Fire Pit chit chat

Well, the weather got nice so I finished it up today. Everything is in it's final place now and I just need to sort out the screen.

 

Good night for it.

 

this looks awesome, and is free all over craigslist!
Did you paint it? how does it hold up against rain/rust/heat?

 

Here’s my greasy washing machine pit haha. My bud gave it to me when he moved so it has sentimental value to me It works great with all the air flow too! One day I’ll upgrade, so I’m down



Edit, I should add, I have brought it camping as well before. So it has that as a bonus also

 

This is what my wife and I went with as our yard is small and the fire table can go on the deck.

 

Love it I save my stick burning for the smoker. Used to drive me crazy to find out they burnt up all the apple and cherry wood in the old pit.

 

Went camping a few years ago at KOA campsites. The owner of the first one was escorting us to the camp site in a golf cart. Dark30 lots of fires going at the camp sites etc..he asked if i knew what the fire pits are (35yrs fixing appliances myself) i named all the brands as we drove through the park LOL when i checked out the next day i told him how i knew LOL I still havent done this yet but they make a nice fire with lots of heat for ya.

 

I like mine. I should build legs for it

 

I didn’t paint it. It already had some kind of enamel paint that seems to handle high heat. It holds up great to heat. I can’t speak to rain/ snow— I store it in a shed between times. No rust so far. I set it up on a foundation of concrete blocks— to create a buffer above the concrete of our pool surround (back yard) or driveway (front yard) so that doesn’t get damaged + fires like oxygen, so lifting it up improves air flow. I just move the 3 cinder blocks elsewhere between times. Drops a small pile of ash that I sweep up, never leaves any discolouration or burn mark.


Back story: I had a washing machine for years that I loved. It broke twice and I watched YouTube videos to fix it twice. Then the third break seemed like something with the motor, which seemed beyond my abilities to fix at the time... so I moved it outside and got another. I didn’t take it apart right away because I loved that machine.

A guy came by, saw it, and asked me what I planned to do. I explained about wanting to use the wash bin portion as a fire pit, then we agreed in broken Spanish-English that he’d bring me a different washer bin and take my broken washing machine. Best we could do with the language skills on hand. Dang-it, I wish I’d asked him to offer to sell me back that machine once fixed, because it was way better than the one that replaced it.

But I love this for at-home fires!

 

I have a circle of rocks i stole from my neighbors yard. No rules here that I know of. Its about 7 feet across, I know this because it fits my dried up Christmas tree every year.

 

I always hate to be "that guy" that gives out unsolicited advice, but a close friend of mine went thru a lot of of trauma due to a fire pit with a similar design. They did a brick and mortar pit only they left the mortar out on some of the bottom bricks for ventilation.
He went to extinguish his fire one night by dumping a 5 gallon bucket of water on the fire, and steam shot out like a jet from the vent and gave him serious burns on his legs. It was bad, he was in the hospital for a while. If you didn't leave vents, always be sure to check for cracked mortar. If you need to put a fire out, stand back and use a hose.

 

Looks nice bro. I like the square shape vs the usual round. Nice work

 

Just drill some holes, you'll be fine. And let it burn out, no need to hose it down, even if you have the ability to "put out a fire" lol

 

i was just about to suggest adding vents. this is good advice...

 

Burn a few fires thru it and see if you're happy with the heat, and completeness of the burn.
It makes a difference with smaller pits. Bigger ones, not as much.

 

Just finished.

 

42” steel bowl - wanted bigger, but couldn’t find anything bigger.






Tried to copy our favorite winery

 

That is bad ass!!!

 

Thanks! I designed the circular part of the patio specifically for a big round fire bowl

 

Looks awesome man

 

Nice fire pit but I am more interested in the little globe on top of the Wine bottle tell us about it!

 

Is that a gas fireplace insert exhaust between those chairs?

 

I like that setup as it allows air to come in from below. I made a BBQ one time using a 55 gal drum and adjusted the burn rate by opening/closing the access hole I cut into the bottom of it. Your setup also looks like it's easy peasy to move.