Honestly, my back was killing me after a few weeks with the bucket. Was it the same for you? Bending over that much just got really painful. The stand made a huge difference for me.
You mention "bending over that much just got really painful" and I'm wondering... was it the constant hunching that got you or more the twisting motion when you'd reach for a new board? I ask because I've seen people try different angles with their bucket setup and it seems like some folks don't realize they can flip it sideways or raise it up on bricks for relief. Did you try any of those hacks before giving up on the bucket entirely?