# What bulk products still come in metal buckets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652 "2017-06-10T22:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/21 "2017-06-11T19:00:13Z")
I wonder how much the rising price of metal in the past decades, compared to cheap plastic, have influenced switching to plastic or introducing deposits for metal containers? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/22 "2017-06-11T19:24:29Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > I wonder how much the rising price of metal in the past decades, compared to cheap plastic, have influenced switching to plastic or introducing deposits for metal containers? Here in RI we have to pay a recovery fee for every can of paint, plastic or metal. Certainly the cost of plating the interior of steel cans is a factor. You can’t count on a thin layer of plastic inside with some substances, the tiniest pinhole could lead to corrosion. Don’t use galvanized metal trash cans, a kiln can get hot enough to emit vaporized zinc and if you inhale that you’re gonna regret it. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/23 "2017-06-12T00:17:42Z")
> [@motu](#): > > You can buy them from an industrial supplier like McMaster-Carr or MSC, search for steel pail. Farm suppliers also. > > Can’t really think of any business that would have an excess of clean metal containers to give away. Maybe fill some plastic/metal/wooden tubs with dirt/sand using buckets as lids. How about a wheel barrow? Do you have a kiln and are just looking for a way to smother them in various combustibles after firing? Or are trying to make the kiln also? Just a place to do the another. ---
**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/24 "2017-06-12T00:18:47Z")
Smother\*\*\* not another!!! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/25 "2017-06-12T00:23:25Z")
How about setting the pot on a flat piece of metal and inverting a galvanized metal washtub over it? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/26 "2017-06-12T00:38:41Z")
Industrial sealers, mastics, and adhesives are all available in 5 gallon buckets. While 55 gallon barrels are more common, there are a lot of applications that would go past the expiry date at that size, and so 5 gallon buckets are surprisingly common. ---
**Author:** ![40below](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/51bf81/32.png) [@40below](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/40below)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/27 "2017-06-12T16:10:30Z")
Why don’t you go to Brofasco or another supplier of industrial fasteners and supplies? I’m sure they carry metal pails. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/28 "2017-06-12T16:12:38Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Industrial sealers, mastics, and adhesives are all available in 5 gallon buckets. While 55 gallon barrels are more common, there are a lot of applications that would go past the expiry date at that size, and so 5 gallon buckets are surprisingly common. But there we get again into the Problem mentioned above: if the original Content is sticky or corrosive - and therefore put into metal instead of plastic in the first place - there will be a residue which could give of toxic fumes when burning, or Change the colour of the stuff inside. I would suggest clean pails instead of used industrial ones for that reason, even if a bit more expensive. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/29 "2017-06-12T16:17:41Z")
Fairly large terra cotta pots and planters are available at low prices. You might get a great deal on chipped units. If there’s a hole in the bottom it can be plugged with cement. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/30 "2017-06-12T17:19:47Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Some flammable solvents come in five gallon metal buckets. I’ve purchased five gallon buckets of acetone and isopropyl alcohol for cleaning laboratory glassware. When they were empty we triple rinsed them with water and threw them in with the normal metal recycling. This is actually a great idea- most organic chemistry labs have those 20L empty cans in abundance. Reach out to your local chemistry department at the local university! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/31 "2017-06-12T19:49:00Z")
[Metal buckets, of course!](http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/7f9ee2edca674d40b86ff1a4c46b4487/industry-printing-ink-factory-sheet-metal-buckets-detail-bottling-ba750n.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/32 "2017-06-12T21:37:55Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > [Coconut oil for popcorn](http://fcfpopcorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2041-Pop-A-Lot-Coconut-Oil-with-Butter-Flavor-Pail-600x600.jpg) sometimes comes in metal pails. Your local move theater or events arena might be able to set you up with some from their concession stand. > > The popping station I used at an events arena used a heating element dropped into the pail to liquefy the oil. It got fairly hot so I suppose that was the reason metal pails were preferred. > > Seems it is now sold in plastic buckets as well so no telling what you might find. Exactly what I was coming to post. The popcorn machine at the movie theater I used to work at in high school used oil from those big metal buckets. The oil was solid at room temperature, so when we were getting low, we’d put a new bucket under the machine to warm up and melt so that the heating element would go in easily. On one occasion, it was forgotten, and we were panicking, because no oil means no popcorn. The assistant manager was hacking away at the oil with a little knife, up to his elbow in the stuff, trying to make a channel for the heater. Gross. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/33 "2017-06-13T01:35:11Z")
+1 on thrift stores, garage & estates sales for metal vessels. Canning pots, electric roasters (often have metal liners), copper boilers, older wastebaskets could all work. Hell, plug the drain of an old cast iron sink and you’re nearly indestructible. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Must be a thing on your side of the pond. Cooking oil comes in plastic containers here. I have two kinds of oil imported in metal cans in the pantry at the moment. One is a 3 liter can of ‘olive oil’ from ‘Greece,’ the other a 56 oz can (of all the weird sizes) of Japanese sesame oil. They’re far too small for OP but oil in cans is a thing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/34 "2017-06-13T03:38:21Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I have two kinds of oil imported in metal cans in the pantry at the moment. One is a 3 liter can of ‘olive oil’ from ‘Greece,’ the other a 56 oz can (of all the weird sizes) of Japanese sesame oil. They’re far too small for OP but oil in cans is a thing. I get oil in cans also for that small amount. Sometimes in glass as well, and it’s available in those juice box type containers too, but **Mangetout** was talking about restaurants for fryers (I assumed and he confirmed), that’s been in plastic containers as long as I can remember. It’s often sold by the pound, I suppose because fryolators are usually rated by the pounds of oil they can hold. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/35 "2017-06-13T03:45:54Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I get oil in cans also for that small amount. Sometimes in glass as well, and it’s available in those juice box type containers too, but **Mangetout** was talking about restaurants for fryers (I assumed and he confirmed), that’s been in plastic containers as long as I can remember. It’s often sold by the pound, I suppose because fryolators are usually rated by the pounds of oil they can hold. I can remember when oil for fryers came in a BOX. Back in the '70s fryer oil came in a cardboard box with a plastic bag as a liner. Could not have been more saturated. We used a pewter trowel-like tool to pull the lard out and into the fryer. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/36 "2017-06-13T21:44:16Z")
3 gallon terra cotta planters are cheap and will work fine. Use a trash can lid or terra cotta tray to seal the top for reduction. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/37 "2017-06-14T00:26:54Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Pedantic nitpick: properly speaking buckets don’t have lids. Pails do. :)… Wow. ---
**Author:** ![westhou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f1d935/32.png) [@westhou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/westhou)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652/38 "2017-06-14T01:40:46Z")
I just bought 11 five gallon pails of flooring glue at ($183 per pail) to have wood floors put in my house. Don’t know where you would find them used though/ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bulk-products-still-come-in-metal-buckets/788652.md?page=1)