The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 55gal drum Lid Removal

OK I have two 55gal drums in the back of my Stovebolt. How the HECK do I remove the lids so that I can use them as burn barrels? Surely some of you do-it-yourselfers have had to deal with this situation before.

If they have crimped on lids as most do, take a big chisel and a big hammer and just chisel your way around the inside of the crimp.

Very easy to do and much safer than using a torch. Make sure they are empty and rinsed clean beofre you start.

My "barrel guy" has a huge can opener, just peels the lids right off if you want. Air chisel will also work well. Brian

Sawsall with ear plugs,
Scott

I thought about the hammer / chisel but didn't know if it would work. The air chisel is a good idea. I've needed one of those for a long time anyway.

Where does one find a "barrel guy"? lol....

48bigtrucks: You mean a scroll saw? But I need to have a lid to put back on to keep the water out. And hell yes, I will wear ear plugs. I wear them just about all the time anyway. I've abused my ears in the past and I'm paying the price.

Tab,
I have removed many tops with the hammer/chisel combo. With a sharp chisel and heavy hammer it is amazingly fast, and sort of fun too. Wear a good glove on the hand holding the chisel. When done properly, it gives a pretty burr free edge. When the top drops into the barrel, leave it there...the bottom won't rust out as quickly. Be sure to slice air vents around the bottom to aid in combustion.

Stuart.

Im make sure they are clean,and use the old smoke wrench.Works great.

atomarc: Thanks! Looks like the hammer and chisel it is.

dale937: What's a "smoke wrench"?

Do not use a torch on any barrel. I had a buddy that had one explode on him with what he thought was a clean dry barrel. Use a chisel and hammer and when you are done, lay it down on a 2x4 and hammer the burrs flat against the side. I make lids for my feed barrels out of plywood. I made a circle cutting jig for my router and I cut one circle the diameter of the inside of the barrel and another about an inch bigger in radius and just screw them together and use a screen door handle to lift them off. I have had some of these outside without paint for 10 years or more.
Ralph

I have used an air chisel tool, I did work at a place that had a big can opener.

Cool tool, made for opening drums, plasma cutter also works.

The ones I try to find now have removable lids, you can put the lid back on, keep the rain out.

Those are sweet, and it will last longer...

-RT1

The tool you are looking for is called a drum deheader. They run about 65 bucks. You can order one online, newpig.com p/n DRM561

Ray: Holy crap! You have a 69 GTO convertable? 69 was THE best year for the Goat.

I want to decrimp that lip so that I can remove the lid but I may not be able to do it with the tools that I have.

When I take my hammer and chisel to these things should I work around the side of the lid or set the barrel upright and chisel the top?

Oldtmy48: I JUST read a story on the net about a mechanic who was killed using a torch to cut the lid off of a 55gal drum. The cause of death; "blunt force trauma". darn thing blew up.

Some of those drums had some nasty chemicals inside. I got some marked "sorbitol".

oldtmy48: thanks for that lid making tip.

Ray: Thanks for the drum deheader tool tip. Since I only have two drums, buying another specialty tool is not what I want to do right now, but I will keep it in mind.

Tab,
Check your area For drum dealers. I pay $23 apiece for used openheads ( removeable tops ). As for the GTO your right i prefer the 69.

OK, it wasn't fun but it's done.

timcan

Ray: I got my drums for $3.00ea at a local scrapyard. I'm going back to get some more for rain barrels.

After 69 GTO's got uglier . They were still ok but nothing like the 69. The 69 Judge is my all time favorite car. I saw one driving down the road here in TexAss last year in a downpour. It looked like the guys daily driver. Oh, do I miss the 60's and early 70's.