Using a 5 gal bucket as a used oil container

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I ask this question to find out if I had a bad bucket and luck, or whether the bucket I had was not compatible with oil, used or otherwise.
Even though I have one of the old Blitz oil containers, I found that it always needed to be emptied at inopportune times. Therefore, I wanted one of the five gallon buckets with a spout in the lid. Since I have no source to get a used 5 gal bucket for oil or hydraulic fluid, nor do I wish to buy one full of fluid to empty, I thought that I would make one myself. After searching, I sourced a lid to fit a five gallon bucket with a spout built in the lid, and purchased a five gallon "Homer" type bucket at Menards.
This worked great for several months, until today then I got in my shed to pull the tractor out and found the floor coated with about 3 gallons of used motor oil. It appears that the bucket leaked from the dead center of the bottom, inside the area that has the center circle in the bottom. Cleaning it up made for a fun afternoon.
Before I do this again and expect different results, would oil have a reaction that caused the plastic to degrade in this area? If so, what type of plastic would support this kind of usage and where would I source such a bucket. Thanks in advance for the assistance.
 
Check the little triangle on the bottom, what type of plastic? Both my Home Depot and Menards buckets show type 2 which is HDPE and should be quite robust.
 
ask a local painter for some empty buckets. me being a professional painter, i have more than enough buckets. they work good. and seal tight.
 
Go behind a restaurant with a deepfryer. usually any asian restaurant will do. look for the 5 gallon veg /fry oil containers . they work great for used oil
 
Originally Posted By: Egg_Head
Look at the bright side, your shed floor is now treated for termites.


LOL and probably much better than any of the stuff they use today to treat for termites.
 
Kitty litter bottles rock for used oil storage. Wide neck, large capacity, thick enough to hold the weight.
 
I'm sure it's too big of a container for most people on this site, but my local oil distributor gives away empty 30 and 55 gallon steel oil drums.
These are perfect for storing oil and the old oil then goes to a local shop that burns oil for heat during the winter.
 
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Kitty litter bottles rock for used oil storage. Wide neck, large capacity, thick enough to hold the weight.


This is what I have been using for years. Get a cat today everybody.
grin2.gif
 
From personal auto parts store experience.... The best cans to dump waste oil are

Solvent cans ( 5 gallon)

And

Gas cans


They pour the best and any person @ the store can dump them
 
Auto body shops have empty 5-gallon metal cans, usually from thinner/reducer.

Gotta keep the little "foldable spout" out of the sunlight.
 
Originally Posted By: leroyd92
From personal auto parts store experience.... The best cans to dump waste oil are

Solvent cans ( 5 gallon)

And

Gas cans


They pour the best and any person @ the store can dump them


I'm a chemist, and I've been snagging empty 20L cans(now usually 18 or 19L, 18L is almost exactly 5 gal) for storing fluids for a while. I figure if they're safe enough to contain something highly flammable like ether and be shipped by slapping a UPS label on the side of the can they're good enough for anything I could throw at them.

With that said, we get our tax-free 200 proof ethanol in 5 gallon HDPE jugs(albeit I typically order the 1 gallon ones for handling reasons given our difference in cost) and I use those for things like mixing up coolant.
 
Originally Posted By: leroyd92
From personal auto parts store experience.... The best cans to dump waste oil are

Solvent cans ( 5 gallon)

And

Gas cans


They pour the best and any person @ the store can dump them
its illegal here to use those. Has to be an approved oil container. If not they refuse you.
 
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Jerry can. Perfect for used oil storage. Only thing, when you take can to have it dumped be sure the cap is securely attached using something to back up the chain most cans come with.
 
Find a friend with a cat and get old 2 or 3 gallon jugs they bought cat litter in. Nice wide screw top.

I have an endless supply even though I encourage my cat to go out.

Cat are good mousers if your in need of a mouser.
 
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