Thread: Sawing through metal drum?

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Hey guys I have a toxic waste prop made out of a metal drum(not the instrument). I used to put fog machines in it but they broke because they over heated. Id like to saw a hole in the back of the drum and use a fog machine with a dryer hose. Only problem is I don't know what would saw through the drum. Please help.

jigsaw, sawzall, or even drill should work. just use a metal bit instead of the usual wood bits/blades

Any type of spiral saw will work too, with the appropriate metal cutting bit ofc. (or a die grinder with an 1/8" collet, & spiral saw bit.) Not to mention, high speed body saws, plasma cutters, or a hole saw on a drill. There are probably a couple other that my brain is a little too fuzzy to think of at this hour of the a.m.

Uh, 4.5" grinder.....
might take three whole minutes

I guess I could list from low tech to high tech: cold chisel and hammer, hack saw, drill a series of overlapping holes, an abrasive wheel, in gringer or drill, a sabre saw or sawzall with metal cutting blades, a drill mounted hole saw, a cutting torch, a plasma cutter, a milling machine, a punch press, a water jet machine or a laser cutting machine. There may be other ways, but this should cover most.

Get a good Holesaw. I cut through cars with them all the time. Easy as pie. (The good kind of cars that were twenty feet long from when American Steel ruled the highways)

Standard caveat for newbies (I'm sure in your case the top is already off the drum, plus you've had fog machines in it before so it's had its share of ignition sources inside of it already, but...)

If you don't know what was inside a metal (or even plastic!) drum when you first get it, do not attempt to cut it open because any sparks could make it explode. If you still feel like winning a Darwin Award, at least fill it with water first to displace vapors.

I always add 3 cups of gasoline per barrel, reseal and then start cutting with a plasma cutter personally....

It gives it that extra spark or flare if you will....

Originally Posted by Xane

Standard caveat for newbies (I'm sure in your case the top is already off the drum, plus you've had fog machines in it before so it's had its share of ignition sources inside of it already, but...)

If you don't know what was inside a metal (or even plastic!) drum when you first get it, do not attempt to cut it open because any sparks could make it explode. If you still feel like winning a Darwin Award, at least fill it with water first to displace vapors.

That reminds me of the tennis ball/beer can cannons we used to make in college. Three drops of lighter fluid in the ignition chamber and we could launch tennis balls over the top of the dorm.

Good advice Xane!

Originally Posted by Jack Skellington

That reminds me of the tennis ball/beer can cannons we used to make in college. Three drops of lighter fluid in the ignition chamber and we could launch tennis balls over the top of the dorm.

Good advice Xane!

Golf balls work pretty well for that too. One must be a bit more careful because of their propensity to bounce. Aquanet hairspray is a really cheap, and powerful combustible to use for a propellant. If you use cheap hairspray, I highly recommend schedule 120 pipe for the construction just to be, uhh...safe.