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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.
    Water inside a homemade honey bucket filled to the level above the honey gate.
  • 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.
    Use knife to smooth edges of drilled hole to make a tight fit.
  • Thread your honey gate into the hole. The gasket goes on the outside with the plastic nut inside the bucket.
    Test fit of honey gate threads through hole drilled in 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.
    Water inside a homemade honey bucket filled to the level above the honey gate.

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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