Process for reconditioning of standardized plastic tight head drums

Process for reconditioning a standardized tight head drum for re-use as a wide-neck drum, said standardized tight head drum having a drum body extending along a longitudinal axis, a lower head, and an upper head drum welded to said drum body at a seam, the process comprising:

• a) mechanically separating the upper drum head along a parting cut line transverse to said longitudinal axis and below said seam, said parting cut resulting in an upper annular cut edge of the drum body;
• b) smoothing said resulting upper annular cut edge to produce a smooth weld surface;
• c) cleaning the interior of the drum body;
• d) sizing said upper annular cut edge of the drum body;
• and
• e) welding on the cut edge a neck ring having a peripheral flange and a lower edge, said peripheral flange projecting outwardly of the lower edge of the neck ring, said flange having a smaller diameter then the diameter of the drum body to produce a reconditioned wide-neck drum having the same nominal volume and the same height and diameter dimensions as said standardized tight head drum, then smoothing the weld, leak testing the reconditioned wide-neck drum, placing a wide-neck drum cover having a lower flange on the neck ring such that the lower flange rests on said peripheral flange, and attaching both flanges with a clamp ring.