Got my hands on a free drum and made up a boil pot, got the idea from Paul A's youtube channel.

I saw that in his video too. Looks like a good idea.

If you have any water well pump guys stop and ask if they have any of the old style pressure tanks. They sometimes have them from changing out to new pressure tanks. The old galvanized ones with no bladder. They make great boiling pots and you’ll never wear one out.

Unnecessary

I lean a piece of tin over the cutout on the far side of my half barrel…. Don’t hover over it so continuously that I need to escape the smoke….chunks of railroad rail strategically hold it all up.

I have a piece of tile backer cement board handy for a lid.

Turkey fryer base (propane), 1/2 of a 55 gal. drum, any piece of flat metal scrap for a lid (refrig/upright freezer floor, tin panning etc.etc.). Propane prices have not gone up like fuel has, plus you can use a smaller pot for smaller batches. And remember,,,,,,,, when in a heated area with time or non freezing temps, you can put traps in the pot at room temp and logwood dye will work slowly. Heat is only a catalyst to speed the reaction time. So if you are outside dump the rusty ones in your solution in the spring and they will be dyed by September. My Experience............................... the (always pressed for time) mike

They also make a great wood stove! Heated the house for 13 years with one. My son’s still using it. Get her good an hot and brush the galvanized off.

Beer kegs work pretty good also. Kind of a pain to get the top cut out though! Matabo and an angle grinder worked for me!

I have made several of these, and use a turkey fryer propane burner for heat.
I also made one for boiling/steaming crab. You need a big pot to do a bunch of king crab or 20 dungeoness sections.
Cutting the top is kind of tricky, but a little 4-1/2" grinder and cut-off wheel works well.