Let's Talk Fire Pits.

[TxCloverAngel]

after reading about using an old washing machine tub to make a fire-pit (altho I could find NO pictures of one!) I went searching for new ideas for one.

we have a "Red-Neck Fire-Pit" what do you use to contain your fire?

[Tiffin]

We use a Patz cleaner steel cover. We bought this farm several years ago and this cover had been tossed aside because the previous owner built a shed roof over the cleaner that dumps into a manure spreader (we use an old dump truck; another red neck device). So what to do with the cover; you use for a fire pit. Works great. We put it on it's side which means the top becomes radiate heat. That's my red neck fire pit until it burns out then we will have to come up with something else.

[BillHoo]

I would think they mean an old galvanized steel washing tub, not a washing machine tub (unless you count the washboard and ringer attachments as part of an old fashioned "machine")

I've seen fire pits made from those kinds of old tubs.

A 55 gallon steel drum cut in half also works fine too.

If you have a few old cinder blocks, you can certainly make a functional one, though it won't look rustically, pretty.

[travlnusa]

I bought a wheel (rim) from a tractor salvage yard.

[hmsteader71]

We have an old well that has been filled in. We dug down further and layered it with bricks and that is our fire pit. I haven't used it that much though.

[MariaAZ]

We use the base and ring of an old charcoal smoker that my folks gave us when they bought a propane one.

[Brea]

We made one using the iron stand from a chiminea. My mother used a large old metal mixing bowl and shaped quickcrete around the outside. When dry it fit perfectly on the stand and burns well with sand and the chiminea grate in the bottom.

[Cheribelle]

BillHoo, Nope, It's the tub out of a washing machine. My Uncle did this many years ago, but I don't hev any pictures. The galvanized ones aren't heavy enough to hold up to fires.

[gaiasactuality]

We use an old tire ring... not very attractive but it works and we have them in abundance... haha plus they're quite portable.....(we have burn spots all around the property where spontaneous cookouts have happened)
I plan on just digging out a nice big fire pit one of these days and having my partner build a nice free laid stone ring around it..

[yarrow]

we use a wheel off my husband's big rig's trailer. It had a slight dent. He was going to throw it out, but I made him bring it home. Love it... it's big enough for a decent, sitting around fire. It gets great air flow, the fire never goes out on me. I can roll it out for use and roll it back when it cools. Comes in handy when it's just me here & I have company come..
susie

[cowgirlone]

I use the cinderblock pit sometimes....




This is a wheel from a pivot irrigation system, a friend of mine brings it when we camp out. It's great for cooking on too.

[hunter63]

I have used a number of salvaged "Weber" type grills.
Most that I found had bad legs, any way, so just took them off, buried it a ways in the ground, then ringed it with rocks, for looks and to hold the heat.

Cool part is that when your done with it, you can put the cover on a snuff out the flames.
Also if you save the "grill" part, it can still be used for cooking.
Will it last, probably not, but then again it was free, and any trip to town on clean up day usally turns up several.

Interestingly, I have seen an salvaged heavy Alum. "clam shell" grill, also with legs removed, used as an oven, on the side of a large fire pit in a hunting camp.
It had it's own hole, to the side of the pit, shovel was used to place hot coals under and on top, had a thermometer that was still built in the top and was used for baking all week that we were there.

Too bad I don't have the pic's, but it was quite the set up, complete with large fire pit, cinder block "range", with large grate and it's own fire box. Ashes and hot coals were just pushed into the pit behing it.

[KayJay]

Our fire pit is just a hole dug in the ground with rings of rocks piled up around it. We have lots of rocks here....

[donsgal]

Originally Posted by KayJay

Our fire pit is just a hole dug in the ground with rings of rocks piled up around it. We have lots of rocks here....

Same here. A hollowed-out space and rocks all around. Gotta be careful here though, we have a lot of sandstone which ABSORBS water. When those rocks get really, realy hot they tend to explode. Once I got hit with a flying piece of sandstone right between my eyes! An inch either way and it would have hit me smack in an eye. So I don't get my face too close to the fire any more! LOL. Also, after three or four fires, you have to replace the rocks because they have all cracked an disintegrated into pieces about an inch big! LOL. Gotta love the Ozarks.

Anyway, yeah. Low tech - that's our fire pit.

donsgal

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Somewhere my DH found a place that sold grills and fireplace rings (with the flip back grill) that are the same as in the National Parks. The grill is set in concrete and the ring we move where we want with the tractor. That sucker is heavy! Currently it's right in front of the porch surrounded by straw bales for sitting, overlooking the river. It's pretty nice to start a fire in the evenings and cuddle on a straw bale under a blanket with a glass of wine (or a bottle of Kokanee in his case).

[mare]

i use rocks here too, i live in a county called granite ledge so rocks are abundent. i dont dig a hole though cuz of all the clay and granite under it, i would just have standing water in it.

[Farmerwilly2]

We use the inside of a washing machine. Our dear friend on this board gave us the tub out of one they tore apart. They used the inner basket with the holes in in (stainless steel, plenty of ventilation) I took the tub (complete with transmission, agitator, ect). It is solid metal with the porcelain coating. It was a pain to get the tranny off (ended up using the long handled 5lb persauader), but once off it left three mounting rails that held the weight of the tranny. We were able to unbolt those mounting rails, reverse them and when bolted back on they gave us legs for the tub. We dubbed it Sputnik as it looked like some kind of old satalite. I liked it so much we snagged another old washer to do the same thing, only to find the main tub is plastic!!!! It is destined to become the drum for a chicken plucker. Hey, McGuyver ain't got nothin on me.

[TxCloverAngel]

hey Farmerwilly... you wouldnt happen to have a picture of this would you? Thanks!

Make a ring of rocks or just kick a hole in the sand.

A washing machine tub would be nice for burning leaves and other light floaty debris though.

[Spinner]

We just dig a hole and put rocks around it. Not real fancy, but it works.