Text Only | Text with Attachments

Multitool.org Forum

Outdoor Section => Backwoods Cuisine => Topic started by: PTRSAK on July 16, 2016, 07:26:37 AM

Title: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: PTRSAK on July 16, 2016, 07:26:37 AM: More for keeping warm than cooking, but with the addition of a steel plate or a grill on the top These would be fine for outdoor cooking.
I've been meaning to build one of these for ages but never got around to it. But I recently picked up a brand new set of steel wheels from someone who had mag wheels fitted to their new car. $10 for four wheels sounded like just the kick in the pants I needed to get this project started.

In my research (watching youtube ::) ) I've seen a few designs but almost all of them left the wheels intact and consequently looked like a couple of old wheel rims stacked on top of one another. Pretty ugly look really.

Looking at the shape of the rims I realised that by cutting the outer rim off where it joins the hub it made a much nicer contour.
Two of these welded together were shaped like the body of a pot belly stove.
As a happy coincidence, the drop centre diameter of the 18" rims just fits nicely inside the rim diameter of a 13" wheel. Which also means that the cut off outer flange from the 16" wheel fits outside the 13"rim. That makes for quite a nice shaped base dor the body to sit on.

Dig out the welder and angle grinder and away we go...

There was one problem with using new rims. These (from a Hyundai) appear to be zinc plated and powder coated. Welding does not like either of those and even with grinding the immediate area the contamination from the adjacent plating/coating cooking off made for some pretty crappy welds. note to self for future; get rims sand blasted or use old junkyard rims with just paint.

After welding the various parts together I cut a door in the body and welded on some hinges.

A quick firing to burn off the powder coating (sorry for the stinky smoke neighbourhood ::) ) and after cooling a quick clean and a coat of 1200 degree satin black stove paint and I think they are looking quite good.
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: Grant Lamontagne on July 16, 2016, 01:24:54 PM: That looks amazing! Great work indeed!

If shipping wouldn't be completely insane, I'd send in my order for one immediately!

Def
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: leathermon on July 16, 2016, 01:30:49 PM: Sweeeeeeeeet

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: Gohard on July 16, 2016, 02:05:34 PM: We need one of those tonight. Its Freezing cold over here!
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: Smashie on July 16, 2016, 06:56:13 PM: Great idea using wheels, I've always been a bit wary of cutting into a propane tank :ahhh
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: ducttapetech on July 16, 2016, 07:07:40 PM: That is straight up bad ass! Nice work man!
:tu:
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: LoopCutter on July 16, 2016, 09:50:30 PM: Wow, that is a nice couple of heaters.

Is there badge you can request for metal work or such?

Maybe used your Multitool to shape a hinge pin or like.

How long a piece of kindling will it handle , 12 or 15"

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: Sparky415 on July 17, 2016, 07:45:56 AM: :tu:
They look great Peter! :drool:
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: TazzieRob on July 18, 2016, 04:25:21 AM: Looks pretty cool, or rather, HOT! >:D

I'm not following along too well with the 13", 16", 18" rim measurements though...
Title: Re: Pot Belly fire pit
Post by: Sparky415 on July 18, 2016, 08:10:21 AM: Quote from: Smashie on July 16, 2016, 06:56:13 PM
Great idea using wheels, I've always been a bit wary of cutting into a propane tank :ahhh

:pok: You could cut one up in your garage, whats the worse thing that could happen? :shrug:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzglifoLiNE