Need help from the drum smokers

[Chili Head]

I'm getting ready to put together a couple of drum smokers. The only drums in my area are used and I found one that looks like its been  painted on the inside but its dry and clean so I don't think it's had chemicals or oil in it. Im going to go scratch the inside and see if i can get down to the metal. The other drum I've located on eBay and its a food grade drum but it has the dreaded epoxy liner in it.
My question is..how hard is it to burn out the liner? If I have to burn it for two days and then wire wheel what doesn't burn out I might as well spend extra money and get a unlined drum. So those of you that have used the lined drums..how hard was it to burn out?
Thanks for the help guys!

[Hub]

Several years ago a friend of mine built a UDS from a 55 gallon drum that was painted on the inside.  He made all of his cuts and installations, then built a roaring fire in it.  Next day, he was able to scrape out the inside (messy job) and get almost all the paint as ash and peelings.  He then repeated the roaring fire two more times then gave it a final scrape down, using a wire brush to get into the corners.  He's been cooking on it for years now and turning out great food.  I think the type of paint (in this case not high temp) will have a lot to do with it if you want to go this route.

Hub

[smokeasaurus]

I think Big Poppa Smokers has a link on their site where they show you where to get drums that are ready to be cooked in...........

[sparky]

Take it to a sand blasting shop.  Cost me $35 to have the inside of my drum sand blasted.

[GusRobin]

I would go with the unlined one. I have built two of them and both times I just put some holes near the bottom (they end up being the airflow controls), filled with wood, and started a roaring fire. It ended up getting rid of all the paint on the outside and "cleaned" out the inside. I didn't have a power washer at the time so after it cooled I took it to one of those car washes that have the bays with the water wands. I cleaned it with that and let it dry. Worked great and I am sure the fire was hot enough to kill any nasties on the inside.

[Chili Head]

I already checked the links at big poppa smokers. Those are some $$$ drums.

Has anyone had to burn out the red epoxy liner? I can get these for 89 shipped.

[GusRobin]

I already checked the links at big poppa smokers. Those are some $$$ drums.

Has anyone had to burn out the red epoxy liner? I can get these for 89 shipped.

have you tried looking on Craig's list? Checked auto repair shops? Checked feed stores? I got one of mine from a feed store, and the other from an auto mechanic. The auto one had brake fluid in it, but I washed it with degreaser at the car wash, burned a hot wood fire and it was clean as new. As long as it didn't have some type of insecticide or something a hot fire should clean it out. They were about $20 each.

[Chili Head]

Thanks Gus I didn't think about auto repair shops! I check Craig's list every day.
I'll keep looking!