Bulk head fittings for side of bucket?

Last season I experimented with a couple different ways to have a raised garden. This one worked awesome. I'm building up / improving the system with what I learned. I'm looking to add the overflow drain and feed (water) lines this year and hookup a 2V pump.

I am very tight for spacing between barrels, so the fitting need to go on the side (curved). Guess that means brass fittings (metal not plastic) to seal well. Suggestions of where to purchase? I'm seeing about $4 each right now and will require 10pcs. Straights will work (I'll figure a slow curve) or elbowed, doesn't really matter. Weird I couldn't even find reasonable priced plastic ones..

Barrels are 30gallon plastic (tonic barrels). System is a soil/wick based (no wick) with a Flow watering (through the bottom). Stone (and a screen) separates the soil and stone/water sections.

I've used uniseals effectively on the curved areas of plastic barrels and tanks. 1" uniseals fittings on Amazon range from $1.75 - $2.50.

Aaron Yarbrough wrote:I've used uniseals effectively on the curved areas of plastic barrels and tanks. 1" uniseals fittings on Amazon range from $1.75 - $2.50.

these can be bought from plumbing stores or USplastics

Rj Howell wrote: Suggestions of where to purchase?

I suggest looking into homebrew supply places, maybe they have something that will work for you. Valves and ports in the bottom of buckets for liquids is common in home brewing.

Thanks folks! I like the grommet (uniseal).

I've  use garden hose and barbed fittings in 55 gallon barrels.
Drill a hole just barely big enough for the hose and push the hose in.
The barbed fitting goes in the hose.
I use a slip to barbed fitting and push it from the inside of the barrel out.
This allowes me to add a slotted piece of pvc to the inside as a filter.


In your set up, one double ended barbed fitting could bridge the gap between two half barrels.

I use nylon 3/8 pipe - 3/8 hose. I find the barrel thickness allows threading the plastic but you can purchase nylon 3/8 pipe nuts to pull the fitting tight. Spin welding the nylon to the blue plastic works too. A screw gun with a deep socked over the fitting and spin the fitting.
The spinning creates heat that melts both plastics and they fuse together. You see this on poly tanks used in RV's, bus conversions and trailers. Amazon has different sizes. A google search of spin welding will show you how it's done. You just have to be creative on the mandrel you use to spin the fitting. Buying one is cost prohibitive.
https://www.amazon.com/Eldon-James-A6-6NN-Natural-Adapter/dp/B017VNPIQ4/ref=sr_1_15?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Threaded-to-Barbed+Fittings&qid=1616615858&s=industrial&sr=1-15&ts_id=383605011

Robert Ray wrote:I use nylon 3/8 pipe - 3/8 hose. I find the barrel thickness allows threading the plastic but you can purchase nylon 3/8 pipe nuts to pull the fitting tight. Spin welding the nylon to the blue plastic works too. A screw gun with a deep socked over the fitting and spin the fitting.
The spinning creates heat that melts both plastics and they fuse together. You see this on poly tanks used in RV's, bus conversions and trailers. Amazon has different sizes. A google search of spin welding will show you how it's done. You just have to be creative on the mandrel you use to spin the fitting. Buying one is cost prohibitive.
https://www.amazon.com/Eldon-James-A6-6NN-Natural-Adapter/dp/B017VNPIQ4/ref=sr_1_15?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Threaded-to-Barbed+Fittings&qid=1616615858&s=industrial&sr=1-15&ts_id=383605011

Looked at those. For my purpose, I don'r know..Will research a bit further. Thank you!
I find most of those need other items. Gasket, nut and clamp on the hose. Pressure is a non-issue in this system.

I'm loving the grommet idea. Seals without pressure.

I've used grommets before and for me in the high desert the sun seems to deteriorate them quickly. I have also used cable glands. and rigid tubing. These happen to have a 5/16 opening in them and the rigid line is air brake or air bag line but any of the rigid poly hoses available from Home Depot/Lowes would work. and you could upsize to 1/2 or 3/4 with the right cable gland. rubber gasket at the bulk head and the cone compresses a gasket around the tube.
https://www.amazon.com/GiBot-Cable-Glands-Waterproof-Protectors/dp/B0748JLNR4/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=wire+grommet&qid=1616619545&sr=8-5

Robert Ray wrote:I've used grommets before and for me in the high desert the sun seems to deteriorate them quickly. I have also used cable glands. and rigid tubing. https://www.amazon.com/GiBot-Cable-Glands-Waterproof-Protectors/dp/B0748JLNR4/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=wire+grommet&qid=1616619545&sr=8-5

Very nice alternative! Intersting direction. Works well on curved surface? I can afford some leakage within the system, just prefer, you know, none..

You're within the top 2 of choices so far! Just tell me it's works on a 1/8" curved surfaced and I' on this!

The curvature on a 30 gal drum should be no issue, an application of a thin bead of silicone could address that. It is a clean professional look and I think affordable compared to other bulkhead transitions.

Robert Ray wrote:The curvature on a 30 gal drum should be no issue, an application of a thin bead of silicone could address that. It is a clean professional look and I think affordable compared to other bulkhead transitions.

Thank you! Nice solution,