Who has a fire pit?

[amishland]

I think I want to buy a fire pit for my backyard. I have a brick paver type patio and some 6' radius of open real estate for a pit. Other option would have to place the pit on the lawn in the yard.

I am not sure what style I like the best. I really want it to burn some twigs and dead branches that fall off my tree's, and bonus is its fun to have a fire at night with friends over drinking and bbqing.

Those with fire pits what style do you have? How often do you use? Would you recommend your pit to me?

 

[amishland]

If I had a yard like EdWort's I would build a sweet built into the ground setup, but this is not an option for the size of my yard and the fact I am in a suburban neighborhood.

 

[staffVAJoe]

In the beautiful county of stafford, VA you either need a "fully enclosed" fire pit (like the first one you showed... ... or a burn permit.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

You could spend the cash on those outdoor fireplaces, or you could go ghetto like I did. I dug a hole and buried an old Weber grill so it is flush to the ground. Works great.

 

[calpyro]

I think I want to buy a fire pit for my backyard. I have a brick paver type patio and some 6' radius of open real estate for a pit. Other option would have to place the pit on the lawn in the yard.

I am not sure what style I like the best. I really want it to burn some twigs and dead branches that fall off my tree's, and bonus is its fun to have a fire at night with friends over drinking and bbqing.

Those with fire pits what style do you have? How often do you use? Would you recommend your pit to me?

I have one like your first pictured one. It makes a mess of the table. My favorite one is an old stainless washing machine drum like this: http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4406449/fire-drum-main_Full.jpg

 

[TXCrash]

+1 on the old washing machine drum... A bit ghetto if not spruced up, but looks awesome at night and burns hot and clean...

 

[calpyro]

They look like hell during the day, but at night with a fire, they heat great and keep the sparks in and look really cool with fire through all the holes.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Was anyone else hoping this was a thread about Red head SWMBOs?

 

[GearBeer]

This is my fire pit. I grew up with one of those above ground deals, they're ok.

See, we were trying to cook a hot dog.

 

[EvilTOJ]

Was anyone else hoping this was a thread about Red head SWMBOs?

I know I was

 

[Baja_Brewer]

This is my fire pit. I grew up with one of those above ground deals, they're ok.

See, we were trying to cook a hot dog.

Now THAT is something I can understand! Not so nice, neat, or tiny. But it makes for a hell of a time. Gotta burn those scraps somehow!

 

[Pappers_]

I *love* our fire pit, it's like the first option the OP listed. One advantage of that type is that it is semi-portable. We have a place for ours on our stone patio, but can (and do) move it around the yard.

My teens really like it - they and their friends use it often and I like it because it keeps them around.

Jim

 

[Parker36]

Ya, I have that first one which is good because it looks okay during the day, is semi portable, and mine even came with a flat piece that goes over the fire portion so it just looks like a table. That second one looked pretty nice, too. The problem with the ones with the big chimney is it can make conversations when sitting around them awkward

 

[jonp9576]

here is my fire pit. i got a fire dancer burner from northern tool. the base is the top half of a 50 gallon propane tank. the table is a piece of steel with 2x4's around it. i poured a couple inches of concrete on there and then tiled the top.

we put twigs in there and such, but i wouldnt put big branches in there. its just not big enough.

 

[tireater]

This one is at a mountain top bar I spend too much time at...
Half a volume tank and a gas torch...Not bad...
http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd162/tireater/?action=view&current=100_2228.jpg

 

[Parker36]

Hey, I got quoted in somebody's sig. I'm honored

 

[jonp9576]

haha parker. that was about that guy trying to make a red white and blue beer. that entire thread cracked me up

 

[NJTomatoguy]

I had one like the very first pic. Used it to burn up all the bark and misc. stuff leftover from splitting wood. It was fun during parties..

 

[IrregularPulse]

We have as square one like the first option. We love it. We used it this year after big storms to burn woods and enjoyed quite a few beers around it.

 

[amishland]

here is my fire pit. i got a fire dancer burner from northern tool. the base is the top half of a 50 gallon propane tank. the table is a piece of steel with 2x4's around it. i poured a couple inches of concrete on there and then tiled the top.

we put twigs in there and such, but i wouldnt put big branches in there. its just not big enough.

