Cutting 5 Gal buckets ?

[NUTTSGT]

I need to cut down about 10-12 plastic 5 gallon buckets. I'm going to shorten them in height by 5-6 inches. They will get filled with concrete, a piece of u-shaped rebar for large tent anchors.

I know a utility knife or sawzall would do it but it's not going to be "real neat." Since I'm going to leave the concrete in the bucket, I want them to look decent. I was thinking of using the table saw (fine tooth blade)and fence to make them all the same.


Anybody done anything similar or have any ideas ?

 

[Adamski]

I've done the same thing before and used a table saw with a fence and they all came out really good.

 

[rieferman]

If your buckets are not tapered the table saw would work, but be careful of kick back. Keep the blade low.

Alternatively, I would probably use the lowest raised lip on the edge of the bucket (assuming these are typical drywall mud types of buckets) as a fence for your circular saw to ride against. The shoe on your saw is likely 3 inches so with the lip you would be at close to 5" material removed. Clean it up with sander.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've done the same thing before and used a table saw with a fence and they all came out really good.

Sounds good and welcome to the GJ.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If your buckets are not tapered the table saw would work, but be careful of kick back. Keep the blade low.

Alternatively, I would probably use the lowest raised lip on the edge of the bucket (assuming these are typical drywall mud types of buckets) as a fence for your circular saw to ride against. The shoe on your saw is likely 3 inches so with the lip you would be at close to 5" material removed. Clean it up with sander.

I haven't picked up the buckets yet, I have some that I could use though. The local scrap yard has told me many times that if I need buckets, come and get them. Chances are they will not all be the same.

If they have a slight taper, I think I can put small block of wood on the saw to act as a shim.

 

[5lima30]

I have cut quite a few 50 & 60 gal plastic barrels for container gardening. I use a circular saw with a fine tooth plywood blade. I then run a sharp utility knife along the cut edge to remove any burrs.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have cut quite a few 50 & 60 gal plastic barrels for container gardening. I use a circular saw with a fine tooth plywood blade. I then run a sharp utility knife along the cut edge to remove any burrs.

Thank you sir.

 

[basedriver]

On a smaller scale, I chuck a dremel cutting tool into my drill press, set the cylinder flat on the table and rotate into the blade. Perfect height every time. Haven't tried it with something as large as a bucket though.

 

[MadMechMaster]

Another approach would be to fill the full size buckets with concrete to the desired depth. Then you can run the Sawzall blade in above the cured concrete and ride the blade across the top edge of the concrete.

 

[06lbzgmc]

I went through the same delima not long ago. I went to loses and bought 3.5 gallon buckets for 4.00 each. Not free but look nice and they have handles.

 

[Steevo]

I clamped a 2'x2' piece of 3/4" plywood to my table saw fence, placed the bottom of the buckets against the plywood/fence, and rotated the buckets through the blade to cut about fifty of them down for a friend that was making water wheels from them.

 

[woodrail]

You need that laser from the movie "Real Genius". Just set the buckets on the ground then turn it on.....

 

[NUTTSGT]

Another approach would be to fill the full size buckets with concrete to the desired depth. Then you can run the Sawzall blade in above the cured concrete and ride the blade across the top edge of the concrete.

I thought about that but I want to have at the correct height then I can just fill them up and be done with them. I think it will be easier to cut them to size first.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I went through the same delima not long ago. I went to loses and bought 3.5 gallon buckets for 4.00 each. Not free but look nice and they have handles.

That would in effect atleast double the cost of this project. A buck a piece I could do.

The handles don't matter, these are going to anchors (tie-downs) for large open tents for the volunteer fire dept.

 

[Amitygravel]

The table saw ideas are pretty slick.
I've used my angle grinder with a diamond wheel.
Leaves a little bit of molten burr but its easily scraped off.

 

[Turfbassert]

Deemed tools have a cutting disc for plastic. I cuts few buckets with and turned out nice.

