# Any advice on drilling a port in a bucket?



## BernardSmith (Nov 6, 2013)

I often make very small batches of wine (single gallons) more by way of experiments but it is a challenge to fill bottles from such a small carboy. I have a small food grade plastic container to which I want to fit a spigot and use as a bottling bucket. I am thinking of drilling a hole on the bottom (and not the side) and supporting the container a few inches above the table surface so as not to put any weight on the spigot. My question, Does anyone have any tips about how I should drill the container. I have a one inch bit with a center (it may be called a hole saw, not sure) , But is there a way to effectively drill a semi rigid plastic container without the plastic ripping or tearing? Thanks


----------



## Rocky (Nov 6, 2013)

Bernard, place a sacrificial board under the bucket and drill from inside to outside. That will give you a clean hole on the inside and a good gasket will ensure a tight seal. Also, drilling into the board will keep the drill bit from wandering and give you a nice, neat hole. Good luck.


----------



## cpfan (Nov 6, 2013)

BernardSmith said:


> I often make very small batches of wine (single gallons) more by way of experiments but it is a challenge to fill bottles from such a small carboy. I have a small food grade plastic container to which I want to fit a spigot and use as a bottling bucket. I am thinking of drilling a hole on the bottom (and not the side) and supporting the container a few inches above the table surface so as not to put any weight on the spigot. My question, Does anyone have any tips about how I should drill the container. I have a one inch bit with a center (it may be called a hole saw, not sure) , But is there a way to effectively drill a semi rigid plastic container without the plastic ripping or tearing? Thanks


Personally, my opinion is "don't do it".

You don't indicate what problem you are having with filling bottles, but I would suggest a small auto-siphon, some 3/8" id hose, and a bottling wand.

Steve


----------



## BernardSmith (Nov 6, 2013)

cpfan said:


> Personally, my opinion is "don't do it".
> 
> You don't indicate what problem you are having with filling bottles, but I would suggest a small auto-siphon, some 3/8" id hose, and a bottling wand.
> 
> Steve



First, Thanks Rocky. I will take your advice if I don't follow cpfan's. 
Cpfan, The problem I have with a small auto-siphon is that I have not found a clamp that will hold the auto siphon at a short height above the floor of the carboy. So I need three hands. One to hold the priming tube, one to prime and one to make sure that the siphon does not touch the floor of the carboy. I have found clamps that will keep the bottling wand inside a bottle and I have made a rig to keep the bottle upright.. so if I there is a clamp that holds an auto siphon inside a 1 gallon carboy at a desired height then I don't need a filling bucket


----------



## Rocky (Nov 6, 2013)

Okay, I see what you are trying to do. I agree with CPfan, don't drill if you don't have to drill. I would go the Home Depot and get one of these. I bet it would work.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-2-in-Spring-Clamp-80002/100027346#.UnqBrMIo6M8


----------



## the_rayway (Nov 6, 2013)

Or go to the grocery store/Ikea and get these: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70083252/


----------



## wineforfun (Nov 6, 2013)

BernardSmith said:


> First, Thanks Rocky. I will take your advice if I don't follow cpfan's.
> Cpfan, The problem I have with a small auto-siphon is that I have not found a clamp that will hold the auto siphon at a short height above the floor of the carboy. So I need three hands. One to hold the priming tube, one to prime and one to make sure that the siphon does not touch the floor of the carboy. I have found clamps that will keep the bottling wand inside a bottle and I have made a rig to keep the bottle upright.. so if I there is a clamp that holds an auto siphon inside a 1 gallon carboy at a desired height then I don't need a filling bucket



Bernard,
Not sure if I am completely following you but here is my take on things.
I bottle most all of mine from 1 gal. carboys. I have a 12-14" racking cane and then approx. 2' hose. I put the cane in the carboy, then suck on the end of the tube to get the flow going. I usually have 5 bottles sitting side by side and just move the tube to each, only losing a small amount along the way. 
So far, this has worked well for me.


----------



## BernardSmith (Nov 6, 2013)

Rocky said:


> Okay, I see what you are trying to do. I agree with CPfan, don't drill if you don't have to drill. I would go the Home Depot and get one of these. I bet it would work.
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-2-in-Spring-Clamp-80002/100027346#.UnqBrMIo6M8



THAT is EXACTLY what I am looking for... Thanks Rocky.


----------



## BernardSmith (Nov 6, 2013)

the_rayway said:


> Or go to the grocery store/Ikea and get these: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70083252/




I live in upstate NY. I think the nearest IKEA is about a half day's drive from me.. What are these clips used for?


----------



## cimbaliw (Nov 6, 2013)

Are you concerned about sucking sediment into the auto siphon? If so consider racking just prior to bottling. It'll make for another carboy to clean but it's well worth it.

BC


----------



## jpsmithny (Nov 6, 2013)

I use the clip on the autosiphon and jam it down against the mouth of whatever carboy or bottle I'm siphoning from. That keeps it at the right height. 
A spring clamp is just fine also.

If you must drill, use a 1" paddle bit. I've done it several times and never had a problem.


----------



## BernardSmith (Nov 6, 2013)

cimbaliw said:


> Are you concerned about sucking sediment into the auto siphon? If so consider racking just prior to bottling. It'll make for another carboy to clean but it's well worth it.
> 
> BC



Nope, the issue is really about adding priming sugar to create a sparkling wine. If I am working from a single gallon carboy I have no room to add priming sugar in the carboy and so my options - I think - are either to add the sugar to each bottle or to add the sugar to a bottling bucket. But my bottling bucket is about 6.5 or 7 gallons and the spigot is a good inch or more above the bottom. That distance is not a problem when I am bottling 5 gallons but it is a good pint or more of wine and when I am bottling a gallon 12 percent is large percentage to fiddle around with. So I was looking for a small bottling bucket and I cannot find any. If I had my druthers I would make a conical bottling bucket with the spigot very close to the bottom ( I had this idea of attaching an inverted funnel to a tube and attaching a stop cock to the end of the funnel - voila! a conical bottling bucket but I have not been able to find food grade adhesive that would be strong enough to seal the unit. But I do have a food grade container - about 1 gallon and then some and it is fairly rigid so I am thinking why not drill a port in the bottom and attach a spigot. Hence my question...


----------



## jamesngalveston (Nov 7, 2013)

I fill bottles by hand not by vacuum..

I cut a round big enough to fit over my carboy, with a hold just big enouhg to slide my racking cane through....then I just use a rubber band to hold in place and can adjust my depth of my racking cane very easily.

cost...about 10 cents.


----------



## cpfan (Nov 7, 2013)

There is a clamp designed specifically for the auto-siphon. One size for standard & mini, and a larger size for the large auto-siphon.

http://fermtech.ca/siphon%20starter/siphon.html

I have no idea which stores carry this.

Steve


----------

