Unsticking buckets

Monek Marie
Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

I was foraing pallets and they also had 4 gallon buckets with nice lids and great wide handle that will not cut into your hand. Thy were going to be thrown away So I asked if they could go home with me. They were thrilled to get rid of them and I was twice as happy top have them. Iwent home with me, about 40! They have so many useful purposes.

I was lucky and most were separate but a few were stacked and I can not separate them. Does anyone have any idea how to get them apart.

I would like to stack them together but buckets seem to like to get stuck or wedged together so I guess I will put the lids on and stack them that way.

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Comments

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice haul. I wish I knew an easy way. Patience and getting someone with muscle to help pull them apart. After they have been separated, I try to put something in the bottom of each bucket, so it holds them enough apart not to get stuck again.

  • Gail H
    Gail H Posts: 359 ✭✭✭✭

    I think they make a vacuum and that's one reason they're hard to get apart. If you're willing to sacrifice one, you could try poking a few holes in the outer one with an ice pick and see of that helps. If it works, you could always reserve the ones with holes for sawdust, soil, animal feed, etc. It's just a thought, but it might work. The brute force thing never seems to work for us.

  • dmthennessy
    dmthennessy Posts: 29 ✭✭✭

    I would try maneuvering some thin yet rigid wire between the 2 buckets. Even a very thin knife might work. I do that with vacuum sealed jars all the time.

  • ltwickey
    ltwickey Posts: 369 ✭✭✭

    I have used a metal coat hanger, taken it apart and shoved it down the side between the buckets and gotten them apart that way a couple of times. Brut force many other times. I like the idea of drilling holes and breaking the vacuum. Will try that next time....

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great ideas. Thank you all. I'll give all a try

  • Thomas
    Thomas Posts: 81 ✭✭✭

    I have only ever been able to muscle it with one person on one bucket, and one on the other.

  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 989 ✭✭✭✭

    That happens with bowls I have. I usually try to grip one end while kind of gently squeezing to help realise the vacuum. I kind of wiggle it out then. I'm not sure if that would work the same for you but you could give it a try.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Denise Grant Okay! I am going to give yet another suggestion. Try cold water & hot water. Use cold in the top bucket & place the bottom one in the hot. This should contract the top & expand the bottom one in theory.

  • tomandcara
    tomandcara Posts: 712 ✭✭✭✭

    I second @LaurieLovesLearning's suggestion. It has worked for for me. Consider ice cubes in the cold water in the top bucket. The larger the temperature difference of the water in the 2 buckets the better.