D.I.Y. FIRE PIT

I thought this looked good.

http://www.manmadediy.com/users/chr...e-a-diy-modern-concrete-fire-pit-from-scratch

 

Very clever and yet so simple. I wonder if you could do this with pots to make a planter....

 

Its probably worth reiterating the warning they subtly put into the article at least twice already.

Be careful what stones you use. Some wont stand up to heat, and some actually explode and fire bits at you when you get them too hot.

 

Couldn't agree with you more @clueless1

Nice project but I would pop into a place that sells rocks especially for fireplaces and buy those.
Also, depending on the size and fuel used for the fire, I would look at using heat resistant refractory concrete instead of "normal" cement.

 

I'm wondering if the gell cans give of any toxins or if the fumes would taint any BBQ food.

Our son made a fire pit using the stainless steel drum from a washing machine.

 

I was wondering about that. I thought concrete and heat didn't go well together, and bits might explode.

I am thinking I could make a similar bowl using refractory clay and pop it into my kiln. It would be easy enough - I think. You can buy tandoori oven clay in Stoke on Trent, wonder if that'd do the trick. I could also make clay pebbles, avoiding the exploding rock issue.

 

That would work or even the cement they use for pizza ovens.

 

Very good point unless the fire pit is only for ornamental purposes.
Barbies are very popular here and most people are pretty cautious as to what they use for the fire.
Namibian hard wood is by far the mostly widely used "fuel" due to it's availability and low cost.

 

No oleander!

 

@Madahhlia
Sorry, don't quite follow you.

 

People have died from eating food off barbies fuelled with oleander wood. Very poisonous, apparently.

 

Does Namibian hardwood contain oleander? I don't know, but haven't heard any reports about it and often use it.
Have a look at this site:
(NOTE: "braai" is the SA slang for BBQ)

http://www.perfectbraai.co.za/index.php?page=SiteContent&pagemenu=2&pageid=7

 

http://www.starescue.org/htm/learn-about/flora/oleander.htm

But

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/poison/oleander.asp

Who knows?