44 Gallon Drum Oven

[dg2clarke]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Is there any chance an oven such as this, with bare steel on the inside, will burn/rust out?

I'm inspired by this project.

Dave

[WoodchuckDad]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

You can get a new drum for about 60 bucks.

[nissanneill]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

It's interesting as you go through life, you meet many different types of people who are tradespeople and masters of their games.
One such person I met is a welder who specialised in welding aluminium truck diesel tanks that had been damaged or worn thin under their holding straps.
He showed me what he had learned from an old German welder/engineer how he took out every plug and screw-in fitting, hooked the tank up to a good compressed air supply (15 -20 cfm) and then commenced welding. As the welding progressed, you could see the diesel fumes rapidly escaping through the filler(s) and outlets.
The explosive situation occurs when those fumes are trapped and can't escape but build up to the point where an explosion occurs.
The old German guy also used to used a vacuum cleaner to suck out the fumes but all the air passing through a vacuum cleaner pass through the electric motor to cool it with plenty of sparks around the armeture and can easily cause a fire but not necessarily an explosion.
Regardless however, extreme care must be exercised.

Neill

[david s]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

The sparks generated from a cutting disk are also enough to ignite it.

[brickie in oz]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

The first think they say in a boiler making apprenticeship is, dont weld empty drums of any kind.

[david s]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

for anyone intending to duplicate this idea be VERY careful when cutting the drum in half. Quite a lot of people have been killed when cutting 44 gallon drums as the small amount of oil creates volatile fumes which can ignite creating a bomb. You must wash the drum copiously with detergent and water to remove any oil residue.

[WoodchuckDad]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Absolute Genius. I can't wait to do this for a friend or two who have been envying my oven.

[Archena]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Most ovens built around here (forum) have the chimney in the front. Older ovens often had read chimneys or 'squirrel tail' chimneys where the opening is in the read of the oven and the outlet at the front.

[hostCOZA]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

I am looking at building this sort of oven as well, and putting it on wheels so I can bring it out when I need it and pack it away.

The oil drum thing is perfect because it'll reduce cracking, and let's face it, it's much easier. However, I have a question on the placement of your chimney.

I've been working through some other notes etc etc, and I think the chimney would actually work better if it were in the center or closer to the mouth of the oven.

By having the fire directly below the chimney, a huge amount of heat is lost. Smoke should't be an issue because it will rise and stay at the top of the oven. Does anyone have any thoughts on this ?

[Lill Dave]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

I almost whent that way with the barell, now I know what it might have looked like.
What I do have now is a great looking half round door that keeps my wood dry.

[heliman]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Hehehe ... the popularity of Barbie in Australia, particularly the "backyard" variety, should never be understimated. The inclusion of an Oscaresque award to mark this obsession would therefore not be out of place here! I like your suggestion of a possible design concept!

Rossco

Anyone else envisioning an Oscar-like statuette of Barbie in a chef's apron waving a big set of tongs? [ATTACH]17168[/ATTACH]

[Archena]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Do I sense a winning entry in the Great Australian Backyard Barbie Award 2010 here?

Anyone else envisioning an Oscar-like statuette of Barbie in a chef's apron waving a big set of tongs?

[heliman]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Sounds good bad!!

Keep the pics coming (food shots too). I reckon you have started a new craze in cheap DIY, recycled WFOs. Do I sense a winning entry in the Great Australian Backyard Barbie Award 2010 here?

Rossco

[Badkama]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

and to be again honest I have no bloody idea what 62% ratio to chamber height means
NO IDEA mate..but..reckon we are doing ok for an old man and his wife ........the love of my life

[Badkama]

Re: 44 Gallon Drum Oven

Thanks...we have a door as such...in fact to be totally honest it is 20 inch saw blade ....high tenslie steel......it sits right in frnt of the oven once I start cooking...it seems to work like a treat cause this thing gets bloody HOT and stays hot... My wife says this oven is pretty much the same as me... bent ....but in a fun way

Tell you what though mate..my family are at me all the time to

FIRE UP the oven and cook for them

Guess as things go then I got this fairly right ...it is one the best social things we have ever done.....it is just brilliant to sit around a sink a few cold ones while dinner cooks