What's the trick to preventing stacked plastic buckets from sticking together?

[subins...@gmail.com]

Like everyone else, I often stack similar sized plastic buckets,
but, over time, they almost always become close to impossible
to pry apart without excessive force and undue swearing.

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12718448/img/12718448.jpg

There must be a simple "trick" that prevents them from sticking
so tightly that one has to bang and curse to pry them apart.

What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
sticking together?

[Bob F]

I stack them in the right order so they stop before the sides tighten and stick.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per subins...@gmail.com:

>What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
>sticking together?

I had not thought about a solution - besides muttering to myself and
pulling.

But now that somebody has raised the issue.....

I am going to try dropping a small chunk of styrofoam insulation (broken
off from a hunk of the 1" blue stuff that litters the ground around many
local construction sites).

I'm thinking that anything big enough to prevent the sides of the
buckets from mating perfectly would do the job.... old golf balls, a
hunk of gravel, whatever.... it's just that I have a piece of the blue
stuff laying around.
--
Pete Cresswell

[subins...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:00:13 AM UTC-7, Bob F wrote:
> I stack them in the right order so they stop before the sides tighten and stick.

What does that mean?

There is only one "order" I can think of to stack similar-sized buckets.

And that is one on top of another.

[subins...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:22:42 AM UTC-7, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
> I am going to try dropping a small chunk of styrofoam insulation

> I'm thinking that anything big enough to prevent the sides of the
> buckets from mating perfectly would do the job....

I did try hanging thick paper real estate flyer on the edge
of the bottom bucket - and it seemed to have worked in my test,
but it was a pain to keep in place as I was assembling the
buckets, so, it doesn't seem to be the best of solutions.

Also, since these laundry buckets came with a small plastic cup,
I also tried putting the cup on the bottom. This seemed to have
worked a bit - but - of course - it makes the stack much taller
(by a few inches each bucket).

Those two relatively failed ideas were why I was asking in
the first place, since I can't be the only one to curse the
fact that the buckets are always stuck together when I need
them.

There must be a clever solution to this common problem.

[denni...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 11:00:13 AM UTC-4, Bob F wrote:
> I stack them in the right order so they stop before the sides tighten and stick.

Doesn't work when all the buckets are IDENTICAL.

They aren't "sticking" anyway. When the buckets get jammed together they form an almost perfect seal, so you are actually trying to break a vacuum when you pull them apart.

If you drilled a hole in the bottom of each bucket, I guarantee that they would pull right apart. However, since that defeats the purpose of a bucket in most cases, some way to prevent the buckets from getting jammed together is in order.

Some sort of spacer, like a chunk of blue foam as mentioned below, to keep the buckets slightly separated, seems like the best idea to me.

[denni...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 11:31:52 AM UTC-4, subins...@gmail.com wrote:
> I also tried putting the cup on the bottom. This seemed to have
> worked a bit - but - of course - it makes the stack much taller
> (by a few inches each bucket).

Doesn't have to be "a few inches" just enough to prevent the seal from forming.

A little experimentation will determine exactly what thickness you need. You then simply need one more bucket to hold the spacers while you're using the buckets.

[subins...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:35:21 AM UTC-7, denni...@gmail.com wrote:
> They aren't "sticking" anyway.

> you are actually trying to break a vacuum when you pull them apart.

Ah. That makes a lot of sense!

So, the trick would be to prevent or vacate the vacuum!

About the only way to prevent vacuum, without drilling holes (which,
I agree, would defeat the purpose of the bucket), must be to prevent
them from forming the vacuum in the first place.

[Bob F]

Similar is not the same as identical. It works for me. YMMV.

[Oren]

On Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:39:30 -0700 (PDT), subins...@gmail.com
wrote:

..try a tennis ball?

[Moe DeLoughan]

I bought a long roll of thin plastic tubing - the soft stuff used for
pond pumps. Drop a U-shaped length of the tubing into the bottom
bucket, leaving the long end of the roll of tubing hanging out. Stack
the next bucket, take the tubing and drape another U-shaped length
inside it. Repeat with each bucket. Instead of messing about with a
chunk of wood or styrofoam for each bucket in the stack, you just have
the single roll of tubing. Less aggro.

[subins...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:43:10 AM UTC-7, Bob F wrote:
> Similar is not the same as identical. It works for me. YMMV.

