Removing gamma lid adapter from broken bucket in order to reuse it on new bucket

Gamma lids are great. Expensive, but great, you just snap the adapter ring onto standard 5 gallon plastic bucket and then lid screws into adapter. But what happens when the bucket disintegrates/breaks/leaks, in other words, is toast, but you want to reuse the gamma lid and adapter on another bucket? It sure isnt going to be just pulled off. Even if you are some super human gorilla and have the strength in your hands for this feat, most likely the adapter will break in the process or part of bucket will break and stay with the adapter.... Its on there to stay.

Well I guess many months ago I googled around and only found one comment on one forum suggesting heating the adapter and top of bucket in pan water then try pulling it off.

Not having lot faith in this idea, I procrastinated.

Today was bit windy/chilly to want to do anything outdoors and I see that broken bucket in my way that I brought in to try this experiment.

Need a shallow pan that the top of bucket will go into. So I go get metal hog pan that was setting out by car for oil changes and put it over two burners, filled half full water and inverted bucket into the water. Light both burners. Not really thinking this actually works. Time goes by and water not boiling but too hot to want to stick hand into. Pulled out bucket. The gamma lid adapter, that lid screws into, came off the old bucket easy as could be. Hot water softened the plastic I guess. Snapped it on that clean new bucket I found in storage shed, no problemo... Got another one to do one of these days, but no more new buckets, need to get couple more when I get to TSC.

those gamma lids are great, but pricey, and if possible, didnt want to waste one just cause bucket disintegrated with age. Now anybody that finds this thread can be assured my above procedure works great.

I had not heard of those lids.

Colorado wrote:I had not heard of those lids.

I use them for my water buckets, but lot of the doom and gloom crowd use them to stockpile grain and such in buckets for when TSHTF and society collapses and all that.

Pricey buggers, I bought 12 like 3 or 4 years back before the big time inflation hit. Think then they were close to $80 shipped from cheapest seller online that I could find. Sure they would be well over $100 now. Anyway for me they were worth it since for water buckets, I am removing/installing lid rather frequently. No more struggling getting the regular pry type lids on and off, just unscrew the lid.