Steel Drum Question
 

HI all,

About a year ago I planned on building a UDS and bought a food grade drum. Being a newbie, I didn't realize until I was going to start building it that it had a crimped on (or welded, I am not sure) lid. For this reason, the build has been delayed until now.

I have thought about various ways to remove the lid, many of which involved a cutting torch (don't have), big grinders (I have, but have only one eye, so try to limit their use). Any ideas on how to remove the lid, or should I just plan on getting different drum with a removable lid. I sure hate to lose the $20 investment, if all it is going to take is some elbow grease.

Thanks,

John

cut it out with a jigsaw.
Know anyone that deals with drums regularly. They have a tool to remove the lid that works like a giant can opener.

What will you use for a lid if you destroy the original?

A lid off of a kettle style grill (like a Weber 22.5 kettle)can be easily modified to fit the drum and this also allows enough room for using 2 cooking grates.
EDIT: Flip through this thread and you will see what I mean.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=23436

Drum deheader
http://www.grainger.com/images/produ...d/XL-3AY68.JPG


Or fill with water and use a sawsall, or a hammer and chisel.

Thanks for the ideas. Just curious though, why fill with water?

John

It will help to keep your drum from deforming if you use a hammer & chisel.
It will help to keep vibrations down if you are using a sawzall.

^^^ What he said.

Plus if the drum is not food grade, as your is, it keeps the http://www.bestanimations.com/Milita...de-04-june.gif to a minimum.

It does a better job of p-ing off the neighbors if you do it empty, though!

I know I'm getting old, it's been too long since I was an engineer. I should've realized the water trick. I like my neighbors too, so I guess that's another great reason. Thanks for all the suggestions--sawzall it is this weekend!

John

Skip the water, the noise is over before anybody has a chance to complain!! If you like your neighbors they must like you and shouldn't mind especially when you throw them some smoked stuff thire way. Also, takes too much time to fill and empty. In the time it takes you to fill I could have that lid off and onto the next step.

I got mine off with a jigsaw in about 3 minutes and I'm slow!!

Paul B

True that- it doesn't take long, although Paul and I were working with stainless steel, which is rough on saw blades!

Hammer and chisel. The steel is soft, takes about 2-3 minutes.

http://www.pbase.com/jerrykneupper/i...928/medium.jpg

forget the water.

After you cut the end out, lay the barrell down on the concrete and bend the rough edges down.
You can hit them with a grinder later, but hammering them down is all you need to do.
.

That drum deheader is great if you can rent one. Makes it a lot easier.

I just did two drums yesterday. Used my jigsaw with metal cutting blade. Took all of 5 minutes and only left about 1/16 lip inside. Used 2 hammers backed up and flattened the 1/16 to the wall. Took all of 10 min. total.