Cutting a Steel Barrel for Maximum Utility?

Hi folks! I scrounged a couple of free steel drums that held motor oil. (I'm always on the lookout for these -- incredibly useful.)

I'm thinking about which way to cut them to get a broad range of uses.

Since the tops and bungs are intact, I think cutting them into two halves, top to bottom, offers the most options:
- tiki style char burner
- cover over hot char (fire safety / exclude oxygen)
- two or three halves set up vertically create a chimney to draw smoke away while burning (also to support a spark screen for fire safety)
- heat water for washing crud materials like dog beds, or melt snow and ice for houseplants in winter
- boil weeds to kill seeds before adding to compost
- move bulk materials using an old wheelbarrow chassis, hand truck, or sled

What do you think?

We have a barrel cutter (for the tops) at my work in order to dispose of our barrels. While I do not have experience in the best configuration, I implore you to be VERY careful of sharp edges. One of our employees got a nasty gouge on his hand not realizing how sharp the cut metal was.

Be safe!

Timothy Norton wrote:... be VERY careful of sharp edges.

Absolutely! Not my first rodeo.