Welding a Weber kettle ring to a barrel - HELP?

Tricky · Nov 14, 2012

I'm trying to rig my drum (which is just a tad larger diameter than my Weber kettle) so that I can use a kettle lid on the top and get more headroom to allow me to smoke turkeys and other large items on my top rack.

I've decided to cut a 2" section off the top of an old throwaway kettle (i.e. the lip and a couple of inches of vertical) and have a buddy weld it to the top of my drum. That way the kettle lid will sit right on the actual lip that it was made to fit. But when I describe it to him, he's worried that the barrel and kettle aren't heavy enough to take the weld and that they'll warp and curl.

I was certain that some of the Brethren on here have done this -- any help you can offer is appreciated!

cholloway · Nov 14, 2012

Of course you know the porcelain coating will have to be ground off before welding. Then weld a short bead (1-2 inches) at different areas around the circumference to prevent overheating the metal which causes the warpage.
Your welder friend should also know to turn down the amperage of the welder to match the thickness of the metal.

fedex · Nov 14, 2012

Dont toss the bottom of the Kettle. You can use it as an ash basket. Just cut the legs off to 3", Buy a piece of 3/8 threaded rod and bow it and attach it to the kettle for easy removal then put a Smokey Joe coal grate in the bottom. Tried it on my last UDS and got a 12 hour burn out it. It works.

buccaneer · Nov 14, 2012

^^^ Good idea!

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · Nov 14, 2012

You really don't need to weld it. I just used Rutland gaskets from Ace Hardware. After you use it a few times it seals right in.

big ted · Nov 14, 2012

it is a soft wood . you will get a lot of reasen and tares from it . stick to the hard woods

NorthwestBBQ · Nov 14, 2012

big ted said:
it is a soft wood . you will get a lot of reasen and tares from it . stick to the hard woods

I think you might be posting in the wrong thread. LOL, bro, welcome to the forum! :-D

chicagokp · Nov 14, 2012

I ended up having a piece of flat stock welded in. Using a part of the bottom kettle was too much of a pain.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1352896484.883884.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1352896503.970382.jpg

Wh1skey6 · Nov 14, 2012

fedex said:
Dont toss the bottom of the Kettle. You can use it as an ash basket. Just cut the legs off to 3", Buy a piece of 3/8 threaded rod and bow it and attach it to the kettle for easy removal then put a Smokey Joe coal grate in the bottom. Tried it on my last UDS and got a 12 hour burn out it. It works.

And place the firebox right in it? Does the firebox get enough air?

woodbutcher1 · Nov 14, 2012

Fasten the weber kettle ring to the drum with Pop-Rivets.

Mark · Nov 14, 2012

The way I fit a Weber kettle lid to my UDS is by cutting out all but about 1 inch (outside diameter) of a 55 gallon barrel flat lid that the Weber kettle lid sits on. Simple and removable.

swamprb · Nov 14, 2012

Here is a pic of my 30 gallon open drum that had no lid.

I cut the lip off a rustbucket 18" Weber Bar-B-Kettle and used some Permatex High Temp silicone to secure a length of Rutland gasket to the "flange" and my neighbor tack welded some beads around the perimeter.

krshome · Nov 14, 2012

+ 1 on using pop rivets. I used an aluminum 2" flat bar held by the u-bolts for the rack to keep it clean. I then added 1/2" flat bar riveted to that for the Weber lid to fit just right. No welding. Good luck!

Tricky · Nov 14, 2012

What about cutting the top off of the kettle? Grinder or recip saw with metal blade?

Hotrodhog · Nov 14, 2012

I hope this doesn't sound wrong, but I feel like I read this same thread weekly, and while its great that you guys seem to make these things work, wouldn't it be easier and better to just start with the right size drum?

If you take a weber lid with you when drum shopping, look at the open top (or "ring top" drums) and flip them over, find one that the lid fits the bottom perfectly, it also makes it very simple to remove the bottom while building, and you can change the lid if it ever rots or to simply clean the drum out.
Don't forget to scrape off and throw away the rubber seal!

swamprb · Nov 14, 2012

Hotrodhog said:
I hope this doesn't sound wrong, but I feel like I read this same thread weekly, and while its great that you guys seem to make these things work, wouldn't it be easier and better to just start with the right size drum?

If you take a weber lid with you when drum shopping, look at the open top (or "ring top" drums) and flip them over, find one that the lid fits the bottom perfectly, it also makes it very simple to remove the bottom while building, and you can change the lid if it ever rots or to simply clean the drum out.
Don't forget to scrape off and throw away the rubber seal!

That would be fine and dandy if there was one stop shopping for drums and barrels, but the fact is all drums are not created equal. And if you read these posts over and over, a lot of folks just do not know or are unable to locate them in their area.

Tricky asked a question regarding WELDING the flange onto his drum and he got a couple good tips and hopefully the pics of my 30 gallon drum sets him on a path.

If he had asked for information on pop riveting the lip to his drum, I likely would have passed this thread by.

swamprb · Nov 14, 2012

Tricky said:
What about cutting the top off of the kettle? Grinder or recip saw with metal blade?

Forget the recip saw, go with an angle grinder with a cut off disc.

Tricky · Nov 16, 2012

Hotrodhog said:
...wouldn't it be easier and better to just start with the right size drum?

Yup, would have been easier. But I didn't know at the time I built my drum that one day I'd want to add a kettle lid. I was just getting started and I was excited enough that I found a drum. The idea to use the Weber kettle lid came later.

In fact, I think my kettle lid does fit the BOTTOM of my drum. But that seems like a lot more work at this point . . .

Thanks to everyone for their tips!

BobBrisket · Nov 16, 2012

I went a different route, and in doing so, I did do some welding on the lid itself. It is thin metal and at least in my limited knowledge of welding and the the limit equipment I have, the metal did melt and pit. I had to take it very slowly and even with the low setting on my welder, it made for a long and interesting experience, but it did hold. Now my little stick welder only has two settings, high and low. So if he has better gear, I'm sure he could make it work if I can.
I've also welded on the drums in Low and you need to work fast and carefully, as it is also thin metal and you will burn a hole through the metal quickly.
I gave this drum away to a good friend a few months ago. A young kid that was my little brother's friend growing up. He's HOOOKED already.
I picked up an old Kettle off of CL the other day. I feel the need to make a new drum. Depending on how the lid fits or doesn't I just may go the route of using some flat steel like the other have done and make things easier for myself.

Don't know if the pics are still in this thread as I'm blocked from seeing em at work:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77856

Yellowhair42 · Nov 16, 2012

NorthwestBBQ said:
I think you might be posting in the wrong thread. LOL, bro, welcome to the forum! :-D

Yeah,and he might have had too many beers.I have no idea what he's talking abut.

Welding a Weber kettle ring to a barrel - HELP?

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