Portable firepit

[Shewie]

Does anybody have any experience of these ...

http://gardeners-world.net/prod_show.asp?id=722&ref=froogle&prodid=722


Just curious as to whether they stand up to the heat over prolonged use or if they`re known to warp and buckle.

I`d like to get myself something similar as I`d like to take one on canoe trips.

 

[Shewie]

If you like the look of them don`t go ordering from there, I`ve just found them here for half that price.

http://www.additionsdirect.co.uk/rf...nd-go-portable-grill?A=5243175564716644149015

 

[durulz]

That looks incredibly easy to make, and I'm sure you could do it at a fraction of the weight/bulk.
Firstly, you can buy cheap grill trays from Wilkinsons/Morrisons/Wherever, then all you need is a way of suspending it over the fire. For that you could either use four trimmed branches - one in each corner, with the gridle on the top; or you could buy some metal poles and use those instead. Or you could suspend it from a tripod.

 

[Shewie]

It was more a case of getting the fire up off the floor and the fact that it packs down flat makes sense.

I could probably make something similar but I wouldn`t save much on £25

 

[Seoras]

I have been using one for two years now.

I picked one up at my local garden centre for £10 in their winter sales.

Generally it is an excellent bit of kit.

With the sides up it is an excellent barbeque or fire box. After all the cooking has been done I drop the sides and use it as an open but raised fire.

The only trouble I have had with it is that the nuts that keep the legs on tend to come off over time. As they get lost I have just stuff a tent peg into the holes to keep the legs connected to the main body.

Overall a great bit of kit but not worth £50. I use it more than my Tentipi firebox because of the legs and having the ability to drop the sides when needed.

Cheers

George

P.S. Forgot to mention that I was a bit worried about it buckling when I first bought it. I placed an old grill pan in the bottom as it fits perfectly and it gives an added layer of steel but I suppose an extra sheet of metal will do the same job.

 

[Bimble]

I’ve had a tent tipi firebox for the last 6 years. They are great and I think they will suit your needs a bit better. They are a bit pricy but very good. The small one is ok for just you but the big one is the group model.
Check out the review below from song of the paddle.
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/tentipi_mini_firebox.html

 

[Wayland]

It was more a case of getting the fire up off the floor and the fact that it packs down flat makes sense.

I could probably make something similar but I wouldn`t save much on £25

This is mine in the middle. Ignore the cauldrons and I don't always use the bake stone either..

Doubt if it cost me more than a tenner to make and it packs flat like this.

 

[Shewie]

I do like yours Gary, especially the pizza oven option, that`s a winner for me.

Unfortunately I don`t have access to any welding gear anymore so it`s probably easier for me to buy off the shelf.

 

[Oblio13]

These things work as a water heater, twig stove, or fire ring:

http://oblio13.blogspot.com/2008/12/gear-that-works-wood-burning-outdoor.html

 

[al21]

This is mine in the middle. Ignore the cauldrons and I don't always use the bake stone either..

Doubt if it cost me more than a tenner to make and it packs flat like this.

Hi Wayland, I really like the look of your set up. A few questions for you.

Roughly what diameter is it?

It looks well used but I see no signs of buckling, so have you used heavy gauge steel which begs the question, how heavy is this?

I can't really see how the pegs support the tray. Do they have a pin of sorts that locates through a hole on the side of the tray?

Are you including the cauldrons in your 'under a tenner'? If yes, I guess you either inherited them or made them yourself in some way that eludes me. If you made them, I'd love to know how.

The flat plate with a handle, is that just a bit of steel plate you've shaped yourself?

Shewie, I've no photos to hand of the cast iron barby we use when canoeing (our scanners stuffed ATM), but essentially it's a cheapo job from the local garden centre with coach bolts with wing nuts to allow me to take it apart. It then all packs in a home made canvas bag 16" X 6". Don't know how much it weighs, certainly not light. Could be a possibility for your canoe trips. Mine's getting to the end of it's life now so I'm considering alternatives.


Al

 

[Shewie]

Thanks Al

From what I remember of Waylands setup the legs have little sticky out lugs which the base sits on. Could be wrong though.

 

[al21]

I've just been looking at Wayland's site (as I should have done first) and now have most of the answers I need.

Al

 

[Wayland]

Hi Wayland, I really like the look of your set up. A few questions for you.

Roughly what diameter is it?

It looks well used but I see no signs of buckling, so have you used heavy gauge steel which begs the question, how heavy is this?

I can't really see how the pegs support the tray. Do they have a pin of sorts that locates through a hole on the side of the tray?

Are you including the cauldrons in your 'under a tenner'? If yes, I guess you either inherited them or made them yourself in some way that eludes me. If you made them, I'd love to know how.

The flat plate with a handle, is that just a bit of steel plate you've shaped yourself?

<Snip

OK, the tray is about 20" across, for scale the the cauldrons are the bottoms of 14kg and 7kg gas bottles and that is a clue about how to make them. The bottles were free so I guess you could include them for the cost of a cutting disk.

The edge of the tray is an old rim from a wooden wheel and the base is 14 gauge mild steel if I recall ( It might be 16g though.) it's just a bit I had left over when I finished working in the armoury.

They were welded with a simple arc rig.

This picture shows the pegs in a bit more detail, as Shewie says there is a lateral sticky out bit on each peg that the tray sits on. Because there are three spaced around the tray and there is still some peg sticking up the tray will stay in the middle of them without needing any other fixing.

The square U shaped bits are to give something for the angle iron bars to rest on, sometimes I don't bother with them and just use a log at each side.

The bake stone (the bit with the handle) is a heavy lump of plate that I found ready made in a boot sale. Good at it's job but seriously heavy. If I use that it doubles the weight of the whole thing.

Never weighed it all but I wouldn't want to use it far from my vehicle.

 

[Wayland]

I've just been looking at Wayland's site (as I should have done first) and now have most of the answers I need.

Al

Ah... Should type faster...

 

[al21]

Ah... Should type faster...

Thanks for the detailed reply.

Al

 

[Wallenstein]

For a cheap 'n' easy option for car / canoe camping you could try one of these - the idea came from a post on SOTP.

I've "upgraded" to a larger colander since these pics were taken - plenty of heat, and you can cook stuff on the top with a griddle. Costs pennies - a trip to Woolworths (d'oh!) or Poundland will sort you out, or have a root around in the kitchen (although SWMBO may have something to say about it!).

Can burn for hours and will never scorch the ground - the base remains cool to the touch - and the base packs into the top part for carrying.