Nice I really like this one, good work

 

[jonp9576]

thank you.

 

[amishland]

any new fire pits this year?

 

[shecky]

I turned a 'rock garden' into a fire pit in my back yard. First run was last night. Not sure of the legality of it, but my buddy is a volunteer firefighter in town and he helped build it so ...

The dregs of last night (had to douse it to go to bed):

 

[GreenMonti]

You could spend the cash on those outdoor fireplaces, or you could go ghetto like I did. I dug a hole and buried an old Weber grill so it is flush to the ground. Works great.

Ha,Ha. I am close to this one. I cut up a sanke.

 

[fendermaniac]

I love the home made fire pits, but I needed something I could move in the winter and one that ran on gas. I got one of these natural stone fire pits. Gas is the way to go man. Especially if your neighbors are complaining about that campfire smell.

 

[lex990]

The top few are pics of my rock fire pit at our river house. The last is a pic of my small area in my back yard at home with a square granite lined pit. Both are good to sit around but I get a bit more crazy with the fires at the river.

 

[jgln]

Ya, I have that first one which is good because it looks okay during the day, is semi portable, and mine even came with a flat piece that goes over the fire portion so it just looks like a table. That second one looked pretty nice, too. The problem with the ones with the big chimney is it can make conversations when sitting around them awkward

I could imagine, we have a chimenea (sp?) so I know what you mean. But for us it is usually just the two of us so it works fine.

 

[jgln]

The top few are pics of my rock fire pit at our river house. The last is a pic of my small area in my back yard at home with a square granite lined pit. Both are good to sit around but I get a bit more crazy with the fires at the river.

Kind of agree with that. What would you do if the woods caught fire?

One time as teenagers we went to the woods to drink and lit a fire. One guy got really drunk and took a burning stick and ran around the woods lighting leaves on fire. We had to run around and put them out while he ran off and lit another. By that time I was about to punch him but he stopped. He lit so many we almost didn't get them out in time.

Not exactly the same I know, just thought I would tell the story.

 

[lex990]

Not close enough really to catch woods on fire. To the left. It is down about 20 to a finger coming off the river. And straight out in front is the main part of current river. Behind is our yard so kinda impossible if common sense is used and we don't throw boxes or leaves on 40 mph gust days

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I love the home made fire pits, but I needed something I could move in the winter and one that ran on gas. I got one of these natural stone fire pits. Gas is the way to go man. Especially if your neighbors are complaining about that campfire smell.

Nice first post. Have a little something to sell, do you?

BTW, the idea of a gas fireplace is just wrong, and a gas outdoor firepit is downright criminal. Just sayin'

 

[arturo7]

I dug a pit in my back yard over the summer. No real planning, just woke up one morning and decided to to do it. I have since lined it with bricks, eventually I'll put some pavers around it.

If your neighbors complain about the smell it is because your are burning crappy and/or treated wood. Buy some decent hardwood and the problem will be gone.

 

[M&M]

I went to Cooks Tractor. A tractor junk yard. I bought a wheel from a combine. It is a 4.5' circle and 20 inches high. Cost me $20.00. It works great. M&M

 

[dfc]

I love the home made fire pits, but I needed something I could move in the winter and one that ran on gas. I got one of these natural stone fire pits. Gas is the way to go man. Especially if your neighbors are complaining about that campfire smell.

Eff the neighbors if they're going to complain about what you do in your own yard.

I've got one of those moveable fire pits similar to the one in the original post of this thread. About a month ago I cut down a bougainvillaea bush and was disposing of it by way of my fire pit. In Arizona it's perfectly legal to have a fire pit (hell, they sell them at Home Depot). Well this old man from across the alley starts yelling at me from his back porch. "What are you burning over there?" to which I replied "What?" like "why the hell are you asking me this? Then he stated "There shouldn't be that much smoke" to which I replied "OK" in a mind your own business kind of tone. Then he started cussing at me and went back inside.

I still make fires in my back yard. It's relaxing and I don't care what my neighbors think. If I'm not breaking the law and they have an issue with what I'm doing in my own yard, eff them. It's none of their business anyway.