Have you noticed the big blue plastic barrels popping up everywhere? It seems like more and more products are being shipped in them these days. Much of what is packaged in plastic barrels now was once shipped in steel barrels. I guess that makes sense: the plastic barrels are lighter in weight and probably more durable than the old steel ones. So how come so many of them wind up for sale at swap meets and farm stores? It seems they are generally single-use containers; no deposit, no return.
I’m not complaining mind you. The fact that they are so readily available is a boon to me and many others who, like you perhaps, find myriad ways to re-use them while amusing ourselves. I used a 55-gallon unit as a rain barrel to catch and dispense water for a small flock of hens. My family went to a community festival last month where children were being transported in a train of modified blue barrels on wheels being pulled behind a lawn tractor. That was pretty cool and the grandkids thought I should get started on one of those for our place right away!
Recently, I used a 15-gallon blue barrel to construct a water fount to serve a flock of about 80 birds. I bought four 15-gallon barrels for a total of $10.00. In their previous life, these drums had contained syrup for a popular soft drink. Using a 1 inch spade bit, I drilled a hole about 3.5 inches above the bottom of the barrel. Into this hole I threaded the pipe threads of a salvaged brass fitting. The other end of the fitting is threaded with hose threads. I use a brass hose cap from an old soaker hose to cap the fitting when needed.
The next step in this project required finding a plastic tub with a diameter about 6 inches greater than the barrel. I considered cutting the bottom four or five inches off of a 55-gallon barrel for this but really didn’t want to “waste” a big barrel for that purpose. Fortunately, I found a plastic tub of that diameter and about 20 inches deep at a swap meet for 50 cents! I cut this tub off to create a pan just deep enough to submerge the brass fitting in when the smaller barrel is placed in it.
My Giant Fount was ready! I placed the 15-gallon drum in the tub, capped the brass fitting, removed the bung from the top of the barrel and filled it up. I replaced the bung in the barrel and removed the cap from the brass fitting. Water gushed out, splashing all over my boot tops. The water filled the pan and continued to flow over the top. Bummer! I tightened the bung down some more and the flow of water stopped.
I’m not complaining mind you. The fact that they are so readily available is a boon to me and many others who, like you perhaps, find myriad ways to re-use them while amusing ourselves. I used a 55-gallon unit as a rain barrel to catch and dispense water for a small flock of hens. My family went to a community festival last month where children were being transported in a train of modified blue barrels on wheels being pulled behind a lawn tractor. That was pretty cool and the grandkids thought I should get started on one of those for our place right away!
Recently, I used a 15-gallon blue barrel to construct a water fount to serve a flock of about 80 birds. I bought four 15-gallon barrels for a total of $10.00. In their previous life, these drums had contained syrup for a popular soft drink. Using a 1 inch spade bit, I drilled a hole about 3.5 inches above the bottom of the barrel. Into this hole I threaded the pipe threads of a salvaged brass fitting. The other end of the fitting is threaded with hose threads. I use a brass hose cap from an old soaker hose to cap the fitting when needed.
The next step in this project required finding a plastic tub with a diameter about 6 inches greater than the barrel. I considered cutting the bottom four or five inches off of a 55-gallon barrel for this but really didn’t want to “waste” a big barrel for that purpose. Fortunately, I found a plastic tub of that diameter and about 20 inches deep at a swap meet for 50 cents! I cut this tub off to create a pan just deep enough to submerge the brass fitting in when the smaller barrel is placed in it.
My Giant Fount was ready! I placed the 15-gallon drum in the tub, capped the brass fitting, removed the bung from the top of the barrel and filled it up. I replaced the bung in the barrel and removed the cap from the brass fitting. Water gushed out, splashing all over my boot tops. The water filled the pan and continued to flow over the top. Bummer! I tightened the bung down some more and the flow of water stopped.
That was a few weeks ago. The fount functions beautifully; it requires filling only about every third day. I have since made a “bung tool” to facilitate the tightening and removal of the bung. I am very pleased with how it has all turned out
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