getting the lid off a uds

[salmonclubber]

hello everyone

i have seen all the uds smokers on here and they look easy enough to make i have a drum but not sure how to cut off the top for the lid once i cut it off how does it sit back on the rim thanks for your help

huey

 

[geek with fire]

What most folks are using are open head drums; meaning, it has a lid that fits over the top. It sounds like what you are talking about is a closed head drum. It will still work, but will require some fabrication. If it's your only option, or you just really want to do it, I would use a cutting torch or sawsall to cut about 1/2" below the top (on the side of the drum). Then weld some flat stock around the outer edge of the lid you just cut off. It should work, but just take you longer to get there.

This is what most folks are using:
http://www.amazon.com/55-Gallon-Stee.../dp/B000Z56C8O

EDIT:
I found a pretty good link that shows the differences in the 2 styles of drums (Side note: also note that this particular company also sells stainless drums......now wouldn't that be nice!):
http://www.vestilmfg.com/products/dh...teel_drums.htm

 

[gorillagrilla]

What geek said. Personaly I think its to much work. See if you can get an open head. If you can get one without a liner even better. I got kinda spoiled by my first one. Food grade open head with no liner. No cutting , no burnout. Just got another food grade open head but with liner. Prob. will burn it out, although in the somewhat urban area I'm in its a little risky. If I do another I will definatly wait till I find another without a liner. just my 2 cents.

 

[salmonclubber]

yeah thats what i got a closed head drum i will look around and see what i can find thanks guys

 

[4t64rd]

Mine had the weded in recessed lid, so I just took my handy dandy Harbor Freight 4" angle grinder with a metal grinding disk, and ground off the top edge where the lid metal is pinched and welded to the drums outside lip... about a 1/16",

One you grind off enough to see that it's two separate pieces of metal (it looks like there's a crack in it), then I started to beat the crap of the lid with a hammer, close to that weld, all the way around... eventually, it came was completely pushed down, and all I had to do was turn it 90 degrees and pull it out.

I cleaned up the edge a little with the grinder, and the lip around the top keeps the drum rigid and strong... If you need to use the lid, you can take a pair of vise grips and slowly coax the edge out in 1" intervals around the outside, until that lip fits over the rim. use the rim as a form and beat the lip back down over the rim.

a couple of tool box latches will pull it down tight if it's tweaked from the wacking.