cheap, good rain barrels

14 years ago

I went to a workshop put on by the Cooperative Extension Service at the botanical gardens yesterday, where they demonstrated some ways to make rain barrels, and had other people showing pictures of cistern and other rain storage/rain garden techniques. The most useful news to me was that you can call the Coca Cola plant out near the birmingham airport, and they will sell you these nice, heavy duty plastic 55 gallon barrels (cleaned, that once help coke syrup in them.) They cost $5.50 each. So after buying some minor hardware to attach them to you gutter and attach a faucet/valve, you can have a really nice barrell for less than $30. I've seen peple selling the same thing on internet web sites for $150, mostly due to cost of shipping a big barrel I'm sure.

Just thought some of you would like to know. Ive got 2 rain barrels connected together, but I saw some some tips to improve the overflow (they fill up FAST in decent rain.) I plan on making a couple more now that I know where to get the barrels.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (16)

crappiefisher
14 years ago
Thanks for the info!
0
tsmith2579
14 years ago
Wow, $5.50 each is cheap. Thanks for the tip.
0
Related Discussions
Rain Diverter for Rain Barrel
Q
Comments (8)
I'm with you, Chris ... don't want to spend money where I don't need to ... I'd rather *divert* it to the stuff I really need/want. However, I don't know if letting the rain barrel just overflow is a good idea; maybe it depends on where one lives. We've extended our downspouts out a bit from the house to avoid water problems. It isn't uncommon here to get heavy downpours on frozen earth (sometimes with a nice layer of snow), so if the water is discharged close to the house, naturally it goes where the earth is most pourous, i.e., right next to the foundation. (Glad to see I'm not the only one with household projects hanging ... seems that houses, like gardens, are never finished.)
...See More
Pouring down rain, impromptu rain barrel.
Q
Comments (27)
Actually, the more I think about it, it definitely is a siphoning effect. The water level always drops to around 1/3 when this happens, and I have 3 rain barrels all connected together. Too much of a coincidence for it to ALWAYS drop to 1/3, with me having 3 rain barrels. I have my overflow pipe coming up from the bottom of the middle barrel in the configuration, with a hose connected at the bottom and running into the yard. Ideally, as the water level rises, it hits the upper level of that pipe (inside the barrel) and starts draining out the overflow right down the center of the barrel and into the yard. HOWEVER, my center barrel also happens to be a closed system. Other than the overflow pipe, there is no outlet to exchange air for the water coming into the barrel (the outside barrels both are vented - one with downspout entry, the other with a nail-sized hole on the top). So, when that middle barrel completely fills up (like it does in a downpour), it then completely fills up the overflow pipe and siphoning effect occurs. It then siphons ALL the water out of the outside 2 barrels, until enough water is siphoned out so that the level drops to the top of the overflow pipe in the middle barrel. It then slowly levels out the water from that 1 full barrel to all 3 barrels. That's why it's always roughly 1/3 full after this phenomenon occurs. To fix this, I need to get some air exchange happening in that middle barrel. To do so, I have to eliminate the "closed system" aspect of my middle barrel. I can do that by simply putting a nail-sized hole in the top like I did in the other. I think I'll try that first. Oh, and the reason I didn't see this happen when I tested this before, is that I didn't let the water completely fill high enough and long enough for the siphoning effect to start. It would have been a period of time AFTER the barrels all appeared full. I obviously didn't wait long enough. I think that makes sense to me. Make sense to anybody else?
...See More
food-grade barrels wanted for rain barrel project
Q
Comments (4)
yes... I searched many of the old threads. However, I did manage to locate a number of excellent barrels by using the Minnesota Material Exchange web site. There are a number of business that list drums (as well as other materials such as pallets) that they want to get rid of. I would highly recommend anyone looking to find cheap or throwaway materials for a project to check there. I had to make a road trip out of it, as the barrels were in Central MN... but it was worth the drive! I got 9 barrels that are white, somewhat translucent, with markings on the side for how many gallons are in each. They used to hold vanilla, so no cleaning will be needed. I paid $5/each for them. For anyone interested, I found the following link which has inspired me on this project. (http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/adams/audrey/water_barrel.htm) Thanks for the help! Here is a link that might be useful: elevated rain barrel idea
...See More
Rain Barrel source in Richmond?
Q
Comments (6)
Hi my name is Richard Beasley, there are barrels for sell near the Deap Water Terminal. I worked there off loading from ships from around the world. I know that thy do sell the traditional steel barrels (55 gallons) . I think the guy said they are twenty dollars a pop. I have toyed with buy one or two. I if you would like one, and if you don't live a quazillion I will pick one up for you. Maybe we can cut them in half and use them as a planter for Japaneses Maples. These are 55 gallon drums, and they last next to ever. Please don't ask what was in them however, Chapin Sprayers explained to me how to remove any harmfully contaminates. Double wash the barrel, then wipe them out with charcoal litter fluid, then just flush twice. I live in the west end close to Westbury,and Tuckahoe Middle School plus the new Library is just three blocks away, you know the libriray that let tens of thousands of dollars for landscap plants just die. At their request I wrote a indepth Report analysis why. If you just pay for some gas and when I get there pay for the barrels. I prefer to do it when you husband is home because I don't like people being suspicious,
...See More
tedevore
Original Author
14 years ago
The phone number of the Coke plant for info on the $5.50 barrels is 841-2653.
You could saw them in half and make really cheap big planters for that price. The master gardeners at the BBG are also ordering some 275 gallon tanks from Georgia that you can connect to your downspout. they will be ready to go with hose bibb connection and overflow pipe, and they cost $150. Thats not bad considering they hold more than 5 fifty gallon barrels. I plan on getting one of those...I have two rain barrels and a small 100 gallon cistern already,and they all fill with a 0.25 inch rain. I enjoy using any drop I can on the yard instead of water that would raise my sewer bill--you know, the sewer system run by the rats nest of thieves and incompetent morons we have here in Jefferson County. (and how about the lawyers who are going to get all the occupational tax money still taken out of our checks and held in escrow...what a great place to be a lawyer!)
0
haley45
14 years ago
Todd, thanks for the information about the rain barrels. I know that I'm always super excited when another governmental body decides take more money out of my paycheck. You'd think that they money they got for my business license would suffice. What type of law do you practice?
0
tedevore
Original Author
14 years ago
The master gardeners/extension service at the botanical gardens has this website with info for buying different sized ready-made barrels at the gardens.

