Fire Pit advice
 

I'm looking for a fire pit to put out on my patio (≤$200). Any suggestions on which kind ie material, copper, steel/porcelin? I like the idea of having a screen, but when it rains, I suppose you get a bowl full of water and ash.

Here is one I'm looking at
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1222192172.jpg

for me those things are too easy to run into and knock over. I opted for a brick fire pit. if you go brick make sure you use refractory brick on the bottom. do not burn directly on the concrete - it will explode.

oops, wrong forum.

That one (or one very similar) is available at Sam's for under $100. It has a small drain hole in the bottom to let rain water out.

We love it.
 

Ours has a heavy tile rim with a steel bowl. the drain plug does get clogged and it fills with water when it rains. Easy enough to clear the opening and drain but ours is on a deck so the dirty water just drains between the boards.

Forget the patio!
Get a beach and some rocks....

I like the chiminea concept. They cost 70-80 bucks at Loewes and such. We are getting one soon.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1222236201.jpg

Aurel

them's not fire pits

a pit, is IN , not ON the garden

Be careful...get them too hot and they'll break. Throw a heavy log in while they're hot, and they'll break

had one that I bought on the side of the road for $20 that I used for several years, never had any problems you describe. Had it roaring on many occasions, 4 foot flame out the top, glowing red on the side

Gave it to the father in law when we moved west

I agree with this - it's also safer/easier. You can dig the depression, line with concrete, line that with high-heat resistive bricks or thermal tiles and have at it. Drainage can be addressed with a grille/sump or by simply covering it when not in use.

Those "giant BBQ grille" things scare me - too easy to get knocked over, IMHO.

I have a copper one similar to your pic without the screen. The screen is nice for keeping the fire small (can only fit logs that physically fit in the screen) but it also traps in the heat. My copper one is from Sam's and it is quite large. We build raging fires on it and it has held up well for years despite being left upside down outside 100% of the time. I build the fire on top of the supplied grate and a piece of expanded screen metal on top of that to keep the coals and small stuff from falling into the kettle. I will sustain a fire large enough to keep 25 people comfortable and drinking into the night. The area under the kettle doesn't get close to hot. We use it on a blacktop driveway.

No chance knocking this one over - it is about 48" across and very stable with a wrought iron stand.

I have the copper one similar to the one above. Can't knock it over. I have built BIG fires in it. After you are done just put the screen on it and go to bed. I turn mine upside down when not in use to keep rain out of it. It looks like the space ship from Mars Attacks. Cool! I like the fact that it is portable.

I made one , Semi tire rim ,
cut out the bolt area, closed bottom (drain hole), some legs and cut a screen .
voila..
Rika

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1222270918.jpg


I have one simular to this, weighs ~60lbs

4ft flames, too hot to touch, loads of thermal mass!

There are a couple of 'em on sale at Target this week.

Also, I went to Target's website just now and they have loads of 'em... 4 pages worth. And you'd have a tough time knocking some of them over.

http://www.target.com/gp/search/ref=in_se_pagelist/602-0188912-1743869?ie=UTF8&pricerange=&index=target&field-browse=1038576&viewID=drill-down&store=&field-keywords=firepit&page=1

I like this one:
http://www.target.com/Granite-Fire-Pit-34/dp/B000QEC8AA/sr=1-6/qid=1222272122/ref=sr_1_6/602-0188912-1743869?ie=UTF8&pricerange=&index=target&field-browse=1038576&rh=k%3Afirepit&page=4

This one's pretty cool, too... but I can't figure out why "Char-Broil" is in the name unless they want you to think about tossing some ribeyes up on top:
http://www.target.com/Char-Broil-Tristan-Fireplace/dp/B0006FS11O/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_3/602-0188912-1743869

I thought I heard banjo music...:)

well my better half does call NC home,
Mt Airy..Mayberry RFD,,really..the place does exist.
Andy G. owned the house next street up from her brother.
It's changed over the yrs..
but many yrs ago coming from Germany, I thought I stumbled into a timewarp.
Howdy,no locked doors,car key's left in the car while going to a movie.
I own guitars..no banjo..

Rika

I was just bustin' on ya, no offense intended.

I have actually been to Mt. Airy. Beautiful country. Of course I should talk I live in tractorfordchevyville PA.

none taken..
it is a beautiful area, Mountains & the people are real .
I tease her about it...

Rika