Used oil storage

[OccupantRJ]

I scarfed a 5 gallon detergent bucket from work, scuffed and painted over the label area with blue paint, then labelled the can with 1/2" stencil using silver spray paint. A hole was drilled and tapped in the lid to accept a 1/8" NPT pipe ******, with a hex pipe cap to vent while pouring, and to seal in transport. The funnel force fits into the opening to keep it upright while filling. Nothing special, but it's the little things that add up to make a more usuable shop.

 

[steel 35]

I have been collecting pieces for something similar, if I quit looking at this site maybe id have it done

 

[bgott]

That funnel will flop over and screw you if you don't watch it. However, my problem might be that I'm usually draining three gallons at a time out of a big pan so I'm dumping more weight in oil than it wants to handle. I have a bunch of junk piled up so there are usually leaves under stuff, I rake up a pile of leaves and set the bucket in the middle of the pile. Any spillage is soaked up by the leaves and then it gets raked into the burn pile.

 

[OccupantRJ]

That funnel will flop over and screw you if you don't watch it. However, my problem might be that I'm usually draining three gallons at a time out of a big pan so I'm dumping more weight in oil than it wants to handle. I have a bunch of junk piled up so there are usually leaves under stuff, I rake up a pile of leaves and set the bucket in the middle of the pile. Any spillage is soaked up by the leaves and then it gets raked into the burn pile.

The funnel is really stable, as there is a lower serrated ring even with the lid of the bucket that grips the funnel when inserted. I pour one oil change at a time into it.

 

[PassnThru]

No - it won't do.
Someone sees a potential problem with it so just throw it away now and admit your failure and please refrain from posting helpful hints in the future.
It's a shame really - I liked it

 

[onemore]

Looks good and if it spills, some speedy dry! Spilt oil isnt the biggest deal. I use a oil 5 gallon military style gas can works well for me.

 

[930dreamer]

I used the 30 gallon steel barrel that the safety Kleen man never picked up. I need a waste oil heater now.

 

[metal1313]

i use a 5gal paintbucket with a screw on lid and pouring hole. same sorta bucket really

 

[steel 35]

Guess my 2.5 gallon ***** just won't work.

 

[therealwormey]

,,thats nice, but personally i wouldnt have bothered painting used oil on there because theres always enuff spilt on mine to see what it is

 

[Buck_nekid]

I goto fast food restaurants and ask them to save me the 5 gal. jugs the frying oil comes in, it is usually pumped into 55 gal. barrels out back for collection so they don't reuse the jugs. Like this pic. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VBoxOdQ3iWE/TOZ5SO7TeGI/AAAAAAAAAOA/zbw63AsT8g8/s1600/DSC03785.JPG

 

[Stephenw]

The plastic spout on those buckets can get brittle and crack.

I'm using a Blitz container that is made for the task...

http://shopngarage.com/2011/03/recycling-used-motor-oil/

 

[chrommagman]

I use a old cocking oil container, I think it's 5 gal but it mite be 4. so far it holds 4 oil changes. ... I have to go drain that soon!

 

[5lima30]

Great idea! I like repurposing things!

 

[brownbagg]

I use to have one of those 20 gallon oil barrel, then went to a 55 gallon. But they are a beech to move around full. Oil guy not going come get it. I 'm not going be able to load on my truck so know I use a five gallon bucket and then pour back into the jug it came from and drop into the dumpster.

 

[TurboMustang370]

Since my F-350 is high enough and takes 15qts. of oil, I just slide the 5.5 gallon bucket right under my truck and drain the oil straight into that. Lid goes on and off to the recycling center.
side note - we had a problem with people dumping used oil and tires behind shopping centers and in the woods, so the township now accepts them for free.

 

[lowbucktruck]

I have a plastic 5-gallon bucket like that with the top, but mine is a blue Chevron oil container. Handy for waste oil, but not really big enough for oil changes from my truck. Price... free! I found it on the side of the road.

 

[justanengineer]

I used the 30 gallon steel barrel that the safety Kleen man never picked up. I need a waste oil heater now.

A heater in TX? Why?

Seriously though, my father used to store used oil in several 55 gallon drums then sell it to a recycler every few years. ~2007, I warned him the EPA was cracking down on people like him, and not to be storing it in bulk. He said, my property = no EPA/government allowed. Guess what? They drove in one day unannounced and he needed a very good lawyer and a few thousand $$$ to get out of it. Apparently when you have a property through which a significant amount of water flows, and have a few piles of iron rusting, the DEC and EPA just might call on you personally.

That being said...nice job on the oil bucket to the OP.

 

[Steves32]

I use this. Holds 20 gallons.

