Oil drum cutting

[jonsam]

I'm looking to make some cuts in a 55 gallon oil drum and I'm trying to avoid getting blown up.

First of all the drum is closed end with two bungs (one large, one small). From what I can tell it had almond oil in it before I picked it up. There is some remaining oil in the bottom.

I want to cut a door in the side of the drum and turn it into a bbq. I'm probably going to use abrasive cutoff disks in my angle grinder so there will be a lot of sparks and I'm worried about igniting the oil in a confined space.

Does anyone have any advice for cleaning the barrel out or any other suggestions for how I should go about doing this? Thanks.

[dabar39]

Does anyone know what the flash point of almond oil is?

Once you figure out if the oil is flammable, then we can tell you better how to do it. I really don't know if it is flammable or what the risk of explosion may be.

When in doubt, don't do it.

Look for alternate methods such as a sawsall or a jig saw.

Sorry I can't be more help but I know nothing about the properties of almond oil and I'm not willing to take a guess when there is a risk of injury involved. Dave

[tenfingers]

I'd empty it and steam it out if I could. If you can't steam it out, Dawn dish soap is a good oil cutter.

Another option is to take it to a car or truck wash and have them clean it out for you.

You could also purge it with Co2 or another inert gas (Argon may be kinda expensive though).

I wouldn't use car exhaust due to the possibility of unburned fuel.

Clean it 'till you feel safe cutting it.

[jonsam]

Will steaming work on a heavy oil like this? I'd imagine the idea of steaming it is to drive out the volatiles.

I poured a little of the excess oil out and it is quite a bit like olive or canola oil. It won't light on fire by itself but when I soaked a napkin in it it burned. It doesn't seem very volatile. From the MSDS the flash point is >400F.

I think I might try the dish detergent idea.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[KBar]

Here is an MSDS sheet for Almond Oil. It has a flash point of 400 degrees so I dont think you want to torch it.

http://www.essentialoil.com/msdssalmond.html

[fun4now]

i just cut a 10w30 55gal drum like that. used my plasma cutter. i just filled it up with water and made the cut, no problem. lay it on its side so the big hole is up and fill it to the cut point and cut.

well it worked ok for me any way. although it may not be the best option. but cold oil, cold water, hot plasma cut, no problem. dish soap will take enough out to not have a problem i suspect. that stuff cuts oil great.

[mcostello]

Just for the uninitiated in the group- I had a barrel that had solvent in it, knew it was flammable. Left it sit outside both bungs open, protected from weather. Sat a year, poured in about 1 1/2 gallon of water in it. Cut off 1/2 of top with stick welder. No smell or fumes cut remaining half off, when I got to about 1/2" from end heard a sound like sparklers going off, lifted helmet and seen sparks shooting out like a Roman candle, Thinking thats COOL, then barrel gave a big POOF and stopped sparking, just had a restroom break so being "empty" was a good thing. Problem? Pile of dust in barrel and with cutting and hot metal falling in dried up the water enough to start chain reaction. Next time more water.

[dabar39]

Just for the uninitiated in the group- I had a barrel that had solvent in it, knew it was flammable. Left it sit outside both bungs open, protected from weather. Sat a year, poured in about 1 1/2 gallon of water in it. Cut off 1/2 of top with stick welder. No smell or fumes cut remaining half off, when I got to about 1/2" from end heard a sound like sparklers going off, lifted helmet and seen sparks shooting out like a Roman candle, Thinking thats COOL, then barrel gave a big POOF and stopped sparking, just had a restroom break so being "empty" was a good thing. Problem? Pile of dust in barrel and with cutting and hot metal falling in dried up the water enough to start chain reaction. Next time more water.

Exactly why I said "when in doubt don't do it".

Even when you think it's O.K., it just might not be. I have cut many a barrel and propane tanks open and know many safe ways to do it. I was not going to give someone unexperienced advice on how to do it. You happen to be lucky things didn't go much worse for you.

I will say it again, If you are not absolutely sure of what you are doing, don't do it. Leave it for some one who does.

[USARMY44B]

the tc 9-237 has a section on cleaning fuel tanks for repair might give some ideas

[monte55]

The proper way to cut open a drum without any chance of injury is to find some numbnut that just got a plasma cutter and ask him to impress you.