# Best way to cut out bottom of a 5 gallon bucket?



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I want to grow some sunchokes as I really love the flavor of them but KNOW they would go wild here if I'm not careful. Plus, I love the flowers that smell like chocolate to me as well. I'm thinking I could cut out the bottom of 5 gallon buckets and bury them deep so the roots will be easy to harvest without missing any. my question is since it's pretty tough plastic on these buckets, what would you do to cut them out?


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## Katey (Oct 1, 2007)

A sawzall?


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## Katey (Oct 1, 2007)

Maybe a sabre saw if you have one would be easier.


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

Cut off the botton 3/4 inch with a circular saw using its rip fence as a guide. Set the blade depth only 1/2 an inch or so more than the bucket side is thick.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Are you cutting on the flat part or on the round sides? If you want to cut out the flat bottom, use a jig saw.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

all good info but also you could put your sunchokes in a raised bed..and they probably won't spread beyond it..esp if the bottoms of the boards are buried a little..

i have very invasive plants in raised beds and they generally stay where theya re

also the 4" plastic edgeing might work, i use that in a lot of my gardens here..find it at Menards garden center


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Raised beds would cost me $$$ unless I could find some wood somewhere tossed out on the curb. I have the buckets though, which would cost me nothing and I wouldn't have to buy dirt to fill it up either, I figure I can cut each bucket in half so I won't have to dig too deep to bury them. I can borrow the tool to cut the buckets either from my neighbor or my FIL.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

We use a skilsaw. One person holds the saw, the other holds and rotates the bucket or barrel. The person holding the saw simply holds carefully. They do not move the saw around. Having a good base to rotate the drum on helps a lot. Get going and you can do a lot of these quickly. This works great for cutting down 50 gallon barrels to be animal feeders, waterers and such.

Do be careful when playing with power tools, provided you wish to continue doing so...

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa


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## HOTW (Jul 3, 2007)

I had to cut hole sout of 5 gallon buckets a year ago. I used a drill to make a hole large enough for the jugsaw to get in then went to town.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

Why not just drill large holes in the bottom. Then dig a hole, put the bucket in and put the dirt back in the bucket. This is what I did with mints years ago. It has kept them from spreading.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

well, I thought about that and then thought maybe if I do that when it rained it may not drain so well. We tend to get a LOT of rain at a time.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I'm lo-tech, and I'd go with HotW's advice. Drill a few holes in the bottom around the circumference (that a jigsaw blade would fit into), insert jigsaw and go to it. Heck, even one hole would get you started and allow you to finish the job. Three minutes, tops.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Use your drill press and an adjustable hole saw bit set at 10" to 10.5" (depending on the size of your bucket)


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