this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2025
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I'm sad that I missed posting this on the 4th

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[–] marcos@lemmy.world 23 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The worst thing is... I don't know if I laugh or if I believe this.

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 9 points 4 days ago (4 children)

The real worse thing is I have absolutely no idea how big 55 gallons would be, or how big the one in the photo is.

[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago

The explodey barrels in fps games are typically 55 gallon drums

[–] marcos@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

I have absolutely no idea how big 55 gallons would be

Something a bit larger than 200l... I think an oil barrel is around that size (and yeah, it's "the standard unit" for that).

In all seriousness, if the GP said it was a 2 gallon container I would honestly not know if it was true.

[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/product/hellmann-s-extra-heavy-mayonnaise-4-gal-1-pack-1-EN-639543.html

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/hellmanns-real-mayonnaise-24-gallon-drum/125HLMN8828.html

https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/product/hellmann-s-extra-heavy-mayonnaise-tote-2300-pound-pack-of-1-1-EN-1210411.html

The largest sold to consumers through normal channels is a gallon. Typically used by people who are feeding a lot of people, like making a dish for a large family gathering, or by people who only go shopping once a month or less. Some people live an hour from the store, so they just buy an excessive amount of food and shop infrequently.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Yup, a gallon is about 3.75 times the size of a liter, or multiply by 4 and round down.

[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago

Every barrel you see on TV or in a movie is 55 gallon or 42 gallon.
Other sizes exist but those two are so prevalent that you really only see those. The size comes from the oil industry where it's a standard unit. It's common to sell oil in different units, but the barrel size is so common that everyone just uses the same container and maybe just rounds the units.
Can't use a 42 gallon barrel , has to be the metric 160L, or the 200L 55 gallon drum.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

55 gallons is about the size of the average American, or something in the neighborhood of 200kg.

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You’re mixing up weight and volume measurements, and everyone knows an average American is a lot of decibels.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Nah, the ounce is a unit of weight and volume. 55 gallons = 7040 fl oz ~= 7040 oz ~= 440 lbs = 200kg.

Aren't American units great? Here's a nice converter for various things, including mayo, which is ~0.94 oz per fl oz. But generally speaking, a fluid ounce is roughly the same as a weight ounce, kind of like how a milliliter is roughly the same as a gram (exactly equal for water, while a fluid ounce isn't exactly equal to a weight ounce for water).

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Because that all makes perfect sense.

Well, the kg bit does anyway.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yup, the average American certainly is 200kg. 😀

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Oddly, the decibels go up the further from home an American is, so I'd need current position to do the math.

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 2 points 3 days ago