Barrel Lids

I've got half a dozen old steel chemical barrels (they were used to ship Roundup) that have been rinsed out. I'd like to cut the top out of two or three of them to organize scrap metal. Wrought, aluminum, cast aluminum, and copper. Sure I could just make piles outside, but technically we do have an ugly ordinance int he county were I live. I've never had a complaint, but if I ever did I i'd spend a motnth hauling toting and stacking as it is now. I don't want to push my luck. now. I don't want ot leave those barrels inside, and I don't want them to fill with water. I was wondering if there is a cheap metal (plastic will sun rot) lid I could put on them to keep the rain out if we get an unusual amount of rain.

The other option is to slice the barrels just below center of the top most reinforcing ridge so they can be their own lids, but that gives them much less capacity.

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You could try the drain pans meant to go under water heaters., or corrugated galvy roofing.

"Jim Wilkins" snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com on Sun, 17 Apr 2022 18:43:30

-0400 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Or drain holes ...

But, but, but... It's so hard to drill them holes way down in the bottom of them big deep barrels.. Prolly need a long extesnsion on the drill bit...

There are reasons I may not want drain holes in the bottoms. I've also noted barrels with holes in the bottom seem to start rusting out quicker.

Keep thinking about that. Eventually you will get it.

Water heater pans returned lots of results available locally at a decent price and since they are local... no shipping.

persnaly I would go with sections of corrugated roofing with three or four longish through bolts to locate, might also need a rock in case of wind

Water heater pans returned lots of results available locally at a decent price and since they are local... no shipping.

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The covers on my scrap metal barrels are black plastic water heater pans covered with a tarp, and weighted with spare PVC and galvy tubing and gutter sections that can be stored outside. They are in the shade of a shed and pine trees so sun damage is less of a concern than falling branches.

If they were more exposed to intruders I might weight them with several smallish sandbags etc that aren't very useful as break-in tools. I learned to see rocks and other hard heavy objects as burglary aids from a friend who had done time.

I finally got that inexpensive PTZ surveillance camera to work with a laptop over a direct WiFi link.

software and instructions could be more helpful. I'm not familiar with smart phones and routers and am still trying to connect it to a free older phone.

I can agree. Hollows in the scrap will hold water, rust and corrosion. Not to mention breed skeeters. I suspect that holes in the bottom rust out faster because of the bare metal left exposed after drilling.

snipped-for-privacy@invalid.junk on Mon, 18 Apr 2022 06:16:29 +0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

naw, all you need to do is hold the barrel over your head and work from inside.

Just don't let it slip and conk you on your poor little head.

LOL-IRL

But, but, but... It's so hard to drill them holes way down in the bottom of them big deep barrels.. Prolly need a long extesnsion on the drill bit... Schweik

---------------------- The perfect tool for the task:

wins every argument with whatever it strikes, but you can't buy one until you learn it's true name.

Speaking of red-neck methods...

As a kid while visiting Grandpa in the southern Appalachians I was sent out to fasten down the corrugated roof of the corn crib. The nail heads had rusted off in one corner and it was flapping. He didn't have much for tools or a long enough ladder to work from above but I did have my .22, so I shot a row of holes and hay-wired it down.

The auto shop teacher showed me his trick to salvage a can of brake cleaner that the kids had dropped and broken the spray head stem offa. He held it upside down and nipped the rim with dikes to let the propellant out, then clamped it in the bench vise to keep it from spilling, but the girls removed it to use the vise to wire-brush rusty brake calipers. (The guys let them and brushed free-hand)

I added squeezing flats on the ends of the can so it wouldn't roll.

Back in the day we cut the top off the drums with an overgrown can opener. This gave us a ready made re-useable top with no additional cost. you might find someone near you at a drum recycler who would do that at a reasonable cost. If water is a real issue cut the bottom off and leave the bungs out with the drum upside down.

I own a straight pick. Sometimes it will keep going even when a double jack bounces off.

Did it split the seam like a Magic Chef can opener? That would be really cool. I have seen can openers for drums, but most look like they used the a shear like a P38 can opener. Just with an extra along lever.