Sealing a bucket lid

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Maylar

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I'm using a standard plastic bucket for primary and for the life of me I can't figure out how to snap the lid on. The bucket is on a cart so I can't put a knee on it. I've tried whacking the edge with a mallet and block of wood but I get one side down and the opposite side jumps up. Ummm... is there a trick to this?

It's not really important, but I wanna hear the airlock bloop LOL. I do have a proper removal tool.
 
type of lid would help...or a picture.

some have a very tight fit and seal...like paint buckets.

Lowes and Home Depot sell "easy lids" which are well...easy...but still seal good for fermentation.
 
It's just a 6.5 gallon white bucket. It came from a LHBS. Right now it's inside my cooling jacket -

Cool Zone cart.jpg
 
You can try getting it warm. Usually plastic, uh, plastics easier when warm.

Can't tell from the picture, but the lid doesn't have the removable tab on it, right? Some lids are made for sealing and have a tab that can be pulled to remove a strip of plastic and are really hard to put on.
 
that's not a good picture. the lip or edge of the lids are various type.

Some are made to fit very tight. Such as when paint or Petroleums are the content.

There is a thing called a bucket/pail/lid opener...they are very effective on tight sealing lids. I used them before going to Gamma Lids on my grain buckets.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bucket+opener&ref=nav_bb_sb
 
I'm using a standard plastic bucket for primary and for the life of me I can't figure out how to snap the lid on.
It may not be you. Unfortunately these white buckets are very generic. Many manufacturers, who sometimes change their design (or source). Then the retail shop orders from multiple suppliers, and the lids go in this box and the buckets get stacked over there. The ability to keep it all straight is near impossible. Often it looks like it should work, but just will not. It is on us to verify when we purchase.
 
That's nuts! I have never had to do anything more forceful than bang the edge of the lid all the way around with the heel of my hand. And I have never needed a special tool to remove them. Go back to your LHBS where you bought it and make sure they didn't give you the wrong lid for that bucket.
 
Go back to your LHBS where you bought it and make sure they didn't give you the wrong lid for that bucket.
I've had it for 10 years and the LHBS is no longer in business. The lid does snap on if it's on the floor and I can get my weight on it. I've used the bucket to transport cider from the orchard and it doesn't leak a drop. I also have other lids like an orange Homer lid that I'll check for size.
 
Sometimes this works. Place your palm on the ridge part of the lid and your fingers under the tabs. Lift with your fingers, palm steady, bending the lid slightly upward then drive your palm down. Almost like breaking the seal. This changes the angle. Make sure your nails are short and don't catch! If you get it work your way around from that point.
 
My gut says that lid is too small. Looking at the pic you posted, the inner circle has a lot of flat spots from being forced onto the bucket. It may work with enough force, but a better fitting lid will be a lot easier to work with.
 
The Homer lid fit just right. Click, click, done. I'm wondering if the lid I was using actually was for the bucket.
That lid looked more like it was for shipping product, not reuse. They are definitely hard to replace and remove as you would want to do as a brew bucket.
Menards sells a lid that is more like a sour cream or cottage cheese lid. Its easy to R&R but it is not a perfect seal.
I use one to cover my crush bucket after I mill.
 
Standard lid AFAIK.

View attachment 866976

My Homer lid looks like it'll fit, so I'm going to drill it for a grommet and see if it's any easier.
that's what comes on a paint or petroleum bucket. very tight fit, even after removing the pull tab.

yes you can use it, but it will always be tight. just get an "easy lid" and move on with life.
 
I used to have a couple of those on my fermenting buckets, and they never sealed airtight. They are nice for grain storage buckets that you're opening often, but not worth the extra cost over standard lids for a fermenter, which you're not really opening often anyway.
 
I used to have a couple of those on my fermenting buckets, and they never sealed airtight. They are nice for grain storage buckets that you're opening often, but not worth the extra cost over standard lids for a fermenter, which you're not really opening often anyway.
I've found they seal pretty damn tight. I had one snapped on once and pressure built until it blew the lid off.

I've racked beer with the lid snapped on and after a few ounces, the spigot stopped due to vacuum.

I have to leave an edge slightly lifted to ferment and allow pressure to escape. It's not gonna suck anything back in.

I use gamma lids for grain storage (I bought them years ago) but these would probably do just as fine for long term storage.
 
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