stupid question from the new guy

[ebeveridge]

So I got an old motor oil drum that I am going to use for my UDS. And I am going to burn in it out this weekend. I am going to get a few old pallets and use the wood for the fire. How do I know when its been burned out good enough? Sorry for the stupid question but I dont want to mess up and make my family sick.

 

[redneck69]

if it was me, i would not use pallets, some of them are treated with oil to with stand the elements.  the residue could do more harm than good.  find some good old fire wood and use that..just my opinion

 

[ebeveridge]

thanks for the info. i have alot of fire wood i will just use that. Just wondering how hot for how long.

 

[redneck69]

when you say motor drum..are you meaning motor oil drum?  if so. i would stand the open end of the barrel on some cinder blocks facing down and light the fire under it, so the heat goes directly into the barrel.. make sure you are not close to any building or dry grass/weeds so nothing else catches on fire.  i would keep a good flame under it for a few hours and keep a fire extinguiser handy.  with oil in the drum..who knows what might happen..good luck.

 

[ebeveridge]

sorry about that yes its a motor oil drum. sounds like a plan. i can not wait to get started!!

 

[roller]

I love these dumb questions because I learn something from them everytime....

 

[coffee_junkie]

If it where me I would use the pallets, you can get some long pieces out of it. I would say burn three pallets as hot as you can get them. Let the fire cool, dump the ashes, rinse with water, use a wire wheel to clean it, then burn 3 more pallets through it, make sure you get a hot fire on the bottom of the barrel also, that is where your second burn will come in handy. When that is done, rinse it, wire wheel again until it is really clean and take it to the car wash, use some engine degreaser and wash the crap out of that thing. Then wire wheel again.......then wash it with some dish detergent and a scrub brush, rinse and your done....go and build the thing. If you want a good finish you will want to paint it ASAP or you will get rust starting to form fairly quickly. I never painted my drum and now kinda wished I had, but then again that is why they call it an UGLY drum smoker.

 

[tom37]

Redneck, I am in no way trying to step on your toes, but I can't help but to wonder if the fire below like you describe. Could cause fumes to build up near the top of the drum and cause it to make a big WOOOFFFFF!!

Its just a thought i had, cause if something like that can happen then it will do it to me.

I do know that I had a 42 inch long piece of 3/8 pipe, open both ends, and stood it on 3 bricks. Loaded it with leaves and lit the bottom.

OMG let me tell ya, it looked like the tail end of a jet turbine. I had flames 20 to 30 feet high burning the branch's off the neighbors cypress tree. Almost had to clean my shorts after that one.

As far as the drum, maybe a good decreasing could take some of the hazard out of the burn.

 Try to keep us up to date with build pics, only thing better then a good build is good food.

But we like um both.