I went back and looked at your post and saw the link to a blog. Duh! I just wasn’t paying attention. Now that I’ve finally caught up on this thread, I’m trying to stay that way, maybe reading too hastily. :)
$9 sounds like a good price for your barrels. Are all of them metal drums or some plastic? Hubby was able to get a few of the plastic drums from work in the past years and he has feed for the chickens stored in them. He was trying to get a couple more, but they keep disappearing as soon as they are emptied. I’m guessing there are some others back in the factory area that are trying to get them, too.
>>>Are all of them metal drums or some plastic?<<<
She had saved me 4 steel and 2 plastic from her latest truckloads (she gets both in whole trailer loads at a time, and they are gone as soon as she gets them).
I get them from an interesting place, it is a new/used steel business that was started about 50 years ago (and I have bought from them the whole time - Gee, am I getting that old?). When the owner died, his daughter took over about 20 years ago - she is now about 60 and about to become a great grandmother, but still has the steadiest hand with a torch you ever saw. She let her two workers go as business slowed down earlier this year, and keeps right on going, doing all the work herself. To see her is really surprising to most people... She wears work boots, some pretty short shorts, a ball cap with her ponytail out the back. Looks about 30 with the best looking tanned legs you can imagine... (yes, my wife gets very jealous whenever I go get steel for my latest project). It is nice to be able to go there with a project and have her look at your sketch and then tell you that she has just what you need - either out in the lot or squirreled away in the work shed. Best part is she always prices things fairly.
If TSHTF, that is one resource that is indispensable!