Need help figure out what to do with lid???

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ballagh

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Dec 23, 2006
320
19
Iowa
getting a little side tracked from my 300 RF build since my buddy is outta town.  Tryin to do this this weekend.

Picked up a nice veggie oil drum that has a built in lid.  That is the problem.  Having a hard time finding a weber grill to use for a lid.  I have everything else but that.  What all possiblities exist for making this drum work when it has a attached lid?  Cut it off and make it work?  Cut it off and get some steel plate and fab something to work?  Cut it off and just wait til I can find a grill lid?  Help
 
Ballagh, if you just want a temp fix until you come across a weber lid, maybe you can just cut a piece of 3/4inch plywood in a circle and drill a exit hole for the smoke. Shouldn't be to hard, and if ya had a router you could go all fancy and make a groove for the lid to set down inside the drum just a tad.
 
Sounds like hes saying the drum is sealed on both ends and he has to cut the top off, but he wants to know where to cut it so a Weber top will fit later? i couldn't tell you what a Weber lid measures because i don't have one sorry I'm sure someone will have a measurement.
 
 
I Found a cheap grill for 29 bucks at a Big-lots store

and the lid from it fits over the barrel snug .

 I think the barrel was 22 1/2 and the lid was 22 3/4

But it fits over the barrel like it was made for it

 company that made the cheap grill was named BBQ Grates
 
Yeah, it was sealed on both ends.  I need to run to northern tomorrow, and they have a big lots next door.  I will stop and see if they have that.  thanks for the tip.  I did get the top lid cutoff and sanded down, bottom vents installed, and ran three frickin inches short of expanded to go all the way around the charcoal grate I got.  argh!!!!  Going to burn it out tonight.  Tried stick welding it, boy that was an adventure.  Burned a couple holes welding the nipples into the bottom.  Have to fix that.  Next time I think I am just going to go the easy route and use 3/4 lock nuts instead of welding until I get a better welder.
 
Glad the lid is off now and running out of metal is almost as bad as running out of welding rod when you have one weld left. What are you welding with?
 
LOL  an old stick welder.  Couldnt get the setting just right for the welds on the side nipples.  Got the wheels on the bottom welded ok, and the basket went together good too.  I picked up a few things from menards to cover up the hole.  I did get it burned out tonight.  Man that vegtable oil that was in the bottom really took off.  No smoker either.  Kind of weird. 

Did you all sand down the paint on the outside before priming? (Most of mine burned off, so I am going to sand the rest off.

After you burned out the inside, did you grind it down, or just season it after final assembly?
 
Wasn't much paint left on the 2 I did so I used a wire wheel to clean it up and wiped it down

with thinner and painted .

 after burning them out I power washed and washed  by hand again ,

I didnt season them til i was done painting and had it all together
 
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