New build completed!

Gman

New member
I'm happy to say that I've completed my build this last weekend and it went much smoother than I expected. My wife bought me my BP kit for my birthday and she also ordered the drum for me. Though I dropped her many hints about the kit I wanted I didn't mention all the intricacies regard drum selection. I was nervously anticipating the drum's arrival waiting to see what the insides looked like and of course it arrived Friday and had the nasty red liner. I've done a fair amount of research on this site and was dreading ridding myself of the "red liner of death". Most post on the subject on this site are usually answered with one word, "Sandblast" but that wasn't going to be an option for me, the cheapest I found was $110 to get the inside and outside done. The whole purpose of my build was to build a top quality smoker for under $200 bucks! I dint want my wife to be right....AGAIN, so I resigned to the fact that I would be busting my knuckles all weekend to get the can cleaned out properly.

BTW, I am soooo glad I found this site! Without the information and advice I was able to gain from others experience I don't think I would have been able to do this right. This is pretty much the reason I'm sharing my experience in the hopes that it will help someone out as well.

So, "off with the liner!"

I decided on using a weed burner as building a huge fire wasn't an option in my neighborhood. I figured that 500K of BTU should do the trick and man was I right! I could not believe how easy it was! Took me 30 minutes to complete the job and all of the liner came off.

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It was amazingly easy and I'm wondering why there is a debate about which process to use to remove the liner. Sandblasting, chemicals, 6 plus hour burn outs, all seem to be the harder more expensive route. Maybe not all liners are the same. 30 minutes with the torch then a quick rub down removed all remnants of the liner. I was very happy with the results and would recommend this method over the others. I did not have to brake out the grinder at all!

Here is the final result. It took me all of Saturday to complete the whole build! From burn to final paint.

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Salmonsmoker

New member
Great job Gman! Glad you posted your process because....I don't recall seeing any postings on here where someone used a weed burner to remove the dreaded liner. Much better than having to build a bonfire in the barrel.
 

swamprb

New member
Go Hawks! Nice looking drum!

Now for your next build call Al's Seattle Barrel on Airport Way. Tell them you want an open drum with a flat lid/no bungs for a BBQ. Bring $55 cash and don't ask a lot of questions because Al thinks everyone is from the EPA and out to get him! But they are the place to go in Seatown!
 

swamprb

New member
Gman-

Yeah- some linings are easier to burn off than others. I picked up some UN rated drums in Bellevue for $10 each, I was able to get 3 sandblasted along with 6 lids for $100 from Bulldog Powdercoating in Mukilteo. They charge by the hour.
 

Motay

New member
Where did the art work come from, that'll hopefully withstand the drum heat? That's beautiful!!! signed, Motay, another local guy from Federal Way.
 
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