Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Equipment Shed => Topic started by: DFCskip on July 08, 2020, 18:24
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Hi,
Has anyone successfully repaired a water butt with a small hole in the base? I’d really appreciate any repair tips.
Many thanks
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Yes, more than once (different leaks, although I had to re-do one I didn't get right first time.)
I used an electric soldering iron to melt the edges of the rupture back together, with a thin slice of plastic taken from the lip of the lid as 'solder'. Anything larger than a miniature soldering iron (mine is 15W) would probably be too hot and unwieldy to control.
Sounds fiddly, and it is, but I couldn't find a reasonably priced glue or solvent which would have done the job on plastic exposed to water and the elements.
Check it wasn't the stand causing the rupture - at least two of the punctures in mine were the result of the 'claws' of the stand compressing the corners of the butts (I cut them off with a hacksaw!)
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i must say i agree with what Mum has said although you haven't said if it was metal or plastic if its metal and easy to get at I've repaired those leaks by drilling a small hole where the leak is then using a bolt and 2 washer to cover the hole with some plumbers mate between the washer and the but and then using the other washer and nut tighten up sealing the leak that works fine or has done for me
as for a plastic mend you could do the same or as said use a solvent i bought some from Halfords that to has done the job ok
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As above depends on whether its metal or plastic.
I have mended a few watering cans with leaks.
A metal one I had was leaking from the bottom. I coated the inside base with bitumen paint and it has not leaked now for ten years.
I also have an old plastic one that had a poor screw type seal all around the bottom edge, but over the years it began to leak. It had this seal so you could remove the base and clean the inside of the can. I used Gorilla tape - Black on that, just a single layer all around the inside seal edge of the can and it has not leaked in its five years.
That can often sits for long periods with water inside it, as its wide top opening catches rainwater easily too.
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Hello I found a hot air paint stripper warms the plastic enough to run a knife down the split,hold the knife blade edge to the split then warm plastic and knife together ,had to do a barrel a month ago it got shot and when a piece of lead comes out I find the hole with a spout of water, jezza