prepping

[Robert Young]

Long term protein, I think of dry canning some hamburger. I haven't done it just yet, but i also can deer meat. Which if stored in a controlled environment will last a long time. I canned some deer meat in December of 2012 and had a few jars left over. i opened one the other day and it was fine. Of course this was kept in my basement and the majority of the time in the dark and around 70 degrees.

[W.Lynn]

Kick, sage grows here.

[DMH]

Ditto what Kelly said. Check out the pantry can sizes. These are less expensive to buy and try before you purchase the #10 size. But if/when SHTF, ain't no one in this house gonna be picky!

[Kelly]

Wally's carries Auguson Farms brands of storage foods. While I'm not a fan of Wally's, when I have to go there, I make sure it's either bare minimum or make sure it hurts them with heavy items ordered from them online. With 150 lbs of sugar, salt, etc., that free shipping has to hurt them a bit (I hope).

/rant off

I cannot speak to the quality of Auguson's products as I have not yet broke open any cans. With that caveat, see the Auguson line at walmart.com; search for 'emergency food'.

Kelly

[Kessler]

A word of caution:

If you store in 5 gallon plastic buckets, be sure to check the bottoms once a year or so for cracks. I have had two crack and although the food was in Mylar and not compromised, I wasn't a happy camper!

[unseenone]

And don't use the gamma seal lids, and stack them, I broke several. I learned this the hard way. When you stack them, do it like a pyramid to distribute the weight off the center. There's a write up and some pictures I posted a while back.

[W.Lynn]

Un, someone told me to use the regular lids, and just switch to gamma seal lids when you're using the contents.

[unseenone]

correct, that is the best way.

[Cwi555]

A word of caution:

If you store in 5 gallon plastic buckets, be sure to check the bottoms once a year or so for cracks. I have had two crack and although the food was in Mylar and not compromised, I wasn't a happy camper!

That's usually a sign of extended exposure to light/uv and or thermal break down. I have had some stacked (with gamma lids) three high for years and haven't had a problem. Weight limit for that particular brand is three hundred pounds with a fifty pound margin of error. I rotate every two years so that in a six year cycle, one bucket only has two years on the bottom. They are kept in a darkened location, no exposure to temperature extremes, nor light until we are there to rotate or picking up/dropping off.

Not all food grade buckets are made the same either with some better than others. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) buckets as designated by the #2 inside the recycle symbol on the bottom are considered the better grade. PETE (polyethylene terephthalate #1), LDPE (Low-density polyethylene #4), and PP (polypropylene #5) are food grade. They each have pros and cons, but for overall performance the number 2 is the best one for its resistance to light, structural strength, and resistance to thermal fatigue. The #4 has a much lower strength but otherwise the same as #2. #1 tends to be more susceptible to degradation from light and thermal, especially thermal. #5 tends to be weaker all around.

The symbols look like this;


To give you an idea of the difference between HDPE #2 and LDPE #4, the former averages 30 mpa ultimate tensile (4351 psi) and the latter 7mpa (1015psi). Compressional strength varies depending design and nominal thickness, but I've tested mine at 300# plus.

Long and short, there are many potential reasons for a bucket to crack, if one does its time to start asking why.

[unseenone]

Here is the thread showing the picture of the cracked gamma lid.

http://angeryamerican.net/showthread.php/1117-Preps

[Kessler]

I have no idea why they cracked. They were not stacked, on the floor and in my pantry inside the house. Maybe a bad batch? They were not loaded down heavy either and not in light except when I turned a light on. Others loaded heavier have not cracked, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on them, especially if you expect them to be full of life saving vittles at a later date....

[Cwi555]

Here is the thread showing the picture of the cracked gamma lid.

http://angeryamerican.net/showthread.php/1117-Preps

Looked at the pictures. That's an odd location for a crack. The only ones I've seen do anything similar turned out to not be HDPE, and Chinese counterfeits.

[unseenone]

Well, I had them stacked 3 high, but some buckets were heavy. Obviously I put the heaviest on the bottom. By design, if you actually study the lid, the weight goes on the center of it, and the lip part (that broke off on multiple buckets) takes all the weight..

I was careful not to "shock" load it, by dropping buckets on it. I was very careful in general.

I just do not think they are designed to stack. But you see there, the label and all.. Seemed genuine decent quality..

After I discovered the first broken one, I thought, oh, bummer. Replaced it and went on. Next annual inspect, 3-4 more were busted, and that's when I took action. Of course contents are also sealed in Mylar, and had not lost suction so I was good there.

Just did not take the weight. I think 4 in all broke before I finally sorted it out, rearranged the buckets and replaced the broken lids with permanent ones. Also have a couple of spares.

Over Tightening?

[Cwi555]

The sharp turn on it makes me think stress cracking. Stress cracking is a brittle failure that occurs at a stress level lower than the short-term mechanical strength of the material. In that time frame, I am inclined to believe there was something wrong with those lids before you got them in your hands.

[Gwynmael]

Not all food grade buckets are made the same either with some better than others. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) buckets as designated by the #2 inside the recycle symbol on the bottom are considered the better grade. PETE (polyethylene terephthalate #1), LDPE (Low-density polyethylene #4), and PP (polypropylene #5) are food grade.

An info tidbit on ^that -- while the plastic may be food "grade", it isn't automatically food "safe". It's the form mold release agent that determines if it's food "safe". The food "safe" release agents are more expensive, hence the higher cost of buckets and lids that are labeled as food "grade".

If you're also using mylar so that there is no direct food contact to the bucket, it should be safe. That risk is for everyone to determine for themselves.