Almost every artillery unit has been there. The season is beginning and the sponge bucket leaks water almost as fast as it is put in.
Do we soak it in the bathtub, coat it with brewer’s pitch, install a plastic liner — or do we both leak- and rot-proof the bucket for less than $7?
Lube the bucket with a quart bottle of 80/85/90 weight manual transmission and differential lube, chainsaw bar oil, or inboard and outboard motor lower unit. Whether dried out or just emptied and still damp, it can be salvaged.
Find a shallow container or tray large enough to accommodate the bucket and fill the container 1/8- to 1/4-inch deep with your choice of petroleum product. Set the bucket in the oil.
Throughout the process be sure to maintain at least 1/8-inch of liquid in the container. Do not put oil inside the bucket.
Oil may be added in very small amounts down the outside seams and on the wood end-grain at the top of the staves. Repeat as necessary.
According to the type of wood, style of joints, dryness or dampness of wood the process may take only a few days, but in extreme case, a few weeks. My dried-out bucket took four weeks.
If the bucket is damp the oil will still soak into the wood as the water evaporates, eventually replacing the water. A trace of oil may be noticed in the water. Often this treatment results in a little iridescence. This is harmless if not allowed to accumulate over a period of days or weeks.
The steel or iron bands will benefit from the oil’s ability to retard rust.
The disadvantages to this process are:
• The outside of the bucket must be scrubbed with Spic and Span or a similar cleaner to prevent the oil from getting on garb and gear.
• The bucket will not hold paint unless it is wiped down with a rag saturated with gasoline, xylol or lacquer thinner two or more times and then painting. [Editor’s Note: we never recommend using gasoline and suggest trying turpentine or mineral spirits instead.]
Use quick-drying paint or have the paint store add drier as the oiled wood will retard drying. Allow plenty of time for drying — use the sun or use the oven at 125-150 degrees with the door open at least halfway.
Oil-base stain may be applied before or after the treatment if paint is not needed.
With an old leaky bucket, big bucks for a new one and a nearly empty wallet? have you got to lose?
About the Author: Longtime contributor William R. Anderson of Galion, Ohio, is with the 7th Co., 3rd Regiment, 1st Continental Artillery, 1780