Solid fuel fired.
Made from widely available materials that are found at container companies, plumbing supply houses or building material suppliers.
Standard barrel steel is durable because the firebox is firebrick lined and the recommended maximum operating temperature is around 250F. High temperature spray paint is used on the exterior and heavy smoke accumulation inhibits interior rust.
Cooker floor will not burn-out because it has an extra barrel bottom on top of it and coals burn on a fire grate located 5 inches above the floor.
Serendipitously, a 17 inch diameter Weber fire grate (available everywhere a la carte) fits perfectly inside the firebrick lined firebox.
Closed-top barrel bung holes are used for either the fuel/flue pipe or for water refill/venting.
A closely controlled atmosphere and uniform product size makes for repeatable cook times.
Cooking heat is easy to supply by partially lighting charcoal briquettes in a chimney starter, dropping them down the fuel/flue pipe 10 to 12 at a time, then flicking them out onto the forward sloping fire grate where they keep hardwood chunks smoldering as-well-as generate heat. Refueling and water-pan refill average about every 2 hours.
The 250F recommended maximum operating temperature keeps the cooker safe to be around, no instantaneous bad burns.
Cooker is easy to disassemble for moving and storage; firebricks are stacked separately.
Metal unit is light enough for one person to move by hand or it can be easily trucked on a two wheel dolly.
Takes up little more storage space than an intact 55 gallon drum; can be sat on firebricks.