# Advice on oil drum BBQ



## skronk (25 Jan 2015)

Hi all,

Want to make one and have a drum I cut yesterday.

Light rusting inside, but more rust and finished blue paint outside. I am not sure what sort of wheel to get for my grinder in order to remove the rust prior to painting. Can someone advise please ? Preferably something from Toolstation as they will deliver free over £10, whereas Screwfix want £10 or £15 on orders under £50. I live remotely, so dealing with internet companies normally results in "We do not deliver to Scottish Highlands". Hence reliance on Toolstation.

As an aside, I was looking for a 30mm to 25.4mm ring for my mitre saw.....the ring was £1.69....postage from down south to "remote location" was £19.95. Found one on the Bay for £1.95 post paid. Makes you laugh !!!!

Any help appreciated


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## woodfarmer (25 Jan 2015)

skronk":162fod8f said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Want to make one and have a drum I cut yesterday.
> 
> ...



Can you burn the blue paint off just by having a fire in it ?
to remove rust and paint from a curved surface I recommend you get a flexible backing pad for your grinder and use 24-36 grit discs. They will P..$$ through it. Handytools stock most things and are not bad for postage for France..
Postage costs often dictate from whom I buy.


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## skronk (25 Jan 2015)

woodfarmer":1lxnloco said:


> skronk":1lxnloco said:
> 
> 
> > Hi all,
> ...



Thanks for reply,

I am not a metalworker in any sense of the word, so don't know about the fire idea.....could try I suppose ???


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## Doug B (25 Jan 2015)

Any paint you put on it will come off where it gets hot when you use it so a waste of time really.
Cut it to the shape you want then have a good fire in it to remove oil residue & toxins, take care as it's sometime quite scary just how big a blaze you can get off the oil residue DAMHIKT 
After you're happy you've had a long enough fire to burn off everything that could tarnish your food when used as a BBQ, just use it as if is.

I've used quite a few oil drums as incinerators down the allotment, they work well but don't last long particularly if water is left to stand in them.


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## skronk (25 Jan 2015)

Doug B":2rugng7u said:


> Any paint you put on it will come off where it gets hot when you use it so a waste of time really.
> Cut it to the shape you want then have a good fire in it to remove oil residue & toxins, take care as it's sometime quite scary just how big a blaze you can get off the oil residue DAMHIKT
> After you're happy you've had a long enough fire to burn off everything that could tarnish your food when used as a BBQ,* just use it as if is.*
> 
> I've used quite a few oil drums as incinerators down the allotment, they work well but don't last long particularly if water is left to stand in them.


Thanks for reply,

Wife will not accept your suggestion as drum is really filthy externally. Are you saying even high heat resist paint would come off ? The kind used for woodburning stoves ?


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## Doug B (25 Jan 2015)

Honest answer is I don't know re heat resistant paint, I didn't think woodturning stoves were painted.

A quick google suggests 650 degrees is maximum for most of these paints that I looked at which is similar to what charcoals can get to.


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## n0legs (25 Jan 2015)

skronk":1x22ld1d said:


> Are you saying even high heat resist paint would come off ?



Rustins do a High Heat Resistant paint specifically for wood burners BBQs etc,

Don't waste your time and money, it doesn't work. I paid £8.30 for 250ml 
Either my gas bottle wood burner gets hotter than 600 c or the paint just can't take heat, either way that's one you can avoid.


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## skronk (25 Jan 2015)

n0legs":159m0xzv said:


> skronk":159m0xzv said:
> 
> 
> > Are you saying even high heat resist paint would come off ?
> ...



Thanks for that !!..........That was the very one I was going to use !

Oh well.......square one again !!


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## blackrodd (25 Jan 2015)

skronk":12ft870p said:


> n0legs":12ft870p said:
> 
> 
> > skronk":12ft870p said:
> ...



As there are fire bricks stopping the wood burner getting too hot, perhaps that's why the paint lasts a bit longer.
If it's heat resistant paint you're after, what about exhaust manifold paint?
Please let me know if it's any good, then I can do mine!
Regards Rodders


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## skronk (26 Jan 2015)

Will do Rodders. A friend has given me sanding discs...36 grit, so I am going to start sanding today....weather permitting.


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## -Matt- (26 Jan 2015)

blackrodd":2b0sgw3f said:


> If it's heat resistant paint you're after, what about exhaust manifold paint?



Its the same stuff 

Last time I stripped paint off a drum, it was dumped in a forge and then attacked with an oxy-acetylene torch. Then vigorously wirebrushed.

A big cupbrush should see you right Skronk, just make sure to get a dustmask and goggles on!


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## blackrodd (26 Jan 2015)

-Matt-":fjgy0no3 said:


> blackrodd":fjgy0no3 said:
> 
> 
> > If it's heat resistant paint you're after, what about exhaust manifold paint?
> ...




Sorry about that, I only saw that stove paint was mentioned!
Regards Rodders


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## Jimmyarm (4 Feb 2015)

Bit late to the party but I build half drum bbqs for pubs every now and then 

After cutting the drum in half, have a good fire in it. This will get most of the paint loose.

After that use one of these (sorry can't post links, look on screwfix for non woven preparation wheel)

These will remove paint/rust without taking the metal away, barrels are pretty thin to start with. One wheel will easily do a whole drum.

After that I use rustoleum bbq /stove paint on the outside of the half drum. About £8 a tin from Amazon or similar and works well


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## blackrodd (4 Feb 2015)

Jimmyarm":1bk046zu said:


> Bit late to the party but I build half drum bbqs for pubs every now and then
> 
> After cutting the drum in half, have a good fire in it. This will get most of the paint loose.
> 
> ...



Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the helpful post above.
Can you say if the Rustoleum is glossy at all as 'Er indoors may not like that, and I try and keep my de merits to a minimum.
Thanks and regards Rodders


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## Jimmyarm (4 Feb 2015)

Not shiney at all, a pleasant matt black effect very similar to a wood stove etc. One can will just about do a half drum with several light coats but I usually buy two, give it a few extra coats as let the customer have the rest to touch it up if needed.

Forgot to add, if you make a grate for the bottom of the drum it helps with the life of it and stops the paint melting off.

I use 3mmx50mm angle to build a frame for the bottom as well two that rest on top for the cooking grates and them weld expanded metal in the middle.

If you have a metal supermarket near you they will even cut it all to size so you just have to weld it together like a jigsaw puzzle =)


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## blackrodd (4 Feb 2015)

You look really well organized up there, in the pics! 
Far superior than an imported, use twice and scat out 3 months later jobby.
Metal supermarket? We've only just got steam T.V. down here in sunny Devon.
And I hear that this 'ere colour T.V. is getting very popular too.
Maybe in Exeter nothing for metal work here since Parkins packed up 3, or more years ago.
Hopefully, someone will wake up around here soon!
Regards Rodders


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## skronk (19 Feb 2015)

Jimmyarm":radmyy1p said:


> Bit late to the party but I build half drum bbqs for pubs every now and then
> 
> After cutting the drum in half, have a good fire in it. This will get most of the paint loose.
> 
> ...


Used the wheel Jimmyarm recommended. First class...now have a nice shiny drum in 2 bits. Is it too late to have a fire in to burn off internal residue ? It was recommended to have fire in first, but I have gone the wrong way round #-o .

Will a fire in it now.....prior to painting, tarnish the silver finish ?

Thanks


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