I used lots of paint in the apartments, about 50-80 5 gallon buckets a year! My brother got half for his farm, and I kept half. Anytime a friend needed a bucket, we'd give them one. I had 20-25 buckets in a row just to catch rain water by the garden, these lasted between 1 and 2 years, the UV rays are very rough on plastic. My brother had similar results with buckets left in the pastures for the horses to drink from. The solution? more free buckets! In the stalls, my brother (or mostly his wife!) uses firm rubber buckets, when the water freezes, they use a hammer to break the surface or clean out the bucket, you won't do that to any plastic bucket, twice!
I got a few of the "Food Grade" pickle buckets from White Castle, they are the same stuff and last the same.
Now indoors; I cut buckets into 9-10" tall tubs and fill with about 50# of nails, attach a handle out of rope, through a foot of garden hose. Set it inside a regular bucket with 50# of nails in it The lid may or may not fit, just use some nails and it will fit! Kept in a building or a covered pick-up truck, At 25 years, they get lost or stolen before they break!
I'm 62 and my brother is 67, we look at it as, in not too long, we'll be kicking the bucket! It won't say Yeti on it!
Ivan
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