by pa_friendly_guy » Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:22 pm
I read somewhere, not sure if it was on here or that other permie site about someone who had welded a sacrificial metal plate to the inside of the barrel lid to extend the life of the barrel . I believe they used an 1/8 inch plate cut to size to fit inside the barrel lid and just welded it in place . Their theory was that the plate would protect the thin metal of the barrel lid which as you say takes a lot of beating from the intense heat, and therefore extend the useful life of the barrel. Matt and others on here seem to feel the barrels last a good long time just by themselves. My feeling is that the extra metal plate adds a level of safety from the exhaust gases leaking into the house some night and asphyxiating everyone in your family. The extra cost is minor, the added safety factor is a comfort, the cooking surface at the top of the barrel is still intact, it does not effect the efficient operation of your stove, I guess my feeling is, why not? Safety First, always error on the side of safety.
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