Cutting 5 Gal buckets ?

[NewShockerGuy]

I would just use a hack saw honestly. Tape the bucket off to desired height. And then simply take the hack saw and cut right above the line or mark that you made. Should come out pretty perfect as long as you aren't trying to rush through the job. I've done something similar when I was modifiying tubes for a car project. The tubes were about 12" in diameter. Took me about 5 minutes to completey cut through the tubes and if there was any plastic that was a little jagged I would simply take an exacto knife or razor blade and trim it off. Then as someone noted take a torch or heat and you can round the edge that you just cut.

I feel like a table saw is asking to get messed up or launching the bucket back at you..lol

-Nigel

 

[SlappyWhite]

Don't cut them at all, just use more concrete...

 

[myamoto1]

Just a thought - use the full bucket, fill with concrete to desired level. Once dry, use a cutoff wheel from the inside and use the concrete as a guide for cutting the bucket.

 

[NUTTSGT]

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.

I'm going to get the buckets for free. By leaving the concrete in the bottom half of the bucket, I believe it will give the cured concrete some protection.

 

[IONH]

I'm going to get the buckets for free. By leaving the concrete in the bottom half of the bucket, I believe it will give the cured concrete some protection.

Good point on protecting the concrete. However, unless you somehow adhere the cement to the bucket, I think the bucket will come free.

That said, once cured, you can probably pop the concrete out, put some construction adhesive in and put the block back in again so it will hold on.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If the concrete comes out of the bucket, it comes out. If it decides to keep a permanent residence in the plastic bucket, that's great. I will not be losing any sleep over it either way.

 

[DIC]

When your done with them you can sell them to the Mafia..

 

[rharman]

As long as the buckets aren't canted on the table saw surface, I think you'll be fine. I've done sonotubes, drawers, boxes, etc without problem.

If there is a lip near the top (likely so), just use a couple of 1x4's or a piece of plywood under the body of the bucket to elevate that lipped portion off the table top. Maybe put a stop on the backside of the blade and just rotate them around while pressed against the fence.

 

[Mandres]

As long as the buckets aren't canted on the table saw surface, I think you'll be fine. I've done sonotubes, drawers, boxes, etc without problem.

If there is a lip near the top (likely so), just use a couple of 1x4's or a piece of plywood under the body of the bucket to elevate that lipped portion off the table top. Maybe put a stop on the backside of the blade and just rotate them around while pressed against the fence.

That's what I would do. I keep the crappy stock blade from my TS on hand for exactly this kind of job.

 

[paulrey27]

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.

^THIS! Why are you even cutting them? Just fill it up to height needed and let cure for 6+ hours and pull it out, repeat. No need for any of this cutting stuff.PLUS you still have a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[thdewey]

Wow this must be somekind of record.

The most time wasted discussing a 5 minute job!

LOL
Eric, thanks for your service to your community! Be safe out there!

 

[NUTTSGT]

^THIS! Why are you even cutting them? Just fill it up to height needed and let cure for 6+ hours and pull it out, repeat. No need for any of this cutting stuff.PLUS you still have a 5 gallon bucket.

Because, in case you didn't read my posts, I want the concrete to stay in the bucket. I want it to give an added touch of protection so the concrete doesn't break/crack when they are moved around whether it's on the trailer or sitting out during use.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Wow this must be somekind of record.

The most time wasted discussing a 5 minute job!

LOL
Eric, thanks for your service to your community! Be safe out there!

LOL, I know.

 

[buddyboy]

cut the bottoms off the buckets, this way you can keep your handles

use the bottoms as a stepping stone form.

you could put an axle and some wheels about half way up the buckets, then you could tip the buckets on the wheels and tow them to where you need them.

If you put the wheels on the buckets you would probably attach a long wheelbarrow handle to the bucket that way you wouldn't have to bend over to tip the bucket on its wheels.

better yet, just attach the bucket to a 2 wheel cart.

 

[paulrey27]

Because, in case you didn't read my posts, I want the concrete to stay in the bucket. I want it to give an added touch of protection so the concrete doesn't break/crack when they are moved around whether it's on the trailer or sitting out during use.

Toss some wire mesh in there and call it a day. I don't know if you'll be smacking these around with themselves but I suppose the bucket will help hold the concrete together in any case.

 

[JimVonBaden]

If the concrete comes out of the bucket, it comes out. If it decides to keep a permanent residence in the plastic bucket, that's great. I will not be losing any sleep over it either way.

Eric,

To keep the concrete and bucket together use about 4 sheet rock screws 4-6" from the bottom through the bucket, nails might work as well, before pouring the concrete in the bucket. The bucket and concrete will stay together forever.

Jim

 

[crazytrain]

I made some wheel weights for a garden tractor I had, doing the same thing. I left the bottoms of the buckets on to help protect them alittle more. I used my Dremel multimax to cut the buckets after I put the concrete in. I added a piece of wire mesh to each bucket to strenghten the concrete even more. I never had any problems with the concrete trying to come out of the bucket. But if you are worried about it do like JVB suggested and run a few screws into the side of the bucket while the concrete is still wet. These weights weighed in at 35 lbs each.








I only had 2 buckets to cut so I could see how the table saw would make for a faster cut. But the multimax did a pretty good and fast job of the 2 I had.

 

[familytruckster]

Put the 3 gallons of concrete and rebar in the bucket, let it dry, cut the rest of the bucket off with a sawzall using the top of the concrete as a guide.

 

[IONH]

I made some wheel weights for a garden tractor I had, doing the same thing. I left the bottoms of the buckets on to help protect them alittle more. I used my Dremel multimax to cut the buckets after I put the concrete in. I added a piece of wire mesh to each bucket to strenghten the concrete even more. I never had any problems with the concrete trying to come out of the bucket. But if you are worried about it do like JVB suggested and run a few screws into the side of the bucket while the concrete is still wet. These weights weighed in at 35 lbs each.

Good idea!

 

[formek]

Did you think about not cutting it t all?

I have seen guys use the full bucket for the same thing that you are talking about they just did not fill it all the way then they are stackable and still have there handles. Just a thought.

 

[formek]

I made some wheel weights for a garden tractor I had, doing the same thing. I left the bottoms of the buckets on to help protect them alittle more. I used my Dremel multimax to cut the buckets after I put the concrete in. I added a piece of wire mesh to each bucket to strenghten the concrete even more. I never had any problems with the concrete trying to come out of the bucket. But if you are worried about it do like JVB suggested and run a few screws into the side of the bucket while the concrete is still wet. These weights weighed in at 35 lbs each.




I only had 2 buckets to cut so I could see how the table saw would make for a faster cut. But the multimax did a pretty good and fast job of the 2 I had.

I think this is a great! good thought!

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

My volunteer group has a pile of weight buckets for holding down tents/canopies at events. We put in pipe in the center with a cap on the bottom of the to leave a hollow tube. We also put in the screw type ground anchor for pet tie downs to one side, then filled the bucket to about 3/4 full, leaving the pipe and pet tie down in place and just lower than the top of the bucket. This let us put the lid back on it.

Why?

We can put the lids on the buckets, stack them like any other set of buckets without issue. It keeps them clean as well. When you open it, you have options to either tie down canopies or slip the leg of the canopy into the pipe. Sometimes we do both. There's even space to keep a spare ratchet strap in the bucket this way for deployment.

Easy, simple, and effective.

I wish that we could PAINT that plastic, but nothing seems to stick to that stuff!

 

[HAP]

Use a "Hot" wire.

 

[Bruce4310TX]

i went to the local tire shop they gave me enough used lead weights to do six 1 gal buckets melted down works great and easier to move around.