This tutorial will guide you through the process of building a 55 gallon barbecue barrel, step by step. It’s important to note that prior experience and the necessary tools for welding and metal cutting are required for this build. You can easily find 55 gallon steel drums for free or at a low cost by searching on Craigslist.org or visiting a scrap yard. People are always looking to get rid of these drums.
Before you proceed, ensure that the drum you use has been thoroughly cleaned both inside and out to remove any hazardous materials.
Materials Required:
- 1 – 55 Gallon Steel Drum (FOOD GRADE).
- 11 Feet Of Hot Rolled Steel Square Tube: 1” X 1” X .12” (11 Gauge).
- 38.5 Feet Of Hot Rolled Flat Steel: ¼” X ¾” X 38.5’.
- 4.5 Inches of 1-1/2” Diameter Wooden Dowel.
- 1 – ¼-20 X 5-1/4” LG SS Hex Bolt.
- 1 – ¼-20 SS Acorn Nut.
- 2 – 3 X 2” Surface Mount Door Hinge.
- 1 – 24” X 3/4” X 8.5’ Diamond Expanded Sheet Metal.
Cut Sheet:
How to Build a 55 Gallon Drum BBQ Pit in 10 Fairly Easy Steps!
Step 1: Begin by marking the steel drum into quarters and cutting out one quarter section.
Step 2: Cut all the necessary metal stock for this project according to the provided cut sheet.
Step 3: Next, cut two grill handle arms to the appropriate length and drill a hole in each part as per the drawing.
Step 4: Cut the actual handle for the drum grill to the correct length and drill a hole in it as indicated in the drawing.
Step 5: Proceed to cut the diamond expanded sheet metal according to the drawings for the main grate, shelf grate, and two of the shelf grate 2.
Grate:
Step 6: Now it’s time to weld together the frame for the drum grill. Gather all the parts from the provided cut sheet and lay them out on the welding surface. Position four FC-2 parts and two FC-5 parts, then tack weld them in place based on the “DG Frame” drawing. Repeat this step with two FC-2 parts, two FC-4 parts, and the corresponding drawing. Gather both weldments, four FC-6 parts, the shelf grate, and two of shelf grate 2. Tack weld these parts in place, referring to the “DG Frame Welds” drawing.
DG Frame Welds:
Cross-reference the weldment illustrations below with this chart. Double-check all alignments before completing the welds.
Step 7: Assemble the large portion of the steel drum, two FC-1 parts, two FC-3 parts, and the grate. Tack weld these parts in place based on the “DG Welds” drawing. Double-check the alignments and complete the welds.
DG Welds:
Cross-reference the weldment illustrations below with this chart.
Step 8: Gather the small portion of the steel drum, two handle arm parts, the handle, the ¼-20 X 5-1/4” LG SS Hex Bolt, and the ¼-20 SS Acorn Nut. Position these parts on the welding surface and tack weld the handle arms in place according to the “DG Top Welds” drawing. Attach the handle to the arms using the bolt. Double-check the alignments and complete the welds.
DG Top Welds:
Cross-reference the weldment illustrations below with this chart for the assembly of the grill lid handles.
Step 9: Gather the parts for the “DG Welds,” “DG Top Welds,” and both hinges. Position them in place and tack weld them according to the “DG Welds” illustrations. Ensure that the hinge door assembly functions correctly. Double-check the alignments and complete the welds.
DG Top Welds:
Cross-reference the weldment illustrations below with this chart.
Step 10: Finally, complete the weldments for the Drum Grill Welds and Drum Grill Frame. Place the grill on top of the frame according to the “55 Gallon Drum Grill” drawing and tack weld it in place. Verify the alignment and complete the welds.
55 Gallon Drum BBQ Pit!
We hope you found this drum grill welding project guide helpful. While we understand that following along on a web page might not be the easiest, we have a 20-page set of plans available in PDF format that are easier to follow and print. These plans provide more detailed instructions for each weldment. We appreciate your feedback on this tutorial. Thank you!
