55 gallon drum (plastic) planter handle

thingiverse

I scored a great deal on cheap plastic 55-gallon drums through Craigslist and decided to repurpose several of them as vegetable planters. Cutting slots into the sides of the containers worked initially, but attempting to move the soil-filled planters resulted in accidental cuts on my hand. To create more durable handles that fit perfectly in the existing slots, I designed this handle system. The slot dimension is straightforward: two 1-inch holes are spaced 3.5 inches apart and positioned 1.5 inches from the top of each planter. This setup accommodates a handle measuring 3.5 inches in length with a gentle angle that allows it to naturally fit around the curved surface of a standard 24-inch diameter planter. Secure two .75-inch long screws into place, and you'll have an effortless way to transport your planters without sustaining any further hand injuries. Conversely, if you require metric dimensions instead of inches, scale this design by multiplying all measurements by 25.4. You can view additional photos demonstrating the assembly process on my Flickr page at: https://www.flickr.com/gp/cleatus_cobb/55894u