Fire Pits

Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 13:37
ThreadID: 135370 Views:9513 Replies:8 FollowUps:10
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so trawling through the shopping sites came across gas cylinder fire pits, now never have welded, cut, grinded or drilled before thought "i could do this" so was a quick phone call to dad, "come and teach me how to weld" cut a long story short i am learning how to weld, have bought myself a plasama cutter (best invention ever), now for the past month i havent come out of hubbys shed every weekend, im sure he is just wanting his space back, which wont be happening any time soon, now that im starting to get this fire pit down pat and have quite a stock pile building up with the practice practice practice, i plan on selling them down the track, what would people pay for this
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Reply By: Lakers - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 14:51

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 14:51
These little suckers I was making a while back were selling for around $120 (in WA). They also came with a three leg stand so the top could be put back on to allow oven cooking. They sold well, but I got over them by number 11....

Cheers
Greg

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Reply By: Les - PK Ranger - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 14:54

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 14:54
Shany, good on you for having a go and making it happen.

I would look at design and make something more functional.
Yours is good for pretty much heating only, mostly the open side as the enclosed part will not radiate heat that much until really hot.

For 4WDn, something like a simple open top tub part, breather slots around the bottom, 3 legs like that which can be unscrewed, and up top some holes (2 each side) that rods can be put through (or grille top) to place a billy or camp oven etc on top.

Maybe look for old small washing machine tubs and recycle these into such firepits, they breathe and radiate heat very well.
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Reply By: Sigmund - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 15:52

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 15:52
Great effort!

You know about Ozpig?
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Reply By: Shany - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 16:12

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 16:12
I've only mucked around with the 9kg cylinder a little bit have access to a few 45kg at the moment
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Follow Up By: Mudripper - Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 12:42

Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 12:42
Hi,

I'm sure you know by now but nevertheless, exercise extreme care when cutting into old gas cylinders/pressure vessels.

The method I used was remove valve, fill with water and let it stand over night, drain and rinse a couple of times. Takes a bit of time but you'll stay alive.

I converted an old 2.5kg camping cylinder into a drip torch, complete with wand and anti flashback loop made out of old fuel line. Fibreglass rope (for wood heater door seals) for the wick. Couldn't afford a $500 commercially available one so I made one!

Welcome to the wonderful world of metal fabrication. It is addictive!

Stay safe,

Tim.
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 22:42

Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 22:42
One of the local Mens Sheds build a few choofers. They do not take any special precautions before cutting. They just leave the valve open for a few days and then chop the valve off very close to the cylinder. They do get a little burn that makes a puff sound occasionally but not enough to feel any reaction from the cylinder.
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Follow Up By: Lakers - Friday, Aug 11, 2017 at 10:00

Friday, Aug 11, 2017 at 10:00
A bit irresponsible of them I think Peter, but like many things some will say that "I have been doing it this way for yonks and never had a problem". Occasionally you read about these situations in the press when things go wrong as they were marginal in the first place. With all the ones I have done (all 9kg gas bottles), I fill them with water (~80%) before undoing the valve, then once the valve if off, top up and leave for a week or so while I do other things. I then make the initial cuts (still full of water) with a cordless angle grinder. Risk factor is zero.

Cheers
Greg
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Follow Up By: Member - nick b boab - Friday, Aug 11, 2017 at 10:19

Friday, Aug 11, 2017 at 10:19
I have often wondered how they go about cutting gas bottles .
In a former life i used to repair fuel tanks and these methods about would NOT
work in petrol fuel tank ... water is not suitable way of safely welding/cutting petrol tanks .
Cheers Nick b

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Follow Up By: Member - Blue M - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 04:14

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 04:14
I was talking to an old chap at the Jerico Showgrounds that had one made from a 9kg bottle.
I was telling to him I wanted to make one out of an old bottle I have, but I'm not game to make the first cut.
He said, for around $30.00 you can buy a brand new 9kg bottle from Bunnings that has never been filled.
That way you just have to take the valve out and should be safe to cut.

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Reply By: GarryR - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 16:52

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 16:52
Good on ya shany for trying something different. I do pity your husband as I am in the same boat. The cook has now conned me into buying her a new 250amp mig welder instead of using the old stick welder. You girls are non stoppable. haha. I must admit she is having fun and that is what counts. Finding enough scrap steel from work is the problem, as her ideas are many. As for the fire pit, the old washing machine tub works a treat at home, whilst an old 9kg gas bottle with the top cut out, and a piece of expanded steel mesh to put the billy on works a treat when camping.
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Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 17:26

Wednesday, Aug 09, 2017 at 17:26
Here is some guidance - Kingaroy Choofer. For more designs just search on "choofer."
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Follow Up By: Member - Russler - Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 20:15

Thursday, Aug 10, 2017 at 20:15
And if searching for 'choofer' gets a bit boring, search for 'choof' instead ;)
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Follow Up By: Member - There Yet - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 09:13

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 09:13
Wow Peter, I think the Kingaroy choofers are expensive, I bought my 9kg with accessories in Queensland from a fellow who was making them and selling them for $90.
Cheers Kerry
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Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 11:40

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 11:40
There are many who manufacture choofers. The locals I think sell their bare model for around $60. The main thing is don't include the word "pig" in its name. The Kingaroy mob were calling theirs the Kingaroy Pig. The Oz Pig mob commenced legal action against them. The result was they had to change the name to Kingaroy Choofer.
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Follow Up By: The Bantam - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 18:13

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 18:13
I would have told the Oz Pig mob to go and drop on their head ..... "PIG" is a very weak trade mark, even if it is registered, because "PIG" is a real word and pretty much unprotectable.

Just like McDonald's fast food try to bully people all the time, all sorts of people try this on.

McDonald's fast food had a go at a bloke that was sponsoring a small time western football club ...... they picked the wrong man " McDonald's Lawyers" ..... he met em in court, they lost and had to pay for wasting his and the courts time.

Pretty much can't trademark a real word, this is why a lot of big companies have changed their names, KFC, BENQ and many others

cheers
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Reply By: The Bantam - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 18:17

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 18:17
Good to hear you are getting your share of the tools & shed time, shandy.

One thing to investigate is rocket stoves .... it will give you a point of diference.

Yeh and there are good safe ways to purge LPG bottles.

Unlike petrol, filling with water even for a short period will remove all flamables pretty much immediately.

The smell has nothing to do with flamability .... it is a very persistent putrifying agent.

cheers
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Reply By: Shany - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 20:07

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 20:07
All good hubby n I work for a gas company so have the gas thing under control
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Follow Up By: Les - PK Ranger - Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 20:21

Saturday, Aug 12, 2017 at 20:21
Hmm, if you have access to suitable cylinders, how about a real multifunction heater / cooker, and add some coil tubing to make it a hot water donkey too !!
Be beaut for trip showers.
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