Thanks for your replies.. I have a couple of reasons for wanting to do this..
Firstly, My wife and I really like the leave color and fullness of Bonzai'd benjiminis, that's why we bought this one. Unfortunately, we did not realize how large they would get. Silly me, did my research AFTER I bought the tree. Now we are trying to figure out how to keep the tree, and keep it small.
Also, we have an immediate need for a privacy tree, and buying something that will take years to get 15'-20' feet high is not very desireable to us. I know that people plant Ficus in Pots and bonzai them for indoor use that way, so I thought I might be able to plant this one in a pot in the ground (My steel drum idea) and keep it bonzai'd that way.
i guess my options are to
1. Try out the Steel drum in the ground idea, and monitor the root system
2. Plant the ficus in an above ground pot, and use it that way
3. Cut the ficus up and get rid of it
4. Sell it.
If I decide on 3 or 4, anyone have a good suggestion for a replacement tree?