Cutting A Lid Into A Drum

[Tyler Anthony]

Hi,
I just got two drums to build into UDSs. My problem is that I didn't ask the right questions before I picked them up. They didn't come with detachable lids. My cousins has an angle grinder that I can use to cut off the top but I have a few questions before I get started.

The drums came from a car shop and had potentially flammable liquid in them (I think he said break fluid). While I do enjoy when things go BOOM, I would like to keep all of my facial hair. How to I make sure it is safe to start cutting the lid off?

Are there any tips or tricks that will help me cut an even lid? Is there anything I should know about the process before I get started?

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I would cut it with a porta-band or something with a saw blade, they don't make sparks like a side grinder will.

 

[thirdeye]

A cold chisel, power chisel, jigsaw or Sawzall with a metal blade is better than an angle grinder. At work we would make garbage cans with old drums and would power wash them, drain them, and leave the bungs out and let them sit outside for a week or so, then fill them with Nitrogen or CO2 from a welding cylinder and use a power chisel. I've heard of people running a hose from a truck exhaust into one bung, I just don't know how pure exhaust CO2 really is because

I'd call your local drum distributor, they should be in the phone book or call the landfill or HAZ disposal and ask who sells drums. What you want is an open head drum which are in the $50 range and normally you can choose 'unlined' so that prevents you from having to burn out the liner. If you are really lucky they will carry open head drums without bung holes. Next, ask if they sell Hazmat drums, these are usually a little more heavy duty, generally unlined and sometimes have a beefier bottom ring. These are the drums that contractors use to store used grease, oil etc. and will more expensive.

 

[bill1]

3rdEye makes great comments. I'll be a bit more opinionated and suggest you start over with a drum like he suggests with a removable lid. For the drum you have, there are ways to make this cut safety (and evenly) but you'll always regret not going with the best approach at the beginning.

 

[Smoking Allowed]

I would cut it with a porta-band or something with a saw blade, they don't make sparks like a side grinder will.

A cold chisel, power chisel, jigsaw or Sawzall with a metal blade is better than an angle grinder. At work we would make garbage cans with old drums and would power wash them, drain them, and leave the bungs out and let them sit outside for a week or so, then fill them with Nitrogen or CO2 from a welding cylinder and use a power chisel. I've heard of people running a hose from a truck exhaust into one bung, I just don't know how pure exhaust CO2 really is because

I'd call your local drum distributor, they should be in the phone book or call the landfill or HAZ disposal and ask who sells drums. What you want is an open head drum which are in the $50 range and normally you can choose 'unlined' so that prevents you from having to burn out the liner. If you are really lucky they will carry open head drums without bung holes. Next, ask if they sell Hazmat drums, these are usually a little more heavy duty, generally unlined and sometimes have a beefier bottom ring. These are the drums that contractors use to store used grease, oil etc. and will more expensive.

Like GS and thirdeye said. Use anything BUT an angle grinder. Use something with a blade for a cleaner cut.

 

[thirdeye]

One other thing I forgot to mention is that with a regular open head drum you will get the bolting band. I use the band when transporting my drums to an event or loaning them to someone. The lid will never bounce off.

 

[cvan]

Look for a company that sells oil I 55 gl. Drums. My company has a tool that will cut it off just like a can opener. No sharp edges on the cut either.

 

[forktender]

Buy a head cutter they are cheap and will save you a bunch of time and stitches.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/89378962?cid=ppc-google-New+-+Safety+-+PLA_svHhU9MG7___164124449648_c_S&mkwid=svHhU9MG7%7cdc&pcrid=164124449648&rd=k&product_id=89378962&pgrid=35979548086&ptaid=pla-271047170840&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIopy_nZvX7wIVMxmtBh0eJwLrEAQYByABEgLz4vD_BwE

 

[Chasdev]

Send them to the recycle yard.
I would never use a drum that has been contaminated with a deadly poison for food production.
How much is your health worth to you?
No amount of washing or steam cleaning will get all the traces out of it.
Burning it off?
How many times do you need to burn it to make sure no poison remains?
How will you KNOW all the traces are gone before you cook in it?

 

[forktender]

Burning it out REALLY, REALLY good would be the safest way to get the chemicals out of it. Im talking about burning 2 whole oak pallets out of of it so the can gets cherry red for at least an hour. We aren't talking nuclear waste here. I used to use unlined cans that held WD40 in them and after a good burn out they were fine.
Use your own judgement and make sure the whole can gets cherry hot during the burn out and you'll be fine.

 

[bill1]

Buy a head cutter they are cheap and will save you a bunch of time and stitches.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/89378962?cid=ppc-google-New+-+Safety+-+PLA_svHhU9MG7___164124449648_c_S&mkwid=svHhU9MG7%7cdc&pcrid=164124449648&rd=k&product_id=89378962&pgrid=35979548086&ptaid=pla-271047170840&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIopy_nZvX7wIVMxmtBh0eJwLrEAQYByABEgLz4vD_BwE

Everyone has a different idea of cheap, but that link (for a $20 product) was just for a blade. The whole can opener is $100...not cheap in my book. If you're buying one just to open this one drum, I'd suggest just getting a different drum with removable lid instead.

 

[forktender]

Everyone has a different idea of cheap, but that link (for a $20 product) was just for a blade. The whole can opener is $100...not cheap in my book. If you're buying one just to open this one drum, I'd suggest just getting a different drum with removable lid instead.

Thanks for catching that I just posted the first site that popped up.
I know for a fact that you can find them for under $50 on Amazon.
Wesco 272018 Deheader with Plastic Hand Grip, For Steel Drums

 

[bill1]

Thanks, I'd definitely pay $46 (delivered to my door) to keep from having to open a drum with a grinder, torch, or chisel. Reminds me of camping trips where there's plenty of baked beans but no can opener. (So do they sell these deheaders in a swiss army knife configuration? )
And we're probably approaching a price where starting over with a new drum (with removable lid) may incur a cost comparable to the tool, which puts my prior advice in question. And also explains why my kids are going to inherit a lot of "stuff" they probably don't want.