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  • Water butt repair

    I've only had my allotment for about six weeks and since then I've aquired two water butts. They both came with a problem each. The first one I got had a hole for a tap at the bottom. I sorted that initially by getting the stalk of a sprout plant and using it as a bung, but after about a month it started leaking.

    I figured that I could get a tap from B&Q or somewhere and use that to plug the hole, but I reckoned that I'd never use the tap, so I wanted a cheaper alternative. What I tried was to get a plastic 2 litre milk bottle and cut out four circles, two of which were about two and a half inches across and two that were about two inches.

    I cleaned all around the hole and let it dry, then I took one of the smaller circles and put some silicone sealer onto it and put it over the hole on the inside. I then got one of the larger circles and put some sealer onto that and then placed that firmly over the top of the smaller circle on the inside. I then repeated the proceedure on the outside with the other two circles, and then forced out the silicone so that it oozed out from beneath the circles of plastic, and then wiped it off so it didn't look too tatty.

    This is what it looks like.



    I only aquired the second butt a few days ago from a fellow allotmenter who said it was going to waste cos he wasn't using it. When I started filling it with water though, I found it had a 3 or 4 inch split in it half way down. Again I got a plastic milk bottle and cut four pieces out of it, only this time they were oval in shape, and stuck them to the butt.

    This is the second one.



    I admit they don't look very pretty but so far they are doing the job and keeping the water in. I hope to be getting a shed in the next year or so and when I do I'll be fitting a gutter and a drainpipe and feeding them into the butts. When I do that, I'll turn the repairs towards the sheds side so they can't be seen.

    I'll be keeping an eye on them and will let you know if the repairs fail. I don't see why they should though and it could work out to be a nice cheap fix.

  • #2
    I reapired mine ith chemical metal 12 years ago rather as you did.. Still going strong

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    • #3
      That's brilliant. Well done. I've got an old filter hole in my rigid pond liner that I've been wanting to fix. I might try and find some black/dark plastic bottle to try instead.
      Last edited by BFG; 29-05-2009, 06:13 AM.

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      • #4
        Just thought, disposable containers might not be fully UV resistant. Might be a good idea to keep the patches out of direct sunlight just in case.

        Only saying that, because I know UV light is damaging to pond liners and normal cheap bubblewrap.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by BFG View Post
          Just thought, disposable containers might not be fully UV resistant.
          I keep comfrey tea in old milk bottles ... in full sunlight. They have held up very well so far.
          The old fabric conditioner and washing liquid don't. The caps splinter after a season.
          All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by BFG View Post
            Just thought, disposable containers might not be fully UV resistant. Might be a good idea to keep the patches out of direct sunlight just in case.
            Good point. When I get the shed they'll be turned to the dark though. As it is, one is north facing at the moment and the other facing south west but it is pretty shaded. I will turn that one north as well when I've used a bit of water out of it.

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            • #7
              very ingenious, it never fails to suprise me how ingenious us allotmenteers can be. we can see all sorts of uses for things thrown out by a lot of people. we must be the original re-cyclyelers as it has been going on on allotments and in gardens for years. hope they hold out for you and let us konow how you fair with them. no shame in making do as they can be £5 each and more to buy. good luck all.

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              • #8
                have you filled the butts rigt to the top yet...cos there will be a lot of pressure there.
                My phone has more Processing power than the Computers NASA used to fake the Moon Landings

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by NOG View Post
                  have you filled the butts rigt to the top yet...cos there will be a lot of pressure there.
                  Yes. That was the first thing I did once the silicone was dry. The main thing is that two layers of plastic are on the inside so the water is always pressing them against the butt rather than away from it.

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                  • #10
                    I will have to remember that.
                    My phone has more Processing power than the Computers NASA used to fake the Moon Landings

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