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Materials used to make a gated honey bucket from a plastic pail.

How to Make a Honey Bucket

Charlotte Anderson @ Carolina Honeybees, LLC
Step-by-step tutorial showing new beekeepers how to make a DIY honey bottling bucket for easy honey bottling.
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Tools

  • Power drill with hole saw bit

Supplies
 

Instructions
 

  • Determine the best position for gate near bottom of bucket – you must leave enough space to be able to turn the plastic nut inside the bucket.
    Plastic nut for gated honey bucket inside the pail.
  • Use a marker to designate where the center of the hole will be. This is where the bit will start.
  • Five gallon bucket walls are rounded. Before drilling, we want to warm the plastic material and create a slightly flattened surface. Use hair dryer or heat gun to heat bucket wall near drilling area.
    Heat surface of plastic bucket with heat gun.
  • While the bucket is very warm (hot), apply pressure with a small piece of board. Hold for a few minutes until the surface starts to cool.
    Using piece of wood and pressure to flatten area of honey bucket.
  • Use a power drill, and a 1 3/4" hole saw to create an opening at the desired location.
    Hole saw drill bit used to drill a round hole in honey bucket.
  • After drilling, use a knife or similar to remove any burrs and smooth the opening.
  • Thread your honey gate into the hole. The gasket goes on the outside with the plastic nut inside the bucket.
  • Tighten the honey gate nut firmly. Make sure the washer is not pinched or wrinkled during tightening.
    New honey gate secured in food grade pail.
  • Always, test your gate seal with a small amount of honey. Actually, I like to test with a bit of water first. Honey is thicker - if the water doesn't leak out the honey likely will not.

Notes

  • It is always best to use a food grade bucket for food products
  • Be sure to tighten the little silver wingnut on the gate before adding honey.
  • Always test for leaks.
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