Actually, they're identical.

[nestork]

Really, what the trick is is to buy your pails from the same
manufacturer. There is no "standard" when it comes to the height, width
and taper on plastic pails, so as long as you mix different pails
together, you're bound to get some that will wedge themselves together
that they will be extremely difficult to separate.

However, if you look in your Yellow Pages under "Containers" or "Pails",
you will se companies selling plastic pails in your area. As long as
the pails you buy are made by the same manufacturer, they will all have
the same taper, height and diameter, so they'll nest together without
wedging tightly into one another.

Aternatively, maybe talk to any restaurant in your area and ask what
kinds of pails they throw out most often. Then, just as them to throw
those pails your way.




--
nestork

[dpb]

On 4/18/2013 9:51 AM, subins...@gmail.com wrote:

...

> What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
> sticking together?

Drop a short chunka' tubafor or similar in the bottom first--anything so
don't quite bottom out works...

--

[Stormin Mormon]

Would a chunk of slide trombonafour work?
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"dpb" <no...@non.net> wrote in message news:kkp6k5$5p8$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

[ChairMan]

If you have an air compressor, try taking an air blower and
blowing air down the sides.
it will break the vacuum and they'll come apart

[Dan Espen]

I'd throw out the buckets I don't need. Stacked like that,
only one is in use.

Another solution would be putting something in the way
so they don't air seal. Anything, a rag, some folded paper,
a short stick, or something larger in the bottom of the bucket.

--
Dan Espen

[harry]

Drill holes in the bottom to let in air to break the vacuum :-)

[Bob F]

You'd think the bucket manufacturers would have the sense to have the last rib
on the outside be at the right place to prevent sticking when stacked. Some of
them do.

FWIW, I've had some luck separating stuck buckets by directing a compressor air
jet nozzle at the touching surfaces to try to inject air between the buckets and
pop them apart.

[DerbyDad03]

On Apr 18, 2:13 pm, "Bob F" <bobnos...@gmail.com> wrote:

Seems to me that if the last rib was not a closed circle the vacuum
would never be created. Of course, that would be more expensive to
manufacture since you'd need to leave the gap(s) while making sure it
wasn't a sharp edge that would result in lawsuits.

[Ralph Mowery]

<subins...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:b8f15db0-871e-41a8...@googlegroups.com...

I have not tried it, but saw that if you take a piece of tubing around 1/4
inch in diameter and long enough to go from the bottom to the top of the
bucket with an inch or so longer, that would break the vacuum seal. You put
it in the bucket before stacking them.

[Gordon Shumway]

If you hadn't ignored the OP's link to the picture he posted

http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12718448/img/12718448.jpg

you would have seen the buckets were not only from the same
manufacturer but they were identical.

Pay attention there will be a quiz tomorrow! :-)

[dadiOH]

Put something in the bottom to prevent bottoming out. Doesn't matter what,
I use pieces of wood.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

[gen...@internet.com]

The only trick I ever found was to NOT stack them. Keep each one by
itself.

[Sjouke Burry]

subins...@gmail.com wrote in news:b8f15db0-871e-41a8-81ea-
25c376...@googlegroups.com:

leave a bit of water in each bucket?

[The Daring Dufas]

On 4/18/2013 9:51 AM, subins...@gmail.com wrote:

There have been several good ideas such as blowing compressed air down
the sides, putting paper or cloth down the sides and plastic tubing down
the inside to keep it from making a vacuum seal. Since your recycling,
do as I do and save the little plastic blow tubes like are used on
everything from canned air to WD-40. You can tape them to the sides of
the buckets and use them to prevent a vacuum seal. It's recycling two
different types of plastic. ^_^

TDD

[Bob F]

The vacuum seal is bucket surface to bucket surface, which combines with
friction between the two wedged together surfaces. In many cases, the friction
is the bigger problem. The compressed air trick will expand the outer and
contract the inner bucket, killing two birds with one blow.

[bob haller]

My X insited I buy thirty 30 gallon trash cans to store wood chips. So
I had a big stack of cans that all stuck together like glue...

I ended up drilling small holes in the bottom of each one to get them
apart......

Incidently my wife at the time and now my X used 3 cans of wood chips
and said toss the rest.....

what a waste of $$n:( I ended up giving the cans away.....

