trying the Dakota fire hole.

[ReamviThantos]

Great post and supplementary thread information re safety. Thanks a bunch. Also appreciate the carving on the axe handle. Nice work.

 

[Elen Sentier]

I didn't

Surely......

For folk wanting to try such a method as the Dakota fire pit, it is ground dependent, as I'm sure Fish and Chiseller are already aware. By this I mean .....certain ground conditions, especially peat, ash and coal rich soils are not best suited to such a venture. I only mention this as folk who may not be aware to the environmental dangers of such a fire, should proceed only on suitable ground. Not wanting to sound condescending, just hoping that readers are aware, as I'm sure chiseller and fish are :thumbup:



Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I meant the comment to Fish, Chisseller . Think my post got itself in the wrong place - as they often do when I try to "reply to thread" and end up hanging off someone else's post!

 

[VANDEEN]

Always wanted to try one at my local haunt as its mostly clay a few inches down. Only problem is the wind starts from the south in the morning, by mid day its anyones guess and in the evening its from north. Thats a lot of holes to be dug so it always puts me off.
Great photos as always fish.

Hi Dwardo, don't worry about the wind, it's only necessary to have wind blowing up the breather hole if you want/need the "furnace effect". Like Fish says you partially block the breather to control the severity of the fire.
I've used pack,my body, & soil, to reduce the wind blowing directly into the breather wHen it was an unwanted effect.

The fire can be dug happly with two completely parallel shafts, like a lettet U, and the rising heat from the hole with the fire in will create the draw, just like a Kelly kettle.
The deeper you go, the longer the chimney so the more of a chimney draw effect you get.

 

[The Survivor]

Sweet! Will have to try this!

 

[Elen Sentier]

i pyrographied that one mate.

I have to afford myself some pyrography kit! That axe looks so good. What do you use, Fish?

 

[santaman2000]

Hi Dwardo, don't worry about the wind, it's only necessary to have wind blowing up the breather hole if you want/need the "furnace effect". Like Fish says you partially block the breather to control the severity of the fire.
I've used pack,my body, & soil, to reduce the wind blowing directly into the breather wHen it was an unwanted effect.

The fire can be dug happly with two completely parallel shafts, like a lettet U, and the rising heat from the hole with the fire in will create the draw, just like a Kelly kettle.
The deeper you go, the longer the chimney so the more of a chimney draw effect you get.

+1 to this. In fact this firehole was develped specifically to use in areas where the wind made surface fire impractiacl or unsafe The Dakota prairie) And the original was indeed the U shaped one described above.

 

[fishfish]

cheapy lidl one,dont bother with one theyre crap,buy a pro job and if you dont like the art form sell it on to me! lol

 

[Elen Sentier]

cheapy lidl one,dont bother with one theyre crap,buy a pro job and if you dont like the art form sell it on to me! lol

advice on here says this one is good for starters so may well do ... if I don't like it you're first in the queue

 

[TheNative]

I love Dakota pits! When you need a fire just for cooking they are perfect, keeping the heat locked in. Good air glow so rarely any smoke if you get it right and a good fire setup for areas where the public walk nearby

 

[Mick721]

Interesting technique. I've never come across this before. I can think of loads of applications. Thanks for sharing.

 

[milius2]

Hehe, something really new to me indeed. I have a frying pan that just perfect for a pit like that, might have a go some time soon myself! Thanks for sharing!
Andy

 

[calgarychef]

I have to admit I've not tried the method yet but I will soon. I talked about "gasification" on a different thread, the one about top down burning. I think that if a feller used split wood or branches about 2" in diameter and packed them vertically into the hole then lit it from the top there would be almost no smoke. The fire would turn into one mass of burning coals all at once and produce intense heat. Not something we always want but I really think that in the middle of my yurt it would be the answer to fire without resorting to my stove. Once the coals are formed I think the air hole could be refilled and a stone put on top of the fire and back filled with earth. It would maintain the heat for a good long time.

 

[fishfish]

sorted. take some pictures if you try it guys!