Plastic 55gal barrels/drums... where?

[Jay870]

I'm looking for some "gee, never thought of that" places you guys have been able to score some free/very cheap large plastic 55 gallon barrels.

None of the area bottling companies have them... they either don't use them at all, or have deposit/exchange arrangements with their suppliers.

The only place we've been able to find a ready supply of them is at a local cherry processor and they want $15 each. We've bought a dozen or so from them but that gets expensive. Even though they have literally hundreds and hundreds stacked in their yard they won't even cut us a bulk purchase break on the price and I've tried laying on the the "we're non-profit, volunteer driven" angle with no success.

I see some videos posted where it appears the club has dozens and dozens... so where are you finding them?

[Thomas Moore]

try some car washes.

[Airedale]

See if there is an industrial plastic grinding facility (recycling) in your area.

We had them on the yard, in the past. I shipped about 3K of them ~a year ago. We don't accept them anymore.

Dave

[-JQ-]

The local Coke bottler used to sell them for next to nothing.

[Hammer]

I have picked some up from a roofing company that applies foam insulation to roofs.

Hammer

[sskp1]

I've also seen them at Pressure washer suppliers and distributors, another angle to try is a industrial solvent facility if you have any close. Also if you have any trucking companies around you they sometimes buy antifreeze and washer fluid in the plastic barrels. Hope this helps, Kevin

just saw you were in michigan, I would also try some of the state highway departments, I would think the liquid deicer would come in those drums

Edited April 10, 2008 by sskp1

[JThompson]

I can tell you where to buy them, but shipping would kill you... you need to find something local in the places suggested.

[Jay870]

Thanks guys, some good ideas in here.

[walter hornby]

try your local water treatment plant or food processing plant. some chemicals and liquid chlorine comes in them. also try the local dog food plant. chicken fat comes in them as well.

[kevin c]

You got any wineries up your way, or may be breweries?

We get free small barrels (gotta check the size, but perhaps 25 or 30 gallons) from a local winery. No, they're not oak, but a nice bright Dillon blue. Some clarifying agent for the wine comes in them, food grade stuff so we don't have to worry about toxic agents. They're also straight walled rather than curved.

[J-Ho]

I was shooting from behind one at a match once and happened to notice a VERY pungent smell. The barrel used to contain soy sauce. There was still a little in the bottom of the barrel, God knows how long it was there. Soy sauce and time are not good friends.

Wherever you get barrels, be sure to at least rinse them out.

[AWLAZS]

Look in the free section of you local newspaper. We almost always have them available in our paper.

[wide45]

try your local water treatment plant or food processing plant. some chemicals and liquid chlorine comes in them. also try the local dog food plant. chicken fat comes in them as well.

I got a few from a water treatment plant. They were paying to have them hauled away. Original content was a powerful deodorant. Our stages did not stink.

[colt]

I got mine at the local dairy . Some kind of chemical was in them that they use. They were free !!

[Jay870]

Made quite a few calls today and still no luck. I did find a spray-in insulation place that had some but they still wanted $10 a pop. Called wineries, road commision, public works, roofing & insulation companies, orchards, cleaning companies... the list goes on.

It probably doesn't help that we don't live in the most populous area but I can't help but to think someone is sitting on a pile of them somewhere just wishing they'd disappear.

[rooster]

try industrial laundries. they get their soap in them, hose them out and they are perfectly clean.

[LPatterson]

Check with K.I. Sawyer property disposal or the International airport at Sault Ste Marie, the aircraft deicer comes in plastic drums.

[gmantwo]

If you live anywhere near a major river, the Ohio, Upper Miss, lower Miss or Illinois they're easy to find. I'm a river Captain heading downriver from Ashland KY and the river is rising fast. I'm seeing 100+ a day just floating along. They tend to get caught in trees and in bends on the river as the water level falls. FREE BARRELS!!

[John Heiter]

We got our most recent ones off of Craig's List.

[Ray Van Valkenburg]

One of the shooters out here works at a prison and he gets them for free. They were used for "Bio-degradable" soap.

Ray

[SA Friday]

Try a large airport around the area. The barrels are used to carry potassium acetate, an aircraft deicer and also what makes the latrine water have that aciditic smell. Find out which company services the aircraft latrines and talk to them about getting some barrels from them.

A long time ago, I used to service aircraft for the AF, and we would go through a 55 gal barrel every two days or so. Larger airport will probably go through about 3 or 4 a day. A really big airport probably goes through dozens a day.

BTW, potassium acetate is environmentally safe antifreeze. The original stuff we used to use was ethylene glycol, bad ju-ju.

[frenchwrench]

Janitorial services at hospitals use and throw away about 5 a week.

[chriss044]

We just picked up 48 barrels at our local reservoir/water treatment plant at the beginning of the month. And they still had approximately 50 or 60 in stock. The best part they were free.

A word to the wise, call first, the place is patrolled by armed guards and they don't take kindly to unannounced visitors!

[hf219]

Schools!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to your local high school, if its a descent size. Typically during the summer when all the kids are outa school, they polish the floors, at least they do at my regional high school. They usually get a dozen or more 55gal drums, plastic. Any place that has thier own cleaning crew on a commercial, high volume service, like a school, hospital, libraries, county government facilities. In fact try your county government buildings and grounds foreman. They will usually have lots of that stuff sitting around collecting dust. Hope this has proded you in the right direction. H!

Edited May 15, 2009 by hf219

[John Baier]

Jay, shoot me your email. I can hook you up with some from our club.

We're located in Brighton MI

~John