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per denni...@gmail.com:

>Doesn't have to be "a few inches" just enough to prevent the seal from forming.
>
>A little experimentation will determine exactly what thickness you need.

My first try was with a hunk of blue foam about 1" x 2" and it only
worked if it was more-or-less in the center. Way off to one side, and
the buckets mated.

Release 1.1 will be longer pieces - long enough so that they cannot wind
up too far off center.... like 8 or 10 inches.....

I'm also starting to think that scrap wood will be better because it
won't blow away after it's dumped out of a bucket.

Now that I'm thinking about it.....

If I were determined to spend some money, 1.5" or 1" dowl, cut
accordingly.
--
Pete Cresswell

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Apr 18, 7:10 pm, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid> wrote:
> Per dennisga...@gmail.com:

I have three stacks of three kinds of buckets. Each stack contains
identical buckets to the others in that particular stack. Two of the
stacks do not stick to each other because of the shape of the buckets
on the outside. The third stack sticks like glue. The buckets that
do not stick to each other have vertical ridges around the perimeter
near the top of the bucket that stick out far enough so that the
ridges keep the bucket from dropping fully down into the bucket
underneath it. Simple design that stops the sticking. Don't know if
there are any manufacturing or distribution advantages to non-stick,
but it sure makes it easier to use them around the house, garage and
garden.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

Put twine down the side of the bucket when stacking.

[Ed Pawlowski]

On Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:18:11 -0700, "Bob F" <bobn...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>

>
>The vacuum seal is bucket surface to bucket surface, which combines with
>friction between the two wedged together surfaces. In many cases, the friction
>is the bigger problem. The compressed air trick will expand the outer and
>contract the inner bucket, killing two birds with one blow.
>

Easier is to drill a hold in the bottoms so you don't get the vacuum.

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Apr 18, 9:36 pm, Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:18:11 -0700, "Bob F" <bobnos...@gmail.com>

> wrote:
>
>
>
> >The vacuum seal is bucket surface to bucket surface, which combines with
> >friction between the two wedged together surfaces. In many cases, the friction
> >is the bigger problem. The compressed air trick will expand the outer and
> >contract the inner bucket, killing two birds with one blow.
>
> Easier is to drill a hold in the bottoms so you don't get the vacuum.

That defeats the purpose of a bucket in most cases, unless you also
have a lot of old corks from wine bottles handy<g>.

[Bob F]

So would a piece of twine

[John]

On 4/18/2013 10:51 AM, subins...@gmail.com wrote:
> Like everyone else, I often stack similar sized plastic buckets,
> but, over time, they almost always become close to impossible
> to pry apart without excessive force and undue swearing.
>
> http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12718448/img/12718448.jpg
>
> There must be a simple "trick" that prevents them from sticking
> so tightly that one has to bang and curse to pry them apart.
>
> What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
> sticking together?
>

WD-40

[Roy]

A paper towel or two draped over the rims will do the trick for long
time storage.

[Red Green]

"hrho...@sbcglobal.net" <hrho...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:120147fb-5eca-4834...@t5g2000yql.googlegroups.com:

You're too damn picky.

:-)

[Steve Barker]

On 4/18/2013 9:51 AM, subins...@gmail.com wrote:
> Like everyone else, I often stack similar sized plastic buckets,
> but, over time, they almost always become close to impossible
> to pry apart without excessive force and undue swearing.
>
> http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12718448/img/12718448.jpg
>
> There must be a simple "trick" that prevents them from sticking
> so tightly that one has to bang and curse to pry them apart.
>
> What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
> sticking together?
>

don't have a trick to keep them from sticking, but if you blow down
between them with a blow gun and a hundred pounds of pressure on the
hose or so, they will slide right apart. (unless they were full of cake
icing or something. btdt )


--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

[steveos...@gmail.com]

It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole bottom off and they stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.

[Oren]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2014 22:15:24 -0800 (PST), steveos...@gmail.com
wrote:

>It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole bottom off and they stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.

Must be a local problem in Hillsdale, NJ.

[Adam Kubias]

On 2014-03-08 1:15 AM, steveos...@gmail.com wrote:
> It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole bottom off and they stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.
>

oil them?

gun oil after the fact, margarine before the fact.

[Mayayana]

| It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole
bottom off and they stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.
|

Don't put them together in the first place.

