to work on construction sites sometimes for sorting stuff into and gardening and whatnot. also look for stucco contractors helped do the hvac for a hotel that was sided in stucco once they must have put 100+ buckets in the dumpster from just that job

[fabricator]

Cleaning outfits also, the type that clean office buildings, just check their dumpsters also car detailing places.

[thirteen]

You use yours for trees and that sounds like a good idea. Since my place is back in the sticks I use the buckets to take gravel for cement in each one each time I go up. Then all I have to do is add the portland cement, water, and I can pour a colume or small pad. My house never hand any good support they only piled up rocks so my house is getting columes as replacements for the rocks. It would cost over $800.oo for a load of 10 yards of properly prepared gravel for cement. Works for me. just an idea passed on. A pet store or a fish farm may help.

[Jimmy D]

Check out back of big kitchens.

I've got one in the neighbourhood that feeds many university kids. Very easy cleanup because it's just been food.

Jim  

[zap]

"Very easy cleanup because it's just been food."

I think "university kids" are harder to cleanup than other kids because of the predominate liberal slant that's taught to them at most universities.  But what do I know... maybe it is the food?

: )

[richhagen]

I make sub irrigated planters with them.  I get them from a deli down the street that gets its olive and some sauces in them.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richhagen/sets/72157618885674426/

At any rate, many types of restaurants get them, from subway to McDonalds (pickles).  If you don't care what has been in them, contractors get paint, joint compound, and other stuff in them as well.  

Just having fun, Rich

[HenryVG]

School Food Service supplies come in these also. Check your local school kitchen.