Build Your Own Barrel

First, check out this video. It was the starting point for our barrel, then follow the instructions below (or contact us to have us build one for you)

https://youtu.be/07P-6gqYg2g?si=BLQUkwm-POfpAhLO

Rocket Fire Barrel

Parts needed. 

• two steel drums (same size) 

• Sheet metal screws (15+/-)

• ¼ inch bolts 4 inches long (3)

• angle grinder with steel cutting discs 

• drill with 1/8th inch bit and #4 step unibit 

• template material (rigid plastic or metal) 

• sharpie • Tape measurer • Optional oil for drilling 

• Jigsaw and metal blades 

Inside Drum 

1. Cut out the top leaving the rim on. Cut as close to the rim as you can, probably using the jig saw. Be careful and go slowly around the circle as the blade can easily break going around a curve instead of straight

2. 5 inches from the seam, draw a solid line the length of the barrel

3. 1 inch further from the seam, draw a dashed line 

3. Use an angle grinder to cut the middle section at the seam and the solid line 

4. Ratchet strap the center to hold it. 

5. Cut off the entire capped (bottom) end of the drum (including the rim) about 1 cm from the end

6. Cut the top and bottom sections of the side of the barrel (at seam and solid marker line) 

6. Cut through the rim at the seam 

7. Cut through the rim at the dash line, across the bottom of the rim to the solid line, and across the rim at the solid line (leaving a one-inch section with side wall and no rim) 

9. Ratchet drum with tabbed edge on the inside. 

10. Fasten drum together with a few self-tapping screws from the outside in (maybe three or four total). 

11. Once secure, screw it together every few inches from the outside in.

12. Use the angle grinder to cut off the excess screw from the inside. Leave a few threads so it doesn’t unhinge itself.

BARREL IS NOW SMALLER 

13. Flip it over, with rim side up. (6:38 on the video)

14. Using a 3.5-inch square template, beginning at the seam, draw 3 squares under the rim equally spaced around the circumference.

15. Cut out these  squares

16. Flip over. 

17. Draw two lines around the un-rimmed top. One 1.5 inches from top, one 3 inches from top. 

18. Draw vertical lines from the 1.5 inch line to the top. Cut the vertical lines with grinder. Take off the outside edge of the double layer section. 

19. Drill a 1/8 hole in the 3-inch line, at the middle point of the tab above. 

20. Use the unibit #4 to drill those holes out. (oil can help)   

Inner Barrel Complete!

Outer barrel (15:00 on the video)

1. Cut out top, leaving the rim

1a. With open edge facing up, put one line at 1.5 and one at 3 inches around the drum. 

2. Mark dots or x’s every 1.5 inches on top line

3. Mark dots or x’s every 1.5 inches on bottom line staggered from the top line.

4. Use 1/8 th drill bit to draw pilot holes for each, then use the #4 unibit to drill those holes out. 

5. Flip it over so closed end is up. (16:57 on video)

6. Mark out a circle the size of the diameter of the inner barrel (likely 20 inches if it is a standard barrel, but check). 

7. Drill a hole with the #4 unibit, then use a jigsaw to cut out the hole. 

Assembly 

1. Put the outer drum over the top of the inner drum, with the holes on the bottom of the outer drum. It should seat, with the outer drum possibly resting on the sheet metal screw in the seam. It should seat between the bent tabs and the holes in the smaller barrel. 

2. Drill 3 medium holes 1/3 up from the bottom and spread 1/3 around the barrel

a. At each hole insert a 4” bolt

b. Screw nuts onto to each bolt all the way to the inner wall trying to use the tightness to even the space between the barrels.

c. Trim the excess bolt from the inside using the angle grinder.

The Grate

We will be putting 4 reinforcing steel rods (rebar) across the lower part of the barrel.