I usually just find a quart of paint, some rags, or
something similar to put in the bottom bucket if I
need to, say, take two of them to work. But
really, how many buckets can one use? I probably
have 3 1-gallon compound buckets altogether, for
anything where I need a plastic bucket. Three
buckets don't take up so much space that they need
to be stacked together.

[dadiOH]

<steveos...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7380d8fb-d41d-49fc...@googlegroups.com

> It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have
> cut the whole bottom off and they stick just the same
> almost impossible to get apart.

Leave the bottom and put something - a piece of 2x4 works - in the bottom so
the next bucket doesn't go down so far; keeps the tapered sides from wedging
like a tapered chuck.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2014 22:15:24 -0800 (PST), steveos...@gmail.com
wrote:

>It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole bottom off and they stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.

They were likely not completely clean, but if you run a twine down
the side of each bucket as you stack them you have a chance of getting
them apart later. Poly-twine like you use for pulling wires into
conduit.

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

The plastic just sticks to itself if in close contact for a long time.

[Andy Rand]

On Thursday, April 18, 2013 10:51:30 AM UTC-4, subins...@gmail.com wrote:
> Like everyone else, I often stack similar sized plastic buckets,
>
> but, over time, they almost always become close to impossible
>
> to pry apart without excessive force and undue swearing.
>
>
>
> http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/12718448/img/12718448.jpg
>
>
>
> There must be a simple "trick" that prevents them from sticking
>
> so tightly that one has to bang and curse to pry them apart.
>
>
>
> What "trick" do you use to keep your plastic buckets from
>
> sticking together?

No trick they are made to stick like flies on shit.
It is easy to get them apart if you know what you are doing.
Beat them with a baseball bat.

[The Daring Dufas]

I'd suggest using a piece of scrap Cat5 cable since I often have it
laying around. It will make enough of a gap for air to get by and you
find a use for your scrap. ^_^

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

On 4/18/2013 10:54 AM, Oren wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Apr 2013 08:39:30 -0700 (PDT), subins...@gmail.com
> wrote:
>
>> On Thursday, April 18, 2013 8:35:21 AM UTC-7, denni...@gmail.com
>> wrote:
>>> They aren't "sticking" anyway. you are actually trying to break a
>>> vacuum when you pull them apart.
>>
>> Ah. That makes a lot of sense!
>>
>> So, the trick would be to prevent or vacate the vacuum!
>>
>> About the only way to prevent vacuum, without drilling holes
>> (which, I agree, would defeat the purpose of the bucket), must be
>> to prevent them from forming the vacuum in the first place.
>
> ..try a tennis ball?
>
I wonder if the poor feller has found a solution yet since the first
post is almost a year old? ^_^

TDD

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

I've usually got the poly-twine around.

[Oren]

There are at least a dozen or so buckets around here. I don't have a
problems with buckets sticking together - they can be defeated.
--
Army Mechanized Infantry Artillery

[The Daring Dufas]

I have one of those pails full of it on the porch. The pail has a hole
in the top and a plastic plug in it to hold the poly pull string. That
stuff is handy for a lot of different things. ^_^

TDD

[Caulki...@work.com]

On Fri, 7 Mar 2014 22:15:24 -0800 (PST), steveos...@gmail.com
wrote:

>It is not a vacuum holding the buckets together. I have cut the whole bottom off and they
>stick just the same almost impossible to get apart.

I used to have that problem. Then I learned how to prevent it.
DONT STACK THE PAILS TOGETHER!

[Oren]

Maybe you could learn how to do it the correct way.

[gear...@gmail.com]

Best way to unstick is to put some ice cubes in top container and place the bottom container in hot water. Changes the air pressure in "vacuumed" area and they come apart with some twisting.

[Oren]

On Sun, 15 Feb 2015 13:03:36 -0800 (PST), gear...@gmail.com wrote:

>Best way to unstick is to put some ice cubes in top container and place the bottom container in hot water. Changes the air pressure in "vacuumed" area and they come apart with some twisting.

Best way is to prevent them from sticking together early on. Several
ways to do it without all that effort, wasting hot water, ice cubes
and twisting.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've had good luck drilling lots of holes in
the bottoms, and then using a red builders
brick as a spacer between each bucket. Adds a
bit of height to the stack, but much easier
to separate.