http://www.aces.edu/~gloveta/barrelorderletter.htm

haley45, I don't practice law. Just amazed at how well some that do siphon off the tax base in this county.
0
haley45
14 years ago
Sorry, I misundertood your earlier comment. Most lawyers are not blood-sucking leaches, although I'm sure that there are some that are (as in any profession). And I can personally guarantee that Birmingham isn't THAT great of a place to practice law right now (at least not for those of us that have gotten laid off due to the economic downturn or are recent law school grads). Please don't burn me at the stake at the fall swap because I fessed up to my dirty little secret, LOL :)
0
tedposey
14 years ago
Haley, I believe the thieves and incompetant morons that Tedevore referred to are Polititions and most of them are blood sucking leaches. LMAO
0
airydana
14 years ago
Hey Tedevore, what color are the Coke barrels? Can you post a pic of your barrel config please?
Thanks for good info. I've been interested in this for a while now, but all the commercial ones I've seen (for $150+) are an atrocious "pool blue" color or some other offensive hue...
0
tedevore
Original Author
14 years ago
The Coke Barrels are white, and that is what I have, but as you can see (hopefully) you can spray paint them as I did. One advantage of the blue kind of barrels (which you could also paint) is that the whole top comes off, making it easier to do the occasional clean out. (i only need to rinse out mine maybe once a year, as grit from the roofing tile will get in the barrel some over time.)
If i were goint to make mine over again, I would fix it so a larger hose (I use a 1.5'' diameter) would lead out from the barrels as overflow, because during a good rain they fill up too fast for a smaller opening. I'm getting another 275 gallon tank from the botanical gardens tomorrow. Yippeeeee!

{{gwi:365577}}

Here is a link that might be useful:
0
gardeningjam
14 years ago
Fantastic idea! I'm calling first thing Monday morning! This is my first time on the site but I'm reading it everyday from now on. Thanks.
0
airydana
14 years ago
Thanks Todd, you're always sharing such good info.
0
adamhickman
11 years ago
The price is (1/22/2013) $11 a barrel now. You can pick them up between M-F between 8 and 1. 4600 East Lake blvd, 35217 is the address and you can pick them up from the glass building in the front.
0
squirrellypete
11 years ago
Thank you for posting this updated info Adamhickman =). I just so happen to be looking for barrel sources right now.
0
squirrellypete
11 years ago
Hi all....I'm needing a couple of the 55 gallon plastic barrels / drums WITH REMOVEABLE LID AND LOCKING RING. I've seen a number of sources for the "closed top" sealed kind that simply have the bungs in them which make great water barrels.

However, I am trying to find the open top kind where the lid comes off and they are resealed with a metal closure/locking ring. My farmer friend had some that I borrowed one time and they were so handy but the person he used to get his from no longer has them. I've only found one ad on Craigslist that advertises them for $30 and it's Southeast of Atlanta which isn't exactly my neck of the woods. I'm on the AL/GA state line. If I'm gonna' go for a drive I'd rather head West into AL than to Southeast Atlanta any day of the week.

Thanks in advance if anyone knows. I can buy a Rough Neck 44 gallon Heavy Duty Trash Can but I'd rather have some of these drums if I'm gonna' spend the money.

Danielle
0
birdiewi
11 years ago
Thanks Adamhickman! I will definitely go get a couple next week.
0
kolet66
11 years ago
Great info! Thanks for sharing.

Kim
0

cheap, good rain barrels

Comments (16)

crappiefisher

tsmith2579

Related Discussions

tedevore
Original Author

haley45

tedevore
Original Author

haley45

tedposey

airydana

tedevore
Original Author

gardeningjam

airydana

adamhickman

squirrellypete

squirrellypete

birdiewi

kolet66

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

cheap, good rain barrels

Comments (16)

Related Discussions

tedevoreOriginal Author

tedevoreOriginal Author

tedevoreOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

tedevore
Original Author

tedevore
Original Author

tedevore
Original Author