Rain Barrels - make or buy?

My summer water and sewer bills were more than my electric bill. Time to start collecting free water for the garden. I've been doing some research on how to make rain barrels, the only problem is finding cheap food grade barrels. Plenty of places sell ready made rain barrels for about $120 -- I need 3 of them. Does anyone know where to get food grade barrels? Or is it easier to just buy the ready made rain barrels?

I have been wondering the same thing.

I see barrels for sale on craigslist in the "farm and garden" section from time to time. There are made up ones there now for $95.

Oh, I see some others for $60

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/grd/1079157335.html

This message was edited Mar 19, 2009 12:40 PM

Do a search. There was a discussion on this here last year. Of course, like most topics here, it was probably buried in 300 posts on another subject. LOL I think Sally (?) talked about a source for the barrels.

Thank you Claypa. I just contacted the seller.

Check with your local County Extension Office. I was just at a program run by the Master Gardeners, that had a very nice one on display for about $75. Honesty I really can't understand why they are so very expensive.
I took a picture of these at the Phila Flower Show. They sure were pretty but I bet they would be very pricey.

Thanks HollyAnnS, I'll check with my local extension. I agree, the materials are really cheap, you just need to find the right barrel.

Thanks!

Between wrightie and me, we were trying to get them from a Pepsi plant, one's in Landover and another in Baltimore. Maybe search in MidAtlantic Forum for "Pepsi."
It seems like you get better results with the most specific search that won't give you a bunch of ohter things.

THe Pepsi ones were to be no more than 15 for each barrel. add the cost of making.

Between wrightie and me, we were trying to get them from a Pepsi plant, one's in Landover and another in Baltimore. Maybe search in MidAtlantic Forum for "Pepsi."
It seems like you get better results with the most specific search that won't give you a bunch of ohter things.
Ah ha- go here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/803973/
and search the thread for JennGroves. , about a third of the way down. That member actually got some last year. for 5$ for the plain barrel.

There is a co-op thread for rain barrels right now. Check it out.

There is a guy over in Rossville that sells used barrels for 10 or 15 bucks each. Many have labels, so the previous contents can sometimes be determined. Kyrlon makes a Fusion paint for plastic in a wide color range, about $5 a can ,and plumbing could be as low as $6-7 for PVC. So I'm thinking under $25 a piece is possible. Ric

I also put a link in that other thread to a set of instructions from Arlington Echo, a county school environmental center here.

I picked up a couple of those pepsi barrels - can't beat that price as long as you don't mind some DIY work.