 

[where2]

Coat the inside of a tapered bucket with 90wt oil. Your cast concrete piece will come out of the plastic form one the concrete cures. I've got several round stepping stones 3" thick sound the house that I cast using 5 gallon pails. The concrete I used was end batches from filling 6" PVC pilings for my dock. I figured I always needed more stepping stones around the house.

 

[djjsr]

I've used one of those oscillating multi-tools to cut holes in vinyl siding and it works great. I think it would also work well to cut a plastic bucket. No heat, very controllable cut and little mess.

 

[Spareparts]

I put a L bradket on my air powered cut off tool with a hose clamp to cut about 20 buckets for small parts and used a utility knife to clean up the edge. This worked well, but a small 3" saw blade might be better.

 

[spotco2]

Table saw works fine and a box cutter will remove any burrs left over.

If the ones you get have handles and funky lips around the top so they wont lay flat on your table, just rip that part off with a skill saw and then make your final cut with the table saw.

Been there, done that.

 

[JonBoehman]

I have done something similar in the past but I taped around the bucket and used an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. It cut like butter and left a fairly clean edge.

 

[ddawg16]

Table saw....run the blade down that it is just above the material...that will reduce your chances of kick back...

Or....find a big ***'d band saw.

 

[Imcrazy]

Last time I did one I used the chop saw.

 

[Big-Foot]

I have cut quite a few 50 & 60 gal plastic barrels for container gardening. I use a circular saw with a fine tooth plywood blade. I then run a sharp utility knife along the cut edge to remove any burrs.

I've done this but instead of cleaning up the burrs with a knife, I used a propane torch which left a very clean "rounded" edge that is safe for little fingers...

I'll be doing this again in a couple weeks for another project here...

 

[dladcock]

We cut a billion buckets at work on the table saw. Like they said, the handles are challenging so we remove those.

Thinking about your use for the buckets, I would probably want a handle to carry these ballasts. At least an "eye" on the tie down wide enough to use for a handle.

You might have "Helpers" in the future that can handle these better if there was something to grab.

dla

 

[Kevin54]

Eric.....If you use the table saw, put the blade on backwards just as you do when cutting vinyl siding.

Or mark the buckets inside at a certain height, pour your concrete, then use a Roto-Zip if you have one with a carbide blade and zip the top portion off.

 

[IONH]

On a smaller scale, I chuck a dremel cutting tool into my drill press, set the cylinder flat on the table and rotate into the blade. Perfect height every time. Haven't tried it with something as large as a bucket though.

I like this idea.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I usually use a jigsaw to cut a single bucket, but for several, the table saw with a plywood shim on top to allow the ridges on the bucket to clear the normal table surface will provide a nice cut, and will be stable during the cut.

 

[stltikn]

There must be a reason for not using water in the buckets for weight. I've secured many tents with 5 gal buckets full of water. A gallon weghs 8.33 lbs. Sometimes you need to use 2 or 3 buckets at each location for weight, but it is sure a lot easier transporting and placing empty buckets. All of my tent placements were temporary and not up more than 6 mos. If you use water, put a little oil and chlorine in the bucket. Cover the bucket as well.

 

[fivespdcat]

What about one of these:

 

[c4cruiser]

Why bother with buckets at all? Get some concrete forming tubes in the diameter you want (anywhere from 6" to 12" diameter), cut them to height with a sawz-all or even a hand saw. They come in 4 foot lengths so you can make something like 4 forms per tube.

Sit them on a piece of wood which could be anything from a 2x12 to plywood. Wet the face of the board with oil, set the tube on it, pour the concrete in and push in whatever type of screw eye you want.

 

[Kevin54]

Why bother with buckets at all? Get some concrete forming tubes in the diameter you want (anywhere from 6" to 12" diameter), cut them to height with a sawz-all or even a hand saw. They come in 4 foot lengths so you can make something like 4 forms per tube.

Sit them on a piece of wood which could be anything from a 2x12 to plywood. Wet the face of the board with oil, set the tube on it, pour the concrete in and push in whatever type of screw eye you want.

