fatchap Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Ever had a brilliant idea, planned it to perfection, executed it and it goes totally tits up? Today amongst other projects I have been making a container for my propane bottle, wife wants it outside the shed, not a problem, so in keeping with the rustic style of the garden I purchase a oak whisky barrel. Thinking that will be an ideal home for the gas bottle, place it close to the shed, bore a hole in the side and through the shed, feed the pipe from the forge through the holes and connect to the bottle simple. My first plan was to cut the top off the barrel and hinge it but after a bit of thought that would have been a catastrophic error as there was a chance the wood may splay out as I would have to cut below the top metal ring. So disregarded that idea. So turned my attention to just cutting around the top, inside the lip so to speak. I would cut it out so I included a " lug" that I would attach a hinge to and then attach the lid to the hinge, obviously would have to put a couple of stops inside because the lid would just fall through. Great plan, have a coffee and a rollie and then crack on. I drilled four holes in the top to facilitate the jigsaw blade and started to cut....... It didn't go well. in fact the more I look at the abortion of a job I made of it, the more I want to buy another barrel and start again. I have no excuses I proper ****** it up! Epically!!! No pictures I am too embarrased. How can I have made such a cock up of a relatively simple job? Can't blame the jigsaw, I wasn't rushing. it just went to pot. Maybe just having a bad day. And again no pictures I will never hear the end of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Pictures would help us to understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 (edited) 12 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Pictures would help us to understand. Honestly you will rip me to bits if I put pictures on here. imagine the barrel with its top removed by a blunt axe. I think tomorrow I'm going to turn it upside down and see if I can make a better job of the other end. Edited September 26, 2020 by fatchap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 I Get the idea, so what went wrong with the jig saw, did it keep snagging on the side so you didn't get a smooth cut(circle) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 23 minutes ago, fatchap said: Honestly you will rip me to bits if I put pictures on here. imagine the barrel with its top removed by a blunt axe. I think tomorrow I'm going to turn it upside down and see if I can make a better job of the other end. Practice, practice, practice! How many barrels do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 4 minutes ago, Konnie said: I Get the idea, so what went wrong with the jig saw, did it keep snagging on the side so you didn't get a smooth cut(circle) Couldn't keep a smooth cut, I think in hindsight I should have kept going in one direction, but I went about half way round and then cut in the oposite direction and for some reason the cuts never met up, I followed the lip with the jigsaw plate up against it but when I got to the end of the first cut from the other direction I was inch and half at least out. No idea why that happened, the cuts should have married up. And now it looks total ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 The front and the heel of the jigsaw would need to be in contact with the inside rim to keep constant i would think, but possibly you did it this way? How about a router. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 4 minutes ago, Konnie said: The front and the heel of the jigsaw would need to be in contact with the inside rim to keep constant i would think, but possibly you did it this way? How about a router. Thats my plan for tomorrow, turn the barrel upside down, work out the center of the lid and screw a screw into the middle, then some string attached to the router and use the string for my circle rather than the rim. If that don't work, Buy another barrel and try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Does your router come with a pin that you screw into your guide rail to allow you to do circle cuts . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 Something like this , it screws in to the guide rail and works like a compass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 23 minutes ago, johnphilip said: Something like this , it screws in to the guide rail and works like a compass Thats the plan. It comes with a purpose made aluminum bar for that but its not long enough, so string will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgy dave Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 dont forget calor gas is heavier than air so a small leak will build up in the bottom so you need ventalaition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy1950 Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 As has been pointed out, why not just turn the barrel upside down allowing any gas escape to do just that. Fix a few legs on the bottom of the barrel to even up its level. Just need to drop the barrel over the gas cylinder. Easy to just extend the length of the gas pipe into the forge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 very disapointed ....we need pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted September 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Flyboy1950 said: As has been pointed out, why not just turn the barrel upside down allowing any gas escape to do just that. Fix a few legs on the bottom of the barrel to even up its level. Just need to drop the barrel over the gas cylinder. Easy to just extend the length of the gas pipe into the forge Now thats an idea!! bloody good idea, like it!! a couple of handles on the side to aid lifting, barrel has a bit of weight to it. And jobs a goodun! Cheers for that. 👍 Edited September 27, 2020 by fatchap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgy dave Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 38 minutes ago, ditchman said: very disapointed ....we need pics yes he has only ever shown us nice things a nasty would make me feel a lot better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyboy1950 Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 Just need before and after pics now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 Could make a lid out of old pallet wood. Easy to cut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 5 minutes ago, strimmer_13 said: Could make a lid out of old pallet wood. Easy to cut Apparently NOT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 (edited) Why don't you just get that stuff that they sell at garden centres that is like a mat of bamboo or similar and warp it around the cylinder? Edited September 27, 2020 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grrclark Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 Can you make a trammel bar for the jig saw, or use the piece of string. Although the router will give a very nice edge on your lid it will also remove a fair bit of waste in the kerf. If you followed the same principle with the jigsaw, but cant the blade over to 30' or so (away from the centre) then the lid cant fall back through. Or, of course, just turn it upside down as Flyboy said. Everyone has those moments where they make the apparently simple way more difficult than reason would suggest, i suspect that you get it right way more often than you get it wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumpy69 Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 Im maybe misunderstanding what you are trying to do but unsure if it will work. Each part of the lid is only held together by dowels so when you cut through them the putside parts will fall in. I would recommend drilling and screwing each stave into the top two hoops then use the jigsaw to follow the top line of the second hoop, you can put a hinge at the back and it will look nice and neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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