How To Open Oil Drum

Ryan

New member
Messages
1
What is the best way to open an oil drum? I want to cut the top off to reuse it as a water barrel. What is the best way to do it cleanly?
 
baloyi

baloyi

Farm Hand
Messages
70
You can use an air hammer and slicer chisel or a cold chisel and small sledge hammer. Other people prefer to use a plasma cutter instead. Isn't it amazing that there are so many ways to recycle such drums?
 
FarmHand

FarmHand

Golden Chicken
Messages
149
Yeah you best be careful with the method if there is anything flammable left in there.
 

C.M. Wierick

New member
Messages
6
I take the bungs out with a bung wrench and, using a garden hose, run several gallons of water into the drum. Them, I use a 4 1/2 inch cutting wheel too start an opening. Lay that aside and using a metal cutting blade on a Sawzall, I put the blade into the beginning slice, and run the Sawzall around the drum with the guide /guard against the edge of the drum. After I finish the cut, I set the cut out section aside for use with jacks, etc. I take the cutting wheel and cut the area out to the rim of the drum in multiple places like the minute marks on a clock face and bang them down with a ball peen or small sledge hammer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MC
MoparSparko

MoparSparko

Farm Hand
Messages
11
We made a cutter that uses a sickle bar knife section that works kind of like a huge P-51 military can opener. I think that was the number the military used, might not be remembering that correctly. It eliminates any open flame or saw grindings, but it does take manual labor.
 
Tommy63

Tommy63

Farm Hand
Messages
17
Buy a drum deheader for 50 bucks and you'll have an endless supply of clean cut drums.
 
Tommy63

Tommy63

Farm Hand
Messages
17
ConsiderpPlastic barrels which might be better for water storage and can be cut with a sawzall.
 
 
Top