--
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Sun, 15 Feb 2015 13:03:36 -0800 (PST), gear...@gmail.com wrote:

>Best way to unstick is to put some ice cubes in top container and place the bottom container in hot water. Changes the air pressure in "vacuumed" area and they come apart with some twisting.

That does not "prevent" the problem. Sometimes it can solve the
problem To prevent the problem, just drape a twine down inside each
bucket as you stack them and they cannot develop a vacuum seal.

[Thomas]

On Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 5:26:25 PM UTC-5, Stormin Mormon wrote:
> I've had good luck drilling lots of holes in
> the bottoms, and then using a red builders
> brick as a spacer between each bucket. Adds a
> bit of height to the stack, but much easier
> to separate.

I have two big recycle containers with holes already there.
They are truly stuck. I drag them to the curb every other week.
I gave up a few years ago trying to get them apart.

[Oren]

On Mon, 16 Feb 2015 07:42:14 -0800 (PST), Thomas <cano...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>I have two big recycle containers with holes already there.
>They are truly stuck. I drag them to the curb every other week.
>I gave up a few years ago trying to get them apart.

Sounds like you need a bigger hammer.

[Thomas]

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 12:54:13 PM UTC-5, Oren wrote:
> >
> Sounds like you need a bigger hammer.

Tuesday is recycle day (Today). I'm not sure it will make it through the snow. I also think I will wait on the bigger hammer until it gets at least near freezing. I'm afraid to shatter one of them. The below zero crap if for the birds (who I do feed. The poor things)

[Oren]

On Tue, 17 Feb 2015 06:58:27 -0800 (PST), Thomas <cano...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 12:54:13 PM UTC-5, Oren wrote:
>> >
>> Sounds like you need a bigger hammer.
>
>Tuesday is recycle day (Today). I'm not sure it will make it through the snow. I also think I will wait on the bigger hammer until it gets at least near freezing. I'm afraid to shatter one of them. The below zero crap if for the birds (who I do feed. The poor things)

Thomas,

Will your trash/recycle service exchange the stuck containers for a
new set? Worth a call to them. Unless you own them?

[Jerr...@spamblocked.com]

On Tue, 17 Feb 2015 06:58:27 -0800 (PST), Thomas <cano...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

---

The best trick to preventing stacked plastic buckets from sticking
together, is DONT STACK THEM TOGETHER. I learned that the hard way.
But if you do need to stack them, just toss something in each pail
before stacking the next one. A couple inches of 2x4 scraps works fine,
or empty tuna cans, or bricks (too heavy for my tastes), or styrofoam
blocks, etc.... I normally use the 2x4 scraps.

[Ameri...@sbcglobal.net]

I have three I keep stacked. They are similar but not identical. Stacked in a certain way they will not stick so I have them numbered 1..2..3 with a permanent marker.

[JV-88]

replying to subinsilicon, JV-88 wrote:
The stick method seems to work. I drop a shim in each bucket. Shims are
various lengths, etc but have a nice variable thickness to them and don't
require a lot of maintenance to install. Depending on how many buckets you
have and how many you need to store defines the length of the shim. Of course
if the shim is not standing upright in the receiving bucket vapor lock may
occur. Shark Tank get ready for bucket shim!!

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/what-s-the-trick-to-preventing-stacked-plastic-buckets-from-745004-.htm

[cl...@snyder.on.ca]

On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:44:11 GMT, JV-88
<caedfaa9ed1216d60ef...@example.com> wrote:

>replying to subinsilicon, JV-88 wrote:
>The stick method seems to work. I drop a shim in each bucket. Shims are
>various lengths, etc but have a nice variable thickness to them and don't
>require a lot of maintenance to install. Depending on how many buckets you
>have and how many you need to store defines the length of the shim. Of course
>if the shim is not standing upright in the receiving bucket vapor lock may
>occur. Shark Tank get ready for bucket shim!!

A ball of twine works good. Just loop the twine to the bottom of each
bucket before adding the next bucket

[Ed Pawlowski]

Drill a hole in the bottom of them to let air in.

[RonNNN]

In article <bMxFB.19740$Q03....@fx44.iad>, e...@snet.net says...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=045__ojHb_g

--
RonNNN

[jnina]

replying to nestork, jnina wrote:
So, the Home Depot orange buckets stick together.

