I need a Good Spigot. Suggestions?

[BoilerJim]

I am in need of a quality spigot for filling my honey jars. My current two spigots are plastic and they both leak in between filling my jars. Plus, the little black rubber "O" ring keeps slipping out of the grove it is supposed to stay in. I would like to purchase a better spigot and figured this would be the best place to check what works for you all. I currently have my plastic spigots on two 5 gallon plastic buckets. Can I use metal spigots with plastic buckets or do I need to buy a metal bucket before I can think about a metal spigot? If so, what is a good metal bucket I should be looking at?
Thanks.
Jim

[LazyBkpr]

My buckets have the metal honey gates. My stainless tanks have metal valves. My favorite is a friends bucket that has a 2" ball valve adapted into the buckets. it has a lever to turn the ball and open the flow.
   The only difficulty with it is that the ball is back a bit from the lip, so after shutting it off the honey still needs to drip from the threaded lip.
   I have great intentions of buying about 4 of these 2" brass valves, then taking my die grinder to them to remove all the extra metal from the opening... just haven't done it yet...


    I have also seen "PVC" valves of the same size and type and wondered if those might not work well as a honey gate.

[Perry]

I have a really nice no-drip valve on my bottling tank, and it only cost me $1,400.  :'(

My plastic pails have the plastic gates mounted into them, there is a bit of a drip in between, but if you're fast you can switch out jars in between the drips. 

[G3farms]

I do the same Perry, plastic gates on five gallon bucket. Just line the jars up and you can swap them out between drips. I put a piece of cardboard or newspaper on the floor to catch any stray drips.

[Bakersdozen]

My plastic pails have the plastic gates mounted into them, there is a bit of a drip in between, but if you're fast you can switch out jars in between the drips. 

I am well aware of Perry's technique!
I have also learned to be aware of how I am holding the gate.  Let's see if I can explain.  I noticed that I have trouble if, when I have the gate open, I am also pulling on the gate.  If I apply pressure to the gate while I have it open, that is applying pressure towards the bucket, I don't have honey oozing out all over.   It means paying attention to the gate as well as the bottle.  Hope that helps.

[Barbarian]

Wordage .... wordage !!!

To me a honey gate means something different to a spigot. Perhaps someone could post a photo then it might help the beginners and guests.

I use a gate with the same technique as Perry and G3 with a little help from SWMBO. 

[G3farms]

I use a gate with the same technique as Perry and G3 with a little help from SWMBO. 

Is that code for licking your fingers? 

this is a plastic gate
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Plastic-1-1_2-Gate/productinfo/834/

a stainless steel gate
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Stainless-Steel-Honey-Gate-1-1_2/productinfo/195/

more expensive gate
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/1-1_2-Perfect-Gate/productinfo/515/

bottling valve (I have seen these rigged up with a pulley and foot pedal to leave both hands free).
http://www.kelleybees.com/Shop/18/Honey-Harvesting/Honey-House-Processing/3994/Self-Closing-Honey-Valve

and for when you get big time
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Honey-Packer/productinfo/891/

[Zulu]

Could use one of these too, Bronze is cheaper than stainless, I would put a 90 deg elbow on it too

http://www.amazon.com/Apollo-71-500-Series-Valve-Spring-Close/dp/B00634K9EE/ref=pd_sim_sbs_indust_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=07QMJEGM918QXQ3KVWJZ

[Barbarian]

My apologies to you G3 and to other forum viewers. I regret I used an abbreviation common on UK forums.

SWMBO ......... "She who must be obeyed"

[G3farms]

No apologies needed, I still like to lick honey off of my fingers 

[minz]

I line up all my bottles and call for the little help (those who shall obey or get yelled at (TWSHOOGYA). Maybe if I worked at that a bit I could make it say something clever?
$1400 I can let a lot of honey hit the floor.

[BoilerJim]

G3,

I like what Brushy Mountain says about the honey gate below. It claims to have a clean shut off. Anybody have this particular gate?

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/1-1_2-Perfect-Gate/productinfo/515/

[LazyBkpr]

I have that style in metal.. cast iron in fact, and it works flawlessly, but is a bit stiff. The plastic one may be easier to open and close.

[G3farms]

I got one of the cast iron ones myself, never used it though. Just from playing with it it does seem very stiff to use, doubt it would work on a plastic five gallon bucket.