Building a backyard Fire Pit

[johnk]

I just got back from vacation and built a fire pit also. Yours is a beutiful project and came out well. Here's a few pics of mine and I know nobody won't steal my seats.....

 

[Renze]

I was reading this thread and was wondering why ?? Why does this guy take the effort of taking pics of some stones, talking about it etcetera, ....

...Untill i read this:

....have a couple of cold beers

Then it all makes sense !!

 

[3RRL]

so i couldnt help but notice your cool camp in the background of the pics.

whats up with that?

It's my rural property. I have a campground set up there for when we visit on weekends. It will be at least 2 years before we can move up there so in the meantime, I made a comfortable camp to enjoy. Here's a pic of the front of it.



And this is the tree house and playground for my young son, my grand kids and their buddies. It's right next to the camp.

 

[3RRL]

You know what I wanted to ask you Rob. What are you using for an image code for posting your pics. I love the way that works. I do a lot with pictures, it seems to answer a lot of questions for people about the things I do. That little preview image is kinda nice

Sorry to get off track from the original thread... but I'll try to answer this. It might help other TBN members?
First, I always resize the pictures in my computer so they are not too big for dial-up members. I went to this site to get a free Microsoft image resizer. Free Image Resizer Once installed, it is very easy to use and automatically pops up as an option when you right mouse click on a picture in your computer. Then you "re-size" the picture. If you search the web, there are several free image re-sizers to choose from.

Then you can go to this site to get a free web host for your pictures. I use Photobucket...it's free. www.photobucket.com

Open an account and upload your re-sized images. There are all kinds of things you can do. I make a folder for each topic and upload my photos into that folder. Just follow the directions...it's pretty easy once you get used to it.
Once the picture is uploaded, it will appear in your account. Directly below the thumbnail photo is a square box (on the left below the thumbnail). Check that box and scroll down to the bottom of the page. There will be several buttons...choose the one on the far right that says "Generate HTML and IMG code" and click it.
Then a new screen appears with several rectangles...go to the third one down that says "IMG clickable thumbnails for message boards - recommended" and right mouseclick on that.
Also log onto TBN and make a post. Then copy that and paste the stuff from Photobucket into the post you are replying to. If you do it right, when you preview your post, it will show up as a "clickable thumbnail" like mine do. You can (should have) both browsers open ...one logged into Photobucket and for TBN so you can work between the two. Try that.

 

[Timber]

Thank you Rob. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your detailed description of how you do your pics. I'm sure I'll figure it out. I'll do a print of you post anyway. Thank You again

 

[Timber]

I just got back from vacation and built a fire pit also. Yours is a beutiful project and came out well. Here's a few pics of mine and I know nobody won't steal my seats.....

LOL actually those are great seats. Thats a killer pit too. Your pooch seems to be enjoying the fire quite a lot. I think we have got us a post your pit thread going hear LOL. I would love to see what everyone has going on for a fire pit

 

[snal]

Timber...on a similar topic...have you tried Quik-e-pics? I have a link to their website somewhere. They have a program that compresses mega-pixel pics, retaining most of the quality, and a great format for compressing a "batch" of pics. The software is cheap...under $20, and a one time online purchase. It does a great job of retaining the quality of my 6 meg pics when I resize and compress them into 640 x 480. If I remember correctly, it handles most formats, but not RAW.

 

[3RRL]

Timber,
Have you tried uploading a picture yet?
Here is another one of our campfire pit. My wife and I are warming up in the chill of the night earlier this year. We are going to have a Labor day get together for all the kids to come to camp.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

You guys have inspired me. When I go to the farm this weekend, I think I'll build a firepit, that is if it isn't too hot. When and if I finish it, and if it turns out pretty well, I'll post pictures.

 

[Timber]

Timber,
Have you tried uploading a picture yet?
Here is another one of our campfire pit. My wife and I are warming up in the chill of the night earlier this year. We are going to have a Labor day get together for all the kids to come to camp.

LOL isn’t that the best, sitting by an outdoor fire watching the flames dance for you in a private little show. They say Fire is a living beast, it breaths and eats left unchecked it is a total menace on the loose like a hyper active little brat.

Thank you Rob, No I haven’t had a chance to play with pictures since you gave me the information I asked you about. I think I’ll mess around with it this weekend.

 

[Houndsman]

JohnK,
one aspect that is very important to fire-pit construction, is a guard coonhound.

Is that a coonhound guarding your brush cutter, two beers, and the superb fire?
v/r mark

 

[gsganzer]

Wow, you guys get pretty elaborate. Here in Texas, we just use an old tractor rim or tank head. I have a 36 inch tank head that works great.

 

[Timber]

Wow, you guys get pretty elaborate. Here in Texas, we just use an old tractor rim or tank head. I have a 36 inch tank head that works great.

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

 

[3RRL]

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

Wow, I could have never said it like that...but yeah, you're right! One other thing because of the wild fire issue, the bottom of mine is lined with rocks about 12" deep. So if we have to "douse" the fire out with water, it drains down....doesn't make a mud bath. And the remaining logs/coals will dry up and start easy next time.

 

[johnk]

No Houndsman,
Thats not a black and Tan coonhound. It's a Rott. 185 pounds worth guarding the beers....

 

[dmccarty]

You guys make my fire pit look like, well, a pit.

I did put a rock or two out there to sit on buy I really like the big rock idea so I'll add some of those. We only have a single row of rocks and I can now see how that will change. And the idea of rocks on the bottom of the bit is excellent as well.

My FIL has a large concrete patio with a circular fire pit built in the middle. The pit is roughly 4' in diameter and maybe 18 inches tall and made from bricks. The interesting detail is the one you can see. There is not concrete under the pit. Its "open" to grade. He ran a pipe from the opening to outside the slab so that rain water would drain out of the pit. We have plans to do something similar at our house but it won't happen anytime soon. So we put in our fire ring instead.

There are some great ideas in this thread....

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm almost embarrased to show my fire ring after seeing what you guys have done!!! But we really enjoy ours and have allot of fun with it.

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

I'm almost embarrased to show my fire ring after seeing what you guys have done!!! But we really enjoy ours and have allot of fun with it.
Eddie

Was the ring from Cabella's? Or did you make it?

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

It's from Cabela's. I forget exactly how much, but think it was on sale for $45 when I bought it, plus shipping about two years ago.

Eddie

 

[gsganzer]

Well you can’t take a fire pit for granted, 1st and foremost it is a landscape feature, then depending on your geography there is the wild fire issue, It must be contained .Then It must be user friendly. It needs proper seating for people and the pooch, a good location for a beverage cooler, easy access to a fuel supply. You not just building a fire your building and atmosphere in harmony with the landscape.

Now I'm offended!! Are you trying to imply that our tractor rim and tank head fire pits don't provide the proper aethetics and ambiance?? I, for one, believe they go perfectly well with the toilet and bathtub planters in the front yard and the old Buick with the trees growing up through the hood .

As for the seating, the old bench seat from my first automobile are every bit as comfortable as they were when I bought the car used, with 150,000 miles 15 years ago. The used oil from the old automobiles is a perfect source of fuel, albiet a little smokey when the wind shifts around and the old stump makes a perfect holder for the bottle of "shine".