Chet's Whiskey Barrel Smoker

Too cool what else can I say. Can't wait for more pictures.

<----Staying tuned!

Do you need to screw every single board on every ring? If so, that's a lotta screwing (and screws).

I don't blame you. That's an expensive screw. There has to be a cheaper screw you can use.

Here is a Link to Self Tapping screws at Lowes


http://www.lowes.com/pd_59183-37672...RL=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=


Hope this helps You !!


Bob

The self tappers work ok in thin soft metal, but i think that they hold poorly in wood (I feel that the drilling function drills too large of a pilot hole in the wood for the screw to hold well) I would get regular pan head screws long enough to go through the band and half to three quarters of the way through the slats (you don't want to penetrate the inside of the barrel) Get two sizes of drill bit, one the same diameter as the screw threads and the other just a bit smaller than the diameter of the shaft through the center of the screw.

Use the larger bit to drill through the metal band. On this project you will probably dull several bits so buy a few, drilling at a slow speed will help to keep the bit sharp longer. A center punched dimple on the band will help to keep the bit from "wandering". A stop collar on the bit will keep you from drilling too deep.

Use the smaller bit to drill a pilot hole into the wood. Again, a stop collar will keep the bit from drilling too deep. You want your pilot to be almost as deep as the screw will penetrate.

Oak is tough wood. A little paraffin wax on the screw threads will help them cut in easily. If you are using a power driver, set the clutch so that the screw just comes tight to the band. You can always cinch it up by hand. That will minimize snapping the screws off as you drive them. If you can find USA made screws, you will likely have less breakage. (Try Van Wieren's Hardware. (I grew up in Holland))
Hope that this helps. Good Luck! It looks like a cool project.

Try Fastenal, they are going to be much cheaper than Lowes and you can get exactly what you're looking for.
Subscribing to your build.

Cool build. Can't wait for the rest.

What realspazz said. It's a lot of drilling, but it'll pay off in the end when yer eating tasty Q. Don't shelf the build yet!

Edit- and whatever you do be sure to use an electric drill to drill all those holes! Cordless ones are fine for installing screws but they aren't adequate for repeated heavy drilling.

Very cool.

Subscribed! Very interested in this one. That is a very handsome barrel.

Subscribed. I am always up for a different kind of build!

I gotta see how this works out. Please keep us in the loop.

Looking forward to updates.

I like the electric heating idea. I'd be very leery adding fire to that thing!