[dpb]

On 9/20/2019 11:14 AM, jnina wrote:

Put a short piece of tubafor or similar in bottom to keep from letting
one "bottom out" in the other.

--

[Clare Snyder]

put a thick string betwee nthe buckets

[Ed Pawlowski]

Suction is the problem as air cannot get in. Drill a few hols in the
bottom of each.

[dpb]

Isn't only issue..friction is, too.

[Oren]

On 9/20/2019 9:14 AM, jnina wrote:
> replying to nestork, jnina wrote:
> So, the Home Depot orange buckets stick together.
>
>

Try using Vaseline. You can also use it on your anus when they ream you at home cheapo.

[Wendy Whiner]

I use tubatoos because they're lighter.

[rbowman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD-ffhvefsw

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There%27s_a_Hole_in_My_Bucket

[Clare Snyder]

On Fri, 20 Sep 2019 22:40:22 -0400, Clare Snyder <cl...@snyder.on.ca>
wrote:

I've been using the twine trick for years - and IT WORKS

[Ivy Lane flowers and gifts]

Simply run hot water onto the outside bucket foe a few seconds. This expands the air between the buckets and also softens the outer bucket. Easy.

--
For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/what-s-the-trick-to-preventing-stacked-plastic-buckets-from-745004-.htm

[Marilyn Manson]

On Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at 6:15:13 PM UTC-5, Ivy Lane flowers and gifts wrote:
> Simply run hot water onto the outside bucket foe a few seconds. This expands the air between the buckets and also softens the outer bucket. Easy.
>

Easy if you are near hot water.

[TimR]

No. I've tried it. I've tried pretty much everything except drilling the bucket for a tire valve and using an air compressor.

The problem is the side forces. If the two buckets were exactly centered together, concentric around a common vertical axis, then the only forces resisting would be the friction from the point where the bottom of one contacts the side of the other.

But that's not how buckets nest. One is always tipped slightly, and that makes it near impossible to extract.

Try it yourself with a couple of plastic drinking glasses.

[Gronk]

TimR wrote:

> The problem is the side forces.
> If the two buckets were exactly centered together,
> concentric around a common vertical axis,
> then the only forces resisting would be the friction
> from the point where the bottom of one contacts
> the side of the other.
>
> But that's not how buckets nest.

If they're not too fragile after having been outside in the sun for ages,
I sometimes throw them onto concrete or the hardest soft ground I can find.

It only works about 1/2 the time (never on the strongest bonds).
Then I pry.

When I ponder drilling a hole in the bottom to insert an M80, I give up.

But I agree with all that sometimes they're damn hear impossible to separate
and I always wondered how the friction could be that super glue strong.

[Clare Snyder]

On Wed, 09 Feb 2022 23:15:03 +0000, Ivy Lane flowers and gifts
<6ad4b1087d99c2aa...@example.com> wrote:

>Simply run hot water onto the outside bucket foe a few seconds. This expands the air between the buckets and also softens the outer bucket. Easy.

To KEEP them from sticking put a piece of cord, or even a "slat" of
corrugated cardboard between the buckets when you stack them and they
will come apart slick as goose poop

[Marilyn Manson]

...or a small length of 2 x 3, 4, etc.

Makes the stack a little taller but they don't even think about sticking.

[alex]

Good idea, done this - trouble is if you plan on hauling/holding liquids, they will leak - just be prepaired to patch with a little silicon!

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[alex]

> tubafor
I looked up "tubafor" and nothing addresses this issue. What are you talking about!

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[alex]

> tubafor
What the heck is a tubatoo?

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[alex]

Great idea!!

[Scott Lurndal]

alex <aa19febaf6c659c5...@example.com> writes:
>> tubafor
>I looked up "tubafor" and nothing addresses this issue. What are you talking about!

A stick of lumber tu nominal inches by for nominal inches.

[Clare Snyder]

On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:03:38 +0000, alex
<aa19febaf6c659c5...@example.com> wrote:

>Good idea, done this - trouble is if you plan on hauling/holding liquids, they will leak - just be prepaired to patch with a little silicon!

Just throw a huink of twine over the edge of each bucket before
stacking them and they come apart like butter.

[Clare Snyder]

On Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:16:51 +0000, alex
<aa19febaf6c659c5...@example.com> wrote:

>> tubafor
>What the heck is a tubatoo?

2X2 or 2X4 lumber in hillbilly speek