Fire Pit

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by robin48, Dec 27, 2011.


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  1. robin48

    robin48 Monkey+

    I'm going to dig a Dakota firepit but I am going to make it a bit bigger than normal and I also want to line it with rock or stone. Any ideas what type of stone or brick?

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  2. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Hi Robin
    How big are you going to make it?
    I have made small ones that I can reach my arm in to the the main hole for the vent. nothing bigger than that, they work great here in the NW to keep smoke down with our damp wood.I have used redbrick and pavers,(dry)
    Far as rock goes make sure they are dry and not river rock.
    I have heated rock in the main pit and then buried them under my sleeping area in the winter.
    If you want a jet flame type flame, try digging 3 vents spaced equally around.... watch out ! Super hot.

    Lessons learned:
    I found when digging start wide and narrow up as you go seems to add more velocity to the air movement .

    The fire is concealed and not visible like most camp fires at 360degs for long distances. I also bury the holes when finished and you couldn't even tell there had been a fire.
    I like to keep a fire large enough so that the flames don't rise above ground level and I found I like to build it near a tree so the limbs break up what ever smoke does make it out.

    An auto feed for wood can be made to keep it burning most of the night.
     
  3. robin48

    robin48 Monkey+

    The auto feed sounds interesting. Haven't decided on size yet. I want to be able to use my 10.5 inch Dutch Oven. I may sink a grate into the bottom of the pit. This is going to be a permanent ground oven so to speak. I also want to be able to put a camp cooking grate over it when needed.

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  4. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    I try to keep my burner area 12" wide and 24 deep and the vents about soft ball sized in diameter.
    The auto feed is hard to explain without a drawing. I will try to draw one up and post it in the next couple of evenings.
     
  5. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    The grate will change the air flow; so you will probably have some experimenting and tweaking to do.
     
  6. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    I was going to draw it up and found someone else beat me too it.

    So in the diagram you can see the bow branch applies pressure to the log and feeds the fire while you sleep. I use a bungee cord to tie off to the log.
    Dakota_Feeder.
     
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  7. robin48

    robin48 Monkey+

    That's great.

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  8. robin48

    robin48 Monkey+

    Thanks for the input. I'm new to all this. Playing catch-up up

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  9. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    That's darn tricky Quig...gonna have to give it a try.
     
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  10. GrandpaDave

    GrandpaDave Monkey++

    The only tip I can give you on that one is never use rocks taken out of a river/pond/or anywhere else where they were under water for a long period of time...

    you see... sometimes these rocks might have micro cracks... water seeps in... you throw them in a fire and the water super-heats... BOOM... just like a hand grenade... so never use river rocks
     
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  11. cdnboy66

    cdnboy66 Monkey++

    excellent, this seems like a good thing to try out .....when the grounds thaws a little...lol

    Thanks, like the auto feed too QS
     
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  12. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    my favorite redneck fire pit[​IMG]
     
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  13. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

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