Burn Barrel that works

[Diggin It]

I cut four - 2" holes around the bottom of my barrel. Barrel sits up on four bricks - evenly spaced around the barrel. This eliminates the chance of a "hot barrel bottom" starting a grass fire.

That's what I used to do, plus a few pick ax holes in the bottom to let rain water run out since I didn't use the lids.

Problem I found was the hotter fires degraded the metal faster and made them rust and collapse faster. When I could get them for five bucks each it wasn't big deal to get four or five at a time. But then the local junky yard guy started charging ten bucks and didn't always have good ones.

I've got a couple of stumps that are too big for me to dig out, but not too big for a barrel to sit over if I cut the full bottom out. The side holes and some chips and chaff might get going hot enough to get the stump to charrin'.

 

[RSKY]

I put six slots close to equal distance around the bottom and middle. The flames will swirl out the top. Burns paper very quick except for glossy magazines and they won't burn in anything. Sister found a plastic box of quilt tops that had a hole in the bottom and they were soaked from a leak in the basement. We threw them in two or three at a time on top of the paper/wood fire that had been burning for a couple hours. And they all brunt.

One problem: The wind was blowing very hard today and the flames came out a foot or two from the vents on the downwind side. Burnt the grass three or four feet away. Sister has learned to watch the smoke and always approach from upwind. Really funny to see my 73-year old sister scream and hop backwards to avoid the flames.

Second problem: When I put the top (top off an old dishwasher) flames sometimes come out the side. A long way out the sides. Can't really cover the top and walk off from it.

Old barrels would sit and smolder for three or four days before completely consumed. This will be ready to dump in two days with ashes completely cool.

Next time we work, probably next Tuesday, gonna throw in a pack of old firecrackers wrapped in a plastic bag. That should wake up my 73 & 79 year old sisters...... Maybe not, oldest had to have a stress test today. That might mess up her pacemaker.

RSKY

 

[jaxs]

Used water heater tanks last longer and can be 80 to 150 gallons. Problem is convincing plumbers to sell them for scrap iron price.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I cut a 4"x4" door at the bottom of mine, and use an electric leaf blower set on low to crank the fire up. Works awesome!

 

[metalbender]

I cut a few 6x1 angled slots near the bottom. Fire swirls and burns hot. Empty into the pit in the fall.

 

[jaxs]

Getting flames to swirl and rise 4 feet above the barrel isn't near as difficult as putting out grass fires caused by floating embers.

 

[turnkey4099]

In Lane County Oregon, you can be fined for burning anything a Burn Barrel. Its just straight out illegal in the entire county. Doesn't matter much to me as you can build and burn just about as big an open burn pile as you want.

Same in Washington state wide and the state will pay a bounty for reporting someone using one.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I made me a real pretty burn barrel.
I used a 1.5 inch hole and drilled 4 holes nicely spaced at the bottom and another 4 just below the first ridge but staggered between the lower ones.
Used my jig saw to neatly cut the top off.
Works like a charm all while looking good.
Heck I even painted the last with some stove paint I had left over.

LOL, on earlier ones simply used my small axe to puncture holes and cut the top off.
While crude it did the job.

To get another year usage, I tip mine over to dump the ashes out periodically as wet ashes sure rust out the bottom rapidly.
To comply with local fire regulations I have a mesh screen that act like a spark arrester that I cap the barrel while burning. Actually I salvaged a screen that came from a deck style fire pit as it was just the right size.
Also for between usages I made a crude lid of sorts to prevent rain from soaking the interior.

LOL, my last one is almost like a piece of garden art.

Do you wax it regularly?

 

[PILOON]

Do you wax it regularly?

LOL, no, and also not my tractor.
Heck my car has never seen wax either.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

You guys are sure working at it hard.

I use about a magazine full of 7.62 NATO ball ammo and shoot the barrel from 2 sides (90 degrees rotation), which pierces both sides of the barrel. The exit hole on the back side is usually key holed, so it's even better ventilation.

Fairly quick and entertaining at the same time.

I have to replace my barrel every 5 or 6 years because the bottoms rust out on them. I just have the barrel sitting on the ground all year, whether I'm burning anything in it or not. Every few months I will dump out the contents of the bottom into my trash bin (when it's fully cooled obviously). I'm usually only burning cardboard, a little wood, and paper. Very seldom burn anything else.