Burn Barrel Question

[sunflower-n-ks]

How do you make one? More to the point, what tool to use to make the holes for ventilation?

I have an old beat up steel barrel to use but it needs the holes put in it. A neighbor said to use a gun. He didn't show up to do that, so.......

[ozark_jewels]

I just used a hatchet to make a few holes low down on mine.

[wwubben]

I use my cutting torch.

[Txsteader]

We've used hatchets and pick axes before, but the most fun way is to use them for target practice.....rifle or shotgun, your choice.

[marvella]

after they have been out in the rain awhile they get holes all by themselves.:-)

i need a new one. anyone got any ideas for a source for metal barrels??

[Windy in Kansas]

Cold chisel driven by a ball peen hammer.

[fishhead]

Burn barrels are illegal in some states because they cause so much air pollution. It goes up in smoke and then rain collects the toxic chemicals like dioxin and brings it down.

[ozark_jewels]

We burn paper, etc. All plastics are recycled.

[newfieannie]

I use a oil tank cut in half. put a couple more holes with a chisel. i dont burn plastic either. ~Georgia.

[KIT.S]

My son used his little electric grinder - well, "little" is a 4" grinding head. Just turned it edge-on and cut an X on two sides, then hit it with a hammer a couple times, and the metal folded in so it wouldn't catch on anything when we moved the barrel. Worked great and had plenty of draw.
Kit

[Batt]

Originally Posted by sunflower-n-ks

A neighbor said to use a gun. He didn't show up to do that, so.......

Use your gun. Pistol, shotgun or rifle. You do have one don't you?

[sunflower-n-ks]

Originally Posted by fishhead

Burn barrels are illegal in some states because they cause so much air pollution. It goes up in smoke and then rain collects the toxic chemicals like dioxin and brings it down.

It is not illegal here and is quite common in rural areas. Just have to be smart about the wind and dry conditions to prevent fire from spreading. They post "no burn" days. Most cities have recycle centers for the items that can be recycled and "toxic waste" drop off sites to handle the nasty stuff. Burning paper and yard debris can lighten the load though.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

well a drill works but the gun is much more fun

to get it hotter an dcleaner burning you can enclose it more like a wood stove you could even get the barrel stove kit and make it a wood stove

i have seen some around here that just take a loop of small welded wire fencing and 2 t post they put it out at the edge of the yard and stuff the dry paper bags full of stuff in it then set on fire , a small peice of the fencing slides down over the t posts to keep flyers down,the grass around them burns back a bit and remains just dirt around them
as they are used every week or more , it works , not the worlds most efficiant burn but they get plenty of air and all you need to make them is a wire cutters heck the guy at the hardware store would cut the 1 inch hardware cloth for you

if it is nice clean paper like news print you should compost it , it would be paper not sutable for composting that i would burn.


and if you don't have a gun , thats a good tool to have around.

[Harry Chickpea]

Angle grinder, cutting torch, drill. Use a square of 1/2" hardware cloth over the top when burning to keep the bits of paper from flying around. You can bend it so it fits loosely over the top.

[wyld thang]

an SKS makes nice sized holes

[DW]

We shoot holes in them, easy, but you'd need to be out in the country.

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

We burn paper, etc. All plastics are recycled.

Must be nice to live where they take ALL plastics. The cities around me only take certain types of plastic for recycling and then only if you have spent the time to wash them all nice and pristine.

How about just giving everybody the option to buy stuff bulk without need for all the plastic packaging? HMM....

And if anybody is going to burn plastic, get a very hot fire going, then add the plastic. Much less pollution/stink that way. Burning plastics by letting them smolder doesnt do anybody any good. Annoys your neighbors, annoys the authorities, and creates lot pollution. Also leaves globs of melted plastic.

[RonM]

I hit it a couple times on the bottom with an axe, then 5 or 6 times on the sides,,we can only use one for a cooking fire so whenever I burn something I drag out a coupple old dried up hotdogs......

[uncle Will in In.]

Lay the barrel on its side on top of a couple concrete blocks. Put about three bricks in the bottom of the open end to keep the ashes from falling out. The barrel don't need any holes for air other than the open end. Put a couple posts beside it to keep it from blowing away during a storm. Everything you put in it will completely burn. If something happened to be to wet the day you put it in, it will dry out and burn the next time. The ashes don't require removal very often. A piece of welded wire hanging over the open end will keep critters from rummaging around in the ashes, and prevent burning paper from blowing out of the barrel.

[watcher]

We never put holes in our burn barrels and never had any problems with getting stuff to burn.