need ideas for fire pit


Driftingrz

Driftingrz

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alright guys.. its getting cold.. and i would like to do some Shraftin this winter whether it be carving or whatnot.. i dont have a backyard really.. just some gravel and a raised garden.. also have a deck on the side of the house.. and im looking for some ideas for a fire pit.. if money wasnt an issue id buy one of the fire pit/tables meant for sitting on decks.. but they aint free :4:... hoping to come up with a good idea thats not completely ghetto haha..

first idea i had was to use a steel barrel cut in half longways with some added legs... but then i realized that the barrel i have is open on one end... so that was a failure... if i could find an old charcoal grill or something i could use its bowl..

but basically im just seeing if theres some ideas that i may be overlooking.. id prefer it to be safe for deck use.. as the "backyard" gets used as a driveway at times
 
get something like a big wok and surround it with stones, just make sure it isn't sitting directly on the deck wood.
 
I used an old washing machine drum. I didn't find a stainless one like they used in the link but it works. I also added 3 shelf brackets as legs so it sits up off the ground. I had an old disk (off of farm machinery) under it but found it wasn't needed. I throw an old piece of pulled wire mesh over the top if I'm worried about sparks.

http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/07/repurpose-an-old-washing-machine-as-a-backyard-fire-pit/

The stainless one in the link looks a lot nicer than mine.
 
Maybe look for an inexpensive charcoal grill from one of those bargain places like Big Lots.
 
A goodwill Wok would be a nice little pit and could be set up on a stand made of another tall pot. All things considered you could be into it for less than $5.
 
If you have a drum already you don't care about, cut that down to about two feet-ish deep. Set on some cinder blocks, drill drain holes in the bottom so water can drain out and fill 6 to 8 inches with gravel. Should be safe for deck use and with 1.5 foot walls, sheltered from wind and contained enough to be safe around the house. Some stretch iron with angle iron frame and you've got a nice cooking grate. A drum lid and you can keep water, critters and such out of it when not in use.
 
Watch Craig's list for cheap grills or place an add for wanting broken grills. Or old sinks, stainless steel might be better than ceramic, but maybe not.

GA...Can you make your own out of natural found clay??? That would be shrafty!
 
I've seen/used one that was cut out of one end of a large propane tank with legs welded on it. I've thought a smaller version from a water, air or small propane tank?

BTW-I'm on the same mission :)
 
thanks for hte ideas guys.. i would cut down the barrel if i had something to cut it with. like i said in my first post im gonna be on the lookout for a grill.. and i know there used to be one at my grandmas house when she moved in.. if its still there i might remove it from its legs or cut them down.. i like the chimney block idea but id have to put some bricks or something under neath it to keep the deck from getting scorched
 
How about a roaster pan? I have a stainless one I bought at a garage sale for 2.00. They might be found in the thrift type stores. Get one with the lid and you can cover your fire up after your done and let it burn out. Most have a vent on the top..just keep that open when letting the fire die down. I would think shishkabobs will fit laying across it.. metal trivets could be found to fit across it too for a grill. One should be able to bake in it too with lid on and coals spread out with cake pan on top of grill.

Marsh.
 
I second the washer drum. It's what we use and its perfect, already has a bunch of mini holes drilled in it and you can find em everywhere.
 
You could use a satellite dish if you can find one, it's a little small for some but completely dependant on how large a fire you intend to have and what type of dishes are used that you can find in a scrap yard. If you find an older metal mesh one all you need to do is raise it on a few bricks, and put a board under it to catch ash after giving the edges a tap.
It can also double as a solar cooker if you line it with foil and remember how far away the focal point is...
 
The chimineas are great and are somewhat controllable to save wood .
If you want to build something yourself go down to the river and dig about 50 pounds of clay . Form the clay into ropes and coil it up into a chiminea . Then build a hot fire maybe use charcoal and pack coals around the outside too . Probabley gonna have to fire it for about 24 hours to make it into ceramic .
 
i actually used to have one of those Gryphon.. wish i knew where it was.. it dissapeared sometime when we moved last
 
Driftingrz said:
alright guys.. its getting cold.. and i would like to do some Shraftin this winter whether it be carving or whatnot.. i dont have a backyard really.. just some gravel and a raised garden.. also have a deck on the side of the house.. and im looking for some ideas for a fire pit.. if money wasnt an issue id buy one of the fire pit/tables meant for sitting on decks.. but they aint free :4:... hoping to come up with a good idea thats not completely ghetto haha..

first idea i had was to use a steel barrel cut in half longways with some added legs... but then i realized that the barrel i have is open on one end... so that was a failure... if i could find an old charcoal grill or something i could use its bowl..

but basically im just seeing if theres some ideas that i may be overlooking.. id prefer it to be safe for deck use.. as the "backyard" gets used as a driveway at times
Click to expand...

I made this incomplete rocketstove from 17, 16"x8"x4" cap block. I only need to get 2 pieces of stove pipe and a steel drum to finish. Something like this would suit you well for what you're wanting.

Check out full size rocket stove construction. (cross section of 60"). Youtube has some stuff and there's more resources out there. If you have difficulty finding the info quickly, PM me or post here and I'll dig up the stuff I've got.

You'll need access to clay and straw if you want the most effective build.

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I use a brake drum from a dump truck. I got an old one from the mechanics at work when they re-did brakes this spring. Works great. About 16" diameter and 12" deep and heavy as hell.

Check places that do brakes for large trucks in your area. Travel Plazas with mechanics on staff might be good as well. Most places end up selling them for scrap, so maybe offering scrap price for it would make it easier for them to part with.

Personally, I would avoid the use of cinder blocks for an uncovered outside firepit, unless lined with fire brick. I've seen and been a part of a few grenading cinder blocks when they got wet.
 
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I built several from the bottoms of 55 gallon drums. I usually use 20 to 24 inches of the bottom and either add legs ( used when car camping ) or surround it with bricks for a more permanent fixture. Bricks can usually be obtained very cheaply and stacked around the drum to make it fairly attractive.
 
We use patio tile bricks and that works just fine. Cinder blocks have also already been mentioned - also a good call.
 
Tractor trailer brake drum or an old disk from broken farm equipment. Add legs and you have a fire pit. I use an old disk for living history events when digging a pit isn't allowed. It works well for a small fire.

Scott
 
When I was a kid, my dad brought home a steel storm drain and manhole cover from a job site. He buried the drain flush with the ground and lined the bottom with gravel. It was about 12 inches deep and about 30 inches diameter I would guess. When we weren't using it, you could just throw the manhole cover/grate over it so no one would fall in.
 
I didn't read through all of the comments, but there was a thread a while back in the fire section that included pictures of different firepits. I posted mine in there. It's an old stainless steel stock pot that I converted. I made three legs out of 3/4 inch square steel tubing and bolted them on, then drilled some small holes around the bottom edge to create air flow, and made a lid out of an old stainless salad bowl. Works very well for me.

Here's the thread: http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32442

I'm the last post.
 
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