Another UDS Barrel Question

mrlederman · May 30, 2013

Not having as much disposable income as I'd like, having a COS for two years and reading about all the UDSes on here, I am going to try and build one.

I looked on Craigslist and talked to a umber of businesses and I have located a 55 gallon open head steel drum, new, for $56. The kicker is, the guy said it has a rust inhibitor in it. Living in a city, I cannot do a big burn like others can. I don't want the FD knocking on my door or the police.

I have read on here people have taken new drums to car washes and used the degreaser or have cleaned them by hand with house cleaning products. If I clean it at a car wash and then do a basket burn, to peel off the outside paint and hopefully remove any rust inhibitor left, and then season it, do you think I would be good to go?

Thanks for the help!

fwismoker · May 30, 2013

IMO it's not necessary to pay for a new drum unless you want to make sure it doesn't have any dings... i got mine for free and can get them at metal recyclers for $5. Get a 55 gallon drum...no big deal living in the city as it's safer than a charcoal grill!

Get a barrel, drill your vent holes in the bottom and burn it out well, sand it down with a wire brush and paint it up. I painted mine which is fine but i just found a great deal to get it powder coated w/ high heat paint so i'll re do it.

There are plenty of ideas and designs for builds as well as kits like this which is what i did....can't beat it because i can smoke and grill with 2 different basket levels.

Good luck, you can't beat the great taste you get off of a drum, direct heat/ convection heat and the drippings go into the fire and add extra flavors!

dirtsailor2003 · May 30, 2013

MrLederman said:
Not having as much disposable income as I'd like, having a COS for two years and reading about all the UDSes on here, I am going to try and build one.

I looked on Craigslist and talked to a umber of businesses and I have located a 55 gallon open head steel drum, new, for $56. The kicker is, the guy said it has a rust inhibitor in it. Living in a city, I cannot do a big burn like others can. I don't want the FD knocking on my door or the police.

I have read on here people have taken new drums to car washes and used the degreaser or have cleaned them by hand with house cleaning products. If I clean it at a car wash and then do a basket burn, to peel off the outside paint and hopefully remove any rust inhibitor left, and then season it, do you think I would be good to go?

Thanks for the help!

Check with your local sandblasting outfits. One of mine said they'd do the drums I have for $20 inside and out. Well worth it in my opinion. I'm not sure that a basket burn will get the exterior paint off for you. You really need to get the barrel super hot. A propane weed burner is the best way to burn off the paint. Keep in mind that burning off the paint is pretty toxic.

kc5tpy · May 30, 2013

Brand new is lot to spend for the drum. If you get it hot enough to get the paint and rust inhibitor to burn off you will get a lot of ugly toxic smoke. Though it won't last for hours, no way around that. If it isn't hot enough to burn it off then you may as well not waste the wood. Sandblasting would be an even better option to burning as you will get back a completely clean ready to paint drum. Do your cutting first, then sandblast. Be prepared to paint as soon as you get it home. You would be surprised how fast bare clean metal exposed to the elements start to rust. If you can't paint immediately, try to explain to the wife it MUST stay in the house until tomorrow. Even the garage if not properly sealed and insulated might let the rust process get started. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck. Keep Smokin!

mrlederman · May 30, 2013

Thanks for the reply. The sandblasters around here want like $50 and $60, that with the drum is too much. I don't know if I will be able to burn it with pallets because of the flames. That's is why I am thinking new, car wash, burn and then season. Is this enough to get the rust inhibitor off? If I have to sand the outside, no big deal, but I'm hoping a coupled basket burns will do the trick and then a lite sanding.

fwismoker · May 30, 2013

If you can't burn it out with pallets where you are and don't want to pay for the sand blasting then just find someone that has a bigger property and burn it out there. The washing really won't do anything but the hot fire will take care of everything.

If you get a barrel like i did for free or for 5 dollars then you can spend the $ on the sand blasting. Personally i'm surprised they charge that much for sandblasting because i found a place to sand blast mine and powder coat it for $75

kc5tpy · May 30, 2013

Maybe we are missing something here. This "rust inhibitor", are we talking about a sprayed on "paint" type lining on the inside of the drum or a thick, sticky oil based coating that some machined parts come covered in to prevent rust?? If this is a "paint" type, car wash won't touch it. Burning or some severe work with a grinder and wire brush attachment is the only option, wear goggles and respirator and will not be pleasant.. If this is a thick, sticky oily stuff like "dried" honey then SERIOUS detergent washing will eventually cut that stuff. Then a couple basket burns afterwards might just do the trick. Good Luck. Keep Smokin!

jrod62 · May 30, 2013

If you can't do a burn then weed burner is the way to go,

oldschoolbbq · May 30, 2013

Lederman, hello . I have a suggestion... do you have a friend with a Sandblaster, or a business that can do this

. I,ve done both, the friend did it as a friend (he was working on his car at the time,so) and I've gone to a local Painter. Takled him into the Blasting out the inside for a rack Of Ribs , Barted, works well.

.

mrlederman · May 30, 2013

I don't know any sandblasters. The guy said a basket burn would take it off. It is not the liner that people dread. Just a coating to keep the inside from rusting. He even mentioned that i didn't want an epoxy liner. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone and sandblasting is expensive here. So, I'm trying to avoid a burnout and sandblasting.

fwismoker · May 30, 2013

It's up to you led but i sure wouldn't trust the coating that's on the inside of those barrels and that a basket burn would take care of it.... the guy that told you it would probably never did it himself. You can buy a propane torch at Harbor Freight for like 20 bucks...good luck

pc farmer · May 30, 2013

Can any liner or coating be burned out.

fwismoker · May 30, 2013

I've never heard of any that wouldn't burn out...most are that copper type of color that is a rust inhibitor.

pc farmer · May 30, 2013

Thanks, I want to build a uds too. I have access to barrels but they are colored inside. Not sure if they are lined or not.

Sorry to hijack thread.

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Another UDS Barrel Question

mrlederman

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fwismoker

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dirtsailor2003

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kc5tpy

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mrlederman

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fwismoker

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kc5tpy

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jrod62

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oldschoolbbq

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mrlederman

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fwismoker

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pc farmer

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fwismoker

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pc farmer

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