Step over to the other side of the fence and why bother spending the money on SonoTubes if you have the buckets

Pour your concrete in a bucket, add an eye bolt, and when it's all dried, flip it over and thump it out. Even using one bucket a day, you could do 30/month

 

[NUTTSGT]

Coat the inside of a tapered bucket with 90wt oil. Your cast concrete piece will come out of the plastic form one the concrete cures. I've got several round stepping stones 3" thick sound the house that I cast using 5 gallon pails. The concrete I used was end batches from filling 6" PVC pilings for my dock. I figured I always needed more stepping stones around the house.

My plan is going leave the concrete in the cut off bucket. I think it may help the concrete stay in one piece when they get moved around by different users.

Last time I did one I used the chop saw.

Chop saw ? How the heck ?

I've done this but instead of cleaning up the burrs with a knife, I used a propane torch which left a very clean "rounded" edge that is safe for little fingers...

Torch to take the burrs off, I like that idea.

 

[NUTTSGT]

We cut a billion buckets at work on the table saw. Like they said, the handles are challenging so we remove those.

Thinking about your use for the buckets, I would probably want a handle to carry these ballasts. At least an "eye" on the tie down wide enough to use for a handle.

You might have "Helpers" in the future that can handle these better if there was something to grab.

dla

They will have a handle where the tie down will attach. It willbe a piece of bent rebar, basically an inverted "U" shape.

Eric.....If you use the table saw, put the blade on backwards just as you do when cutting vinyl siding.

Another good idea, I have a blade that I was using for my siding.

There must be a reason for not using water in the buckets for weight. I've secured many tents with 5 gal buckets full of water. A gallon weghs 8.33 lbs. Sometimes you need to use 2 or 3 buckets at each location for weight, but it is sure a lot easier transporting and placing empty buckets. All of my tent placements were temporary and not up more than 6 mos. If you use water, put a little oil and chlorine in the bucket. Cover the bucket as well.

My local volunteer FD has a trailer made up specifically for the tents. The concrete tie down anchors have a place to ride on it between the tent poles. If we left the buckets open they would be full of cig butts and other trash by the end of the night. Sometimes the single anchors can get in the way so having 2-3 at a pole would make it even worse.


I appreciate all the comments and ideas that you guys have posted up. I think the plan is set. If I get the chance and help take the tent down tomorrow, I'll try to snap a few pics of what I'm making and the trailer itself.

For all your help. . .

 

[Spareparts]

I just reread this and we raced R/C cars and used the 10'X10' and a 14'X14' pop up for our tables and seating. I got some 10" lag bolts and used my DeWalt 1/2" impact to just screw them through the holes in the legs at a little angle. We got in some heavy wind and it destroyed the 14' one but it never pulled the anchors out. I have tried the buckets with concrete and the wind actually picked them up and they were 80lbs each and a pain to move and sit up.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I managed to get a picture of the concrete anchors that we already have. This is what they will look like with the exception of the bucket still being in place.

You can see the "handle" made of rebar which is where the rope ties on to.

 

[metalmagpie]

An excellent reason to not use buckets full of water as weights is that such freestanding water really helps mosquitoes reproduce. Also, in hot dry windy weather the water can evaporate leaving you with no weight. In the case of a driveway canopy, that transforms it into .. a kite!

metalmagpie

 

[IONH]

Just thought of something. Why use more than one bucket at all? Unless time is a factor, use one as your mold and repeatedly make blocks. This way, you don't ruin a bunch of buckets that you can't use the handle from anyway.

 

[larry_g]

Another place to look for free containers could be your local nursery for pots or if you had a connection to the farm community get some mineral tubs. If you were local I would give you some mineral tubs. Heavier than a bucket and probably no need to cut a smaller one.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ky-mike]

I thought about that but I want to have at the correct height then I can just fill them up and be done with them. I think it will be easier to cut them to size first.

Fill them with water to the level you want and then run the blade just above the water.