British BBQ Society Forums

So I am starting to get together supplies to build a uds. I found a drum online (eBay) and was told that although they sell lined drums I could request an unlined drum as they do have some stock.

Drum arrived on Friday but there was no indication on the paperwork or drum itself that its unlined. I have opened the top and inside looks like its painted brown - is this a liner? The drum does say it used to have raspberry juice in it.

How can I tell if its lined?

any colour other than metallic looking grey/silver on the inside, I would guess its lined. maybe you could use a screw driver and attempt to make a small scratch?

So I still don't know if this was lined (I now suspect it was/is). I drilled some vent holes and then lit a fire yesterday. I got it quite hot - burned through 4 pallets and lots of old tree wood. at times it was glowing hot.

To say I was a little dissapointed today would be an understatement. The red/orange "paint" on the inside did not seem to have shifted in anyway. There was small sections where it was burnt away but not many.

So I decided to go at it with the angle grinder and some sanding discs (I used 10!). This was an absoultely horrible job. I was covered from head to toe in black dirt/dust. It's pretty much cleaned off now - I hit it with the pressure washer a few times as well through the process.

But I need to know if I should do more on the inside? Have I sufficiently removed enough? Also what I do with the inside? Do I paint it or just rub lard all over it?

sorry about the light but it's a pretty dark miserable day here: