The quest for the perfect bucket

[JAA]

My current little project has a slightly off vertical haul on the winch when pulling up buckets in a rift.

As the bucket doesn’t (and can’t) come dead straight up the shaft with only two people, square buckets (not withstanding that @braveduck ’s bucket is excellent) tend to spin and wedge in the narrower tapered part of the rift, which is a faff and means each trip my dogs vocabulary of swear words increases.

A bucket that is more cylindrical might help I suspect. Less corners and projections to catch on little protuberances. (And the less said about my little protuberance the better generally)

What has anyone else used? 30 litre “blue barrels” were my first thought? And if someone has used them any tips of attachment points so they stay fairly stable whilst hauling?

 

[shotlighter]

My current little project has a slightly off vertical haul on the winch when pulling up buckets in a rift.

As the bucket doesn’t (and can’t) come dead straight up the shaft with only two people, square buckets (not withstanding that @braveduck ’s bucket is excellent) tend to spin and wedge in the narrower tapered part of the rift, which is a faff and means each trip my dogs vocabulary of swear words increases.

A bucket that is more cylindrical might help I suspect. Less corners and projections to catch on little protuberances. (And the less said about my little protuberance the better generally)

What has anyone else used? 30 litre “blue barrels” were my first thought? And if someone has used them any tips of attachment points so they stay fairly stable whilst hauling?


View attachment 26369

Used them a lot and they're excellent. The ones we used had a metal band made to clamp around the top with a bail handle welded on with pivots.
Think Kibble but with a plastic body. If you don't have the facilities to engineer the handle you could perhaps substitute a ratchet strap for the steel band, with a rope loop handle. One good tip if you're digging through clay or soil, is to cut a plastic disc from the lid which loose fits into the bottom of your kibble. Then when you empty it, the spoil sticks to the plastic disc. This comes out with the spoil, instead of the spoil being stuck in the bottom of the bucket.

 

[Badlad]

Is it suitable for a tensioned guide wire in combination with a 'topped' bucket?

 

[braveduck]

My current little project has a slightly off vertical haul on the winch when pulling up buckets in a rift.

As the bucket doesn’t (and can’t) come dead straight up the shaft with only two people, square buckets (not withstanding that @braveduck ’s bucket is excellent) tend to spin and wedge in the narrower tapered part of the rift, which is a faff and means each trip my dogs vocabulary of swear words increases.

A bucket that is more cylindrical might help I suspect. Less corners and projections to catch on little protuberances. (And the less said about my little protuberance the better generally)

What has anyone else used? 30 litre “blue barrels” were my first thought? And if someone has used them any tips of attachment points so they stay fairly stable whilst hauling?


View attachment 26369

Yes a kibble bucket would be best , thread rope though at least three holes ,not two like mine and knot .Not copper ferrel like mine ,because that will only stand half a ton ,a kibble will be heavier ,so knot safer but a nuisance for catching . Then you need a strap on the bottom or you will never be able to empty it ! Hope this is of some help .

 

[JAA]

Yes a kibble bucket would be best , thread rope though at least three holes ,not two like mine and knot .Not copper ferrel like mine ,because that will only stand half a ton ,a kibble will be heavier ,so knot safer but a nuisance for catching . Then you need a strap on the bottom or you will never be able to empty it ! Hope this is of some help .

I’m thinking 3-4 holes coming together at a central knot as the handle so it hangs vertically? Does that sound about right?
PS, I’m still collecting those drums for you

 

[braveduck]

I’m thinking 3-4 holes coming together at a central knot as the handle so it hangs vertically? Does that sound about right?
PS, I’m still collecting those drums for y

I’m thinking 3-4 holes coming together at a central knot as the handle so it hangs vertically? Does that sound about right?
PS, I’m still collecting those drums for I

I’m thinking 3-4 holes coming together at a central knot as the handle so it hangs vertically? Does that sound about right?
PS, I’m still collecting those drums for you

I may have just what you want already made ,will go and have a look ,its in my lockup .

 

[braveduck]

The drum in my Lock up is not suitable... So go for one of those blue drums .

 

[JAA]

The drum in my Lock up is not suitable... So go for one of those blue drums .

Thanks anyway Dave!

 

[TheBitterEnd]

To avoid a similar problem with buckets catching on scaff in a shaft I made a bucket with a pyramid shaped top out of GRP (fibreglass). I've made other composite buckets, obviously they cost a few £ but you can make very specific sizes and shapes.

 

[JohnMCooper]

I find anything more than a simple loop handle just ends up under the mud when you empty it.

 

[JAA]

I find anything more than a simple loop handle just ends up under the mud when you empty it.

Thankfully it’s just rocks rather than mud!

 

[JAA]

 

[zzzzzzed]

View attachment 26441

If you had two haul loops at 90 degrees and sent them to the outside of the bucket, with the knot on the inside, it would help guide it past obstructions.

Better still, have two holes. Send the rope to the outside, in through the hole then back out through a lower hole with the knot on the outside (where it won't get f'ked by rubble)

 

[JAA]

If you had two haul loops at 90 degrees and sent them to the outside of the bucket, with the knot on the inside, it would help guide it past obstructions.

Better still, have two holes. Send the rope to the outside, in through the hole then back out through a lower hole with the knot on the outside (where it won't get f'ked by rubble)

My only thoughts with 2 loops is whether it would make emptying it harder

 

[JAA]

 

[Leclused]

Is it not possible to make the rift a bit wider in the problem section?

 

[Relict]

Hello, we, Angels OTN, Have been winch hauling these hoppers for the last 18 months. As several have opined, knots are better than the copper stopper version on normal dig bukkits. But yes they do catch a bit more. On the blue hoppers we use, there are plastic handles that we remove. After several hole- tears caused drums to be cancelled we started drilling through the black boss where the former handle attached and it's much more resistance to tearing. As has been mentioned a line across the drum base is essential to easily empty it. If gravity is your pal, hook this to your gantry and it will hang upside down to empty. We catch the base line to the winch and lift it. It also needs a forward belay line/ hook to prevent any crap going back down the shaft. Practice makes perfect. Thank you for the loose lid circle in the drum idea, that's a super wizz! The worst of these blue hoppers is the stuff sticking in then. The tapered top stops them jamming in the shaft but makes it hard to empty. Love this thread, it's a real thing!!

 

[braveduck]

Hello, we, Angels OTN, Have been winch hauling these hoppers for the last 18 months. As several have opined, knots are better than the copper stopper version on normal dig bukkits. But yes they do catch a bit more. On the blue hoppers we use, there are plastic handles that we remove. After several hole- tears caused drums to be cancelled we started drilling through the black boss where the former handle attached and it's much more resistance to tearing. As has been mentioned a line across the drum base is essential to easily empty it. If gravity is your pal, hook this to your gantry and it will hang upside down to empty. We catch the base line to the winch and lift it. It also needs a forward belay line/ hook to prevent any crap going back down the shaft. Practice makes perfect. Thank you for the loose lid circle in the drum idea, that's a super wizz! The worst of these blue hoppers is the stuff sticking in then. The tapered top stops them jamming in the shaft but makes it hard to empty. Love this thread, it's a real thing!!

Will make you a proper plastic Kibble !