1st post for me. I am brand new to the forum and my head hurts from all the reading, i am about 2/3 the way done with the readings. anyways....i have a question...
I got a food grade barrel, it had honey in it before i got it. (honey sticker is still on it and it smells like honey). the lining in it looks like a light coat of tan spray paint. Anyways i live in a area where there is no way i can blaze a huge fire in this barrel. I have been informed that i will be fined from the community and possibly the city if reported. Anyways, i am sad that i am going to miss out on the roaring fire but i was thinking.... Can i just have the drum sandblasted inside and out??? Will it take care of everything that causes concern. If this is an ok idea Then when i get it back home from the sandblaster what shouldd my next step be, cooking oil and a small fire before rust comes around?

Sandblasting is fine. You can also get a weedburner and go to town on it. Sandblasting will save you a lot of work too. If you live in a community that's anything like the one my uncle in Gilbert lives in, you will get reported when you light the match.
Can't wait to see your drum.

Ding Ding Ding...Gilbert is Where i am hahahah.
what should i do to the barrel when i get it back from sand blasting?
Now i just need to find a place to sandblast this thing. I have never had anything sandblasted so i am not sure what price i might be looking at. (time to get the yellow pages out)

@ Stiffy You don't think these drums are to thick for those knock out punches to cut. I thought that the drums were 18 gauge and the max for the knock out punches 10 gauge mild steel, aluminum, fiberglass and plastic. Did you use the knock out punches.

Smaller number, thicker material.

Dang it I knew that I was not using my brain as usual, So the harbor freight Knockout punches will work just fine then.

I have sandblasted all 3 that I built. After blasting I painted the exterior and finished the build doing nothing to inside at this time. It actually sat in garage painted with lid on for a few days after painting and inside did not rust. After build I sprayed the inside down with pam and fired it up to season. If I remember I put a chicken in so I would get some grease dripping into coals and just let it cook into oblivion. Mainly was learning to control temps. Just don't let temps get away..better to start shutting down air intakes before you reach desired temps. Once they get passed what you are looking for it will take some time to get them back down.

Here you go action!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...h_VID00102.jpg

I'll take that rib!

Awesome, thanks for the info i just got my barrel yesterday and want to get it blasted tomorrow. I have drilled nothing yet but i will take pictures of my 1st UDS build. sometime next week.

Thing to remember is that the HF punch set is FOR conduit. What this means is that a 3/4" conduit punch will be for a clearance hole (@1 1/16') instead os the 1" hole required to thread the pipe in.

Arizona is nothing but desert. What are they worried about burning? Or is it a pollution issue?

Everything is so dry here and stuff likes to catch on FIRE:icon_devil. Thats why So Cal and Arizona have so many state wide fires in the summer time.

Awesome educational video there Norcoredneck.

So the punches in the Harbor Freight are all 1/16th over so would not work for my purpose. I guess I am back to the step bit for drilling the 1" hole for the 3/4 pipe nipples.