 

[Garage5.9]

I usally store it in here

 

[rockchucker]

Basically all Parts Houses take used Oil for free here in Seattle. I use Steel 5 Gallon Penofin Containers. I used to use Race Fuel Cans until the Cheapo plastic necks started breaking on them. Since I just give it to the kid working and wait I like having a Steel sealed lid on the container for transport. You never know when some idiot pulls out in front of you or smashes into you and your 5 gallons of cat piss smelling Gear Oil soaks your rig from top to bottom!

Good use of a 5 gallon bucket though!

 

[Greatbear]

At home have a pair of 25-ish gallon steel drums that all the waste oil gets poured into, I take these to the recycling center or to a buddy's shop that has a WO furnace. At my shop it goes into a 275gallon tank that gets emptied by the recycler.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I have been using a bucket like I posted here for years, just never got around to making one more like part of the shop equipment until now. I keep mine under the parts washer until it's full, then take it a couple of miles to a county dump site and pour it into their recycling tank. The lid, caps, weight when full, and pour spout makes this an easy transport and disposal task, so I never store more than 5 gallons at a time.

 

[scott37300]

I have 4 of the same ones, think they were printing ink pails in their past life. Those pull out spouts are amazing! I use 2 for antifreeze and 2 for waste oil. The local dump takes up to 10 gallons of each at a time.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm using a 30 gallon plastic drum. I drilled a hole in an old bung and RTV'ed a big funnel in it. It worked great till I used it. Have you ever seen draining oil burp ? It makes a mess. After one to many burps, I took another bung, which had threads in the center and finished drillit out. Glued up a couple of PVC elbows and a threaded adapter, now I have a vented oil barrel that doesn't burp.

 

[houdni]

 

[bad_idea]

i know a couple are kidding, but it would seem one or two of you actually dump oil illegally? come on! every parts store around here takes it for free. that stuff has a resale value, so they are making money. tree hugger rant off.

simple, but effective waste oil stowage. i use a 2 1/2 gallon cat litter jug. it has a wide mouth cap that makes it easy to pour the drain pan into. nice work

 

[NUTTSGT]

I know they take it at the local recycling facility. . . paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, and used oil, a few more things I believe.

 

[dude67]

I had too many gas cans in my shop used a 6 gallon for used oil. Works great.

 

[DodgeZ]

7 gallon. around 10 bucks at walmart...

 

[chrommagman]

in AZ Autozone takes it for free

 

[Steves32]

Around here- 5 gallons is the max they take at 1 time.

 

[galute]

It's a 40 mile round trip for me to the nearest recycling center so I don't bother wasting the fuel to go there. I just dump it a gallon or two at a time into the fuel tank on my old F350 diesel pickup. It loves the stuff and it's worth 4 bucks a gallon as fuel now.

 

[fattogatto]

I believe Federal Law requires that any store selling oil must take it for recycling - across the country. Pouring it down the drain is definitely an idiot's solution.

 

[brownbagg]

thats one of the problem around here, they make such a fuss in taking it, only if you buy your oil from them will they take it, plus you got the hassle of gas money to drive all the way to town to give it away that they wont take. the price different from buying oil at walmart compare to the parts house is a couple dollars

 

[BillK]

I know this one has been brought up before. If you have an Automotive Machine SHop close by, ask them to save the jugs that thier honing oil comes in, They hold 5 gallons and have a nice screw on top with about a 3" opening. I have one for oil and one for antifreeze.

The picture is from Goodson, the older Sunnen jugs were much heavier if you can find them. The five gallon jug is the square one on the left.

 

[johnzcarz]

Years ago Walmart was selling the 5Gal translucent kerosene containers for $4. Picked up a few and they have been in service since then. When they get filled I drive to the recycling place and dump them right into the collection container. I used to go to the nearby quick oil change place but it was a hassle - sometimes they made me wait up to 20 minutes to dump the stuff for me...I got the hint.

 

[nate379]

Maybe after many years? I have been using the same pail for probably 10 years and it's still fine. I did take the lid off not long ago and scrapped the junk out the buttom. Was probably 2" thick.

When it gets close to full I just dump it out in the burn barrel when I have a good fire going in there.

A clear pail would be handy though, cause I have overflowed it once or twice. Bigger container would work too, but would be too heavy to dump out.

The plastic spout on those buckets can get brittle and crack.

I'm using a Blitz container that is made for the task...

http://shopngarage.com/2011/03/recycling-used-motor-oil/

 

[scott37300]

thats one of the problem around here, they make such a fuss in taking it, only if you buy your oil from them will they take it, plus you got the hassle of gas money to drive all the way to town to give it away that they wont take. the price different from buying oil at walmart compare to the parts house is a couple dollars

Walmart takes used oil also.

 

[bgott]

If you are here in Houston there is a used oil recycling station in the back of the FFM card lock station on McCarty Dr.. It is unmanned, you can dump there 24-7. It is unmarked on the road, I learned about it from noticing people dumping oil while I was fueling vehicles at the CNG pumps back there.