1. 3.5 to 4 inches about the base drill 4 holes about 2 inches apart all the way through both barrels

2. On the other side of the barrel drill 4 more holes opposite the ones you just did through both barrel

3. Fit a Rebar rod through each pair of holes and bend the ends down. The bent part should be  a couple of inches. This prevents the rods from sliding out

Build Notes

1. The most challenging part of this is drilling the holes. It’s a lot of holes and they need to be pretty big. Definitely use the 1/8th predrill and the 4-step unibit, and be patient.

2. The video has the Pizza grate with 8 slices. Don't use this method as the pizza rusts quickly. Use the grate described above instead.

3. We didn’t use the legs described in the video as they turned out to be pretty flimsy. We stand the barrel on 3 cinder blocks.

5. It’s nice to lift the inner barrel just a couple of inches as that lifts the flaps above the upper rim of the outer barrel. This looks good but it burns just fine with the barrels the same height, which is easier to build. 

Burn Barrel Usage

1. Plastic of most sorts will burn fine. I recommend removing the screw tops of bottles as they can pop.

2. Nappies, paper, cardboard will all burn well. (not too wet) Paper will create a bit of smoke.

3. Heavier plastics such as fuel containers etc will not and old flipflops/shoes don’t do that well. Fiberglas mesh doesn’t do so well either.

4. Metal and glass do not burn. Food tins, beer cans etc. will just get left behind

5. DO NOT throw aerosol cans in as they will explode!

6. I do the initial load of waste into the barrel and then add about a cup of pre-mix to start the fire. A bit of burning paper or coconut waste dropped carefully in will ignite it.

a. A better method would be to light from the bottom but I’m not that clever (yet).

7. After it really gets going (you’ll know when) one-by-one add the other bags in to be burned. It goes quickly! The last burn I did started with 3 bags in the barrel and then I added 3 more large bags after it got going. The whole burn process took about 20 minutes.

8. Please attend the burn the entire time for safety purposes and keep children away. It is REALLY hot.

9. After it has cooled I recommend covering with a tarp or board to reduce rust etc.

Other Information

The temperature required to effectively destroy plastic varies depending on the type of plastic. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE): These are common plastics used in bottles, bags, and packaging materials. They begin to melt at around 110 to 130 degrees Celsius (230 to 266 degrees Fahrenheit). To effectively destroy them, higher temperatures are needed, ideally above 500 degrees Celsius (932 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Polypropylene (PP): Found in items like food containers and packaging, PP starts to melt between 130 and 171 degrees Celsius (266 to 340 degrees Fahrenheit). Destruction typically requires temperatures above 500 degrees Celsius (932 degrees Fahrenheit).

3. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): Used in bottles, polyester fabrics, and food containers, PET starts to soften around 70 to 80 degrees Celsius (158 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit). To effectively destroy it, temperatures above 300 degrees Celsius (572 degrees Fahrenheit) are recommended.

4. Polystyrene (PS): Common in foam packaging, PS begins to soften around 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). To fully destroy it, temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius (752 degrees Fahrenheit) are needed.

5. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC starts to soften at lower temperatures, around 100 to 160 degrees Celsius (212 to 320 degrees Fahrenheit). However, it is not recommended to incinerate PVC due to the release of toxic chlorine gas.

6. Other Plastics: There are many other types of plastics with varying melting points. It's important to research the specific type of plastic you are dealing with to determine the appropriate temperature for destruction.

A DIY burn barrel, constructed from commonly available materials, can reach temperatures ranging from 700 to 1,200 degrees Celsius (1,292 to 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit) during the combustion of wood or other combustible materials. This temperature range is typical for a well-constructed burn barrel using wood or similar fuels.

Keep in mind that the exact temperature can vary depending on factors such as the type of fuel used, airflow, insulation, and the design of the burn barrel itself.

It's important to note that using a burn barrel for certain materials, like hazardous waste, can release toxic fumes and pollutants, and it may not be legal in some areas. Always follow local regulations and guidelines for waste disposal and burning.