As to a Weber top. On the first drum I built, I just flattened the tops rim with a pair of pliers, then placed the top on the drum and formed the tops lid over the barrels rim with a rubber hammer. It worked OK. Drum #2 was treated much differently and with better end results too. Here's a link to the more involved process which may be helpful to you.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=89382

What do you folks use for fuel for your initial burns to get them good and hot to burn off anything inside the drum?

So tonight I finished drilling the holes and got a good fire going....was a beautiful sight seeing the flames!

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Wood Pallets. However, I had a ready supply of seasoned oak. You need hard wood to get a really hot fire.

Koopdaddy :

Way to go!

I ended up using some oak. I think it got plenty hot, the outside paint burned right off pretty quick.

For anyone looking for pallets, call around to local moving/trucking companies. I work for a moving company and we trash/scrap so many pallets that are old, broken, odd sized, etc. Promising a trade out of some BBQ wouldn't hurt either :thumb:

Well, got to spend a few more minutes on the drum tonight. Finished cutting the holes for the lower vents and installed them, so making progress. Was thinking I would drill holes for the upper rack, and started measuring. I've seen it mentioned a few times about having the rack 24" above the fire, but my ciphering doesn't add up!

If my coal box is sitting 3" off bottom, and the box is 12" tall, that's 15". If I try to add 24" to that, I'm above the rim of my barrel. My barrel is only around 35" +/-. :doh:

Am I missing something? Is my barrel shorter than most? Or, am I going to need to put the rack at the highest possible spot on the barrel, since I have a Weber lid w/a dome, which gives me a little wiggle room? :confused:

Yo stglide. I think you want to be 24" above the bottom of the charcoal basket. So if your basket is 3" off the bottom, 3 +24 = 27" from the bottom of the drum. If I am right about where to meaxure from, then your drum will work.

What he said, 24 from base of fire basket.

Yes, I thought I read there should be around 24" between the fire and the rack. Maybe I'm mistaken, as if that is the case, I can't make the numbers work.

Hoping I've misinterpreted something along the way of this MASSIVE thread, which is simply AWESOME!!

:thumb:

Man you must have Flintstone feet.
I'd be layed up for a week working in the shop without shoes. Nice Mill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...Q/38bb5cf7.jpg

My barrel had a liner in it and I took it to a shop that did heat treating and sandblasting. They put the barrel in the burner, burned it out, then sandblasted it for $40. It turned out great. Best $40 I spent.

On to the next delima... getting ready to build the coal box. 18" weber bottom grate, and 12x24 expanded metal. Will take 2 full pieces and part of a third.

Question is I've seen where some weld these together. Unfortunately, I don't have a welder. Figured I could wire them together, and realized my wire is a galv wire. Not sure if that will be a huge problem since everyone uses SS. I'm a little nervous about it.

Any suggestions, as I go back through this thread to see if I can pics and ideas???

Tks!!