55 gallon drums what can I make out of them?

[wookie in the forest]

Guys and gals,

 I have access to 20 plastic 55 gallon drums that are sitting around my work. Some were windshield washer slovent (methanol) drums, others were degreaser and the rest were bulk car soap. My question is what can I make out of this many drums? A pontoon boat for sure, but what else? My father gets bored waiting for the garden to grow and needs projects. I needs ideas!

Who's got one?

Dave B

[calamityjane]

Guys and gals,

 I have access to 20 plastic 55 gallon drums that are sitting around my work. Some were windshield washer slovent (methanol) drums, others were degreaser and the rest were bulk car soap. My question is what can I make out of this many drums? A pontoon boat for sure, but what else? My father gets bored waiting for the garden to grow and needs projects. I needs ideas!

Who's got one?

Dave B

My cousin is making a couple of go-carts out of them. 

[“Mark”]

Guys and gals,

 I have access to 20 plastic 55 gallon drums that are sitting around my work. Some were windshield washer slovent (methanol) drums, others were degreaser and the rest were bulk car soap. My question is what can I make out of this many drums? A pontoon boat for sure, but what else? My father gets bored waiting for the garden to grow and needs projects. I needs ideas!

Who's got one?

Dave B

Well I wouldn't use them for holding water, so that rules out everything I can think of.

[Roknrandy]

I've seen them (plastic) used as wind turbins. I'll try and find the sight.

[Roknrandy]

   http://thisismyusa.blogspot.com/2009/02/homemade-wind-turbine-built-using-55.html

also http://greenterrafirma.com/wordpress/homemade-wind-turbine-very-popular/

a compost toilet 

http://www.nationalwatercenter.org/plans.htm

[donaldj]

Wouldn't they make a good "large container" storage for all your mylar bag sealed food? I personally would use them for that, to keep them out of pest's way, especially if they have a wide mouth opening.

[Johnny Swampwalker]

If you have good sealing lids for them, you could use them for cacheing material in the ground in remote locations.

If you ever had plans for a greenhouse or a solar wall for your house (like a lean-to greenhouse), these would make excellent heat sinks. For a greenhouse, line the barrels up in a row, fill them with water and cap them. Put a board on the top for your plants. Water has more thermal mass than rock. It will store the excess heat during the day and release it when it cools down at night. You may not even need to open the vents on the greenhouse during the day, and your plants will appreciate a more even temperature.

This is what I plan to do with my greenhouse (when I get it set up) to mitigate against wild temperature changes between day and night. It should extend the growing season way past first frost.

[Freshman Preppy]

A restaurant nearby cut a bunch of them in half and then filled them with dirt. They put them in the parking lot, in a row, with a trellis.  They planted grape vines in the half barrels and then they climbed up the trellis, as a sort of barrier between the two rows of cars. 

[rmarrs]

I just posted about what I've done with mine: http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=7798.0

[spooky-1]

if you have a lake or are near one, you can make a floating platform out of wood and the barrels

[archer]

I found a page today where someone used a plastic 55 gallon barrel cut in half as a Top Bar bee hive.
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/barrel-top-bar-hive/

[Adam]

I couldn't begin to tell you exactly how, but I've seen them made into a composter "machine".  One that is horizontal with some sort of crank or similar mechanism that allows you to turn it ad speed up the composting process.

[johnlebris]

Compost bin:

envirosponsible Rolling Barrel Composter

You could get all fancy with gears to mix the compost or you could just roll it.

[Pukwudji]

If you watched last week's Colony episode, they made a washing machine with one.  Bicycle powered no less...

-Brian

[cdunlop]

That bee hive is really neat.  I would of never thought of that!

[mckeyes]

• Large fermentors for wine or beer.
• rain catch
• caches

[Roswell]

You could make a submarine!

http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=8872.0

[bushidorobb]

You could go over Niagra Falls in one!

[mckeyes]

You could go over Niagra Falls in one!

Like this?

[Synaptoman]

Aquaponic Growbeds

[Roswell]

Synaptoman, can you start a thread on your aquaponic system? I am very interested in learning more, but don't want to hijack the thread.

[Synaptoman]

Synaptoman, can you start a thread on your aquaponic system? I am very interested in learning more, but don't want to hijack the thread.

<Hijack>

Will do.  Just not sure where to put it.  Also my clay oven project.

</Hijack>

[Roswell]

<Hijack>

Will do.  Just not sure where to put it.  Also my clay oven project.

</Hijack>

I'd put it in the DIY section.

end hijack 

[reefmarker]

If you have a greenhouse they make excellent heat sinks.  Fill them with water and use them as table stands or as the north wall.  They will absorb alot of heat in the heat of day, and release it at night.  This helps keep the temp more uniform and may save you some heating costs.  If you clean them out good the water can be used to drink in an emergency, or at least to flush the toilet.

I used to get them from the local Pepsi bottler and they were food grade, but I could never get the taste out of them!  Even when filled with diesel, you could still get a hint of Mt. Dew!

[mobilus]

  Even when filled with diesel, you could still get a hint of Mt. Dew!

That's because Mtn Dew is more hazardous than diesel!

I cut a barrel down the side, removing about a third, then lay it down as sort of a trough, and lay cardboard and paper bound for the recycle bin in it.  Let it set in water a while to break the fibers down, then add to the compost.  Not necessary for composting, but it seems to speed up the breakdown.