# Lucky me primary bucket



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

Take a look at the new primary bucket that came my way yesterday. Looks to be 10 gallons and extremely thick and sturdy with screw on lid with gasket. Compliment of Fed-Ex hazardous material department. 

No telling what it cost me I am figuring about $95.00, counting the four bottles of busted fruit smoothie puree that busted on the way to one of my customers and shipping there, back and there again with replacement product.

But I have been wanting a extra sturdy 10 gallon plastic bucket with screw on lid for some time now. I vacuum pump in and out of primary to save my back and the sides suck in under the vacuum on the typical primary buckets. I think I will ask my friendly fed-ex terminal manager to comp me two new ones. Yipee!


----------



## JordanPond (Feb 15, 2012)

Very Nice!!


----------



## Flem (Feb 15, 2012)

Now that's a serious bucket. Cool! I hope it cleans up for you or is it new?


----------



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

Flem said:


> Now that's a serious bucket. Cool! I hope it cleans up for you or is it new?


New, just had a big thick blue Hazardous Materials plastic bag in it with my damaged fruit bottles. The bag was sealed well and the bucket is completely clean inside. I doubt it was ever used before.


----------



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

Underneath it says it's 10.7 us gallon. Plus .125 N.R.C. HDPE not sure what all that means.


----------



## Wade E (Feb 15, 2012)

What numbers are on the bottom of a regular primary? Its been awhile since I looked and cant remember. That is a sweet size!!!!!


----------



## Runningwolf (Feb 15, 2012)

Great bucket. I get tired of snapping on and off the lids.


----------



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

Wade E said:


> What numbers are on the bottom of a regular primary? Its been awhile since I looked and cant remember. That is a sweet size!!!!!


As I check actually the same numbers. Why I am so excited si that the side walls of this bucket are at least twice as thick as the regular buckets. And tons of reinforcing rings around the top. I know there is no way the vacuum will suck in the sides. Plus the lid is extra thick.


----------



## Wade E (Feb 15, 2012)

Thats a freaking sweet deal Tony!!!!


----------



## Kev (Feb 15, 2012)

*Hdpe*



tonyt said:


> Underneath it says it's 10.7 us gallon. Plus .125 N.R.C. HDPE not sure what all that means.



That is High Density Poly Ethelyene, no cheap PVC here. You got yourself a very good bucket, that should be food grade.


----------



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

The Fed-ex guy told me that the buckets they use to repackage haz-mat material has to meet all kinds of governmental regulations for safe shipping. Since they (fed-ex) don't know details of how to handle every item they have to go with the most safe and secure. I'm still going to talk them out of a couple more.


----------



## tonyt (Feb 15, 2012)

Wade E said:


> Thats a freaking sweet deal Tony!!!!


Did you read the part about it costing me (my company) about 95 bucks in product and shipping.


----------



## Flem (Feb 15, 2012)

I just emailed my son-in-law who works "inside sales" for FedEx to see if he can track one down for me. I love the screw top idea.


----------



## ibglowin (Feb 16, 2012)

Isn't that covered if you file a damage claim with FedEx. Obviously you packaged it properly and they broke it during shipping.



tonyt said:


> Did you read the part about it costing me (my company) about 95 bucks in product and shipping.


----------



## Flem (Feb 16, 2012)

Mike is right. You should be filing a claim. Good Luck!


----------



## tonyt (Feb 16, 2012)

Flem said:


> Mike is right. You should be filing a claim. Good Luck!



Laughable . . . Then I could add several hours of my warehouse managers time messing with Fed-ex paperwork and inspectors. I'll just talk them out of a couple more buckets. Actually all that would be covered would be the product itself, not the shipping charges. Now if (when) they crush a $6000.00 espresso machines we file a claim!


----------



## ffemt128 (Feb 16, 2012)

I have a friend that works for fed ex, may have to make a phone call about new primary.


----------



## FTC Wines (Feb 16, 2012)

If these buckets are as good as they look, maybe one of our vendors can find a source & sell them. Someone makes them for Fed Ex. Roy


----------



## ibglowin (Feb 16, 2012)

The big question that has not been answered is are these food grade. Probably not I would guess as they were meant to just clean up damaged spills so they could be returned to the sender.

If you want a 10G food grade fermenter you can find 10G Brute trash cans from Home Depot. They are food grade.

Here is a 10G fermenter from one of our Sponsors as well.


----------



## Dugger (Feb 16, 2012)

I just happened to go to the library to pick up a book and while there browsed some home handyman magazines. One of the articles was about screw top lids for 5 gal buckets - they are a 2 piece lid; one piece snaps on to the bucket with a gasket and the other piece screws into this piece. They are called Gamma Seal lids, are food safe and come in various sizes. I don't think they will fit my regular fermenter buckets but should fit the normal 5 gal ones - I can see this would be handy for a corkidor and great for canoe storage buckets.


----------



## Flem (Feb 16, 2012)

You're right, they might not be food grade. I think what everybody is liking about them is that it would be airtight allowing both vacuum racking and fermentation to "dry" in the primary with the ease of a screw top.


----------



## BobF (Feb 16, 2012)

I haven't tried one yet, but these will seal a regular bucket and provide a screw on lid:
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24282&catid=686


----------



## Rocky (Feb 16, 2012)

I think I might snag one of those gamma seals and use it on a bucket from L'Uva Bella. Should work for the white wines without skings. They do not say whether they are drilled for an airlock (I would think not) but that would not be a problem and George sells the gromments.


----------



## Dugger (Feb 16, 2012)

Rocky - you can also just drill a hole to accept the bung without a grommet if you wish. I usually drill a hole to accept a #6.5 or #7 bung to match the carboy setup, but you can match any size bung you choose. I then don't have to worry about the grommet being pushed in and one less place for nasties to hide.


----------



## Runningwolf (Feb 16, 2012)

I've done the same thing as Dugger. Steve showed me that trick several years ago. Really though, I just lay the lid on and rack to a secondary carboy. Juice buckets have very little sediment.


----------



## tonyt (Feb 16, 2012)

Flem said:


> You're right, they might not be food grade.



this is one company I found selling the exact bucket. They are going to let me know tomorrow if they are food safe. Check out the price each! Wow. Lucky me!
http://www.newpig.com/us/pig-reg-10-gallon-overpack-salvage-drum/PAK181


----------

