Smokeless fire pits

[grahamc]

Anyone have any experience of the new style smokeless fire pits, such as those made by solo stoves ?  They look smart and if they work as described would be good, but they aren’t cheap. Just wondering if anyone had any real life experience with them, and if they are as smokeless as they reckon to be. 

[Retired Climber]

Yep, they are excellent. Little bit of smoke until it starts doing its thing (gasification I think they call it), then hardly any smoke at all. I've only used genuine solo stove ones, but Chinese knock off ones are an awful lot cheaper, and some look identical. 

[Stubby]

They are advertising something that looks very much like its been made out of a washing machine drum .

[skc101fc]

They are advertising something that looks very much like its been made out of a washing machine drum .

You mean something like this pile of shite I spotted on done deal (ireland) last night.
40 quid in time dismantling, 20 quid fuel to take rest of shite to tip, leaves 5 quid profit and hope you don't get beaten down on the price for this elegant piece of art.

[peds]

I made one of these back in 2008, from an abandoned washing machine in an overgrown garden around the back of the house I was renting with two other lads. I took the inner drum out of the outer one, flipped it over, and slotted the axel back into the slot, making it twice the height, and still able to spin. I've just been trying to find an old file of photos, but no luck so far. I'll update if I ever find it.

We used it for a summer before moving out of the house, it worked great. The best part was kicking it around and around to build up speed, and a shower of sparks would fly out of the drainage holes. It was great fun when you were pissed.

[grahamc]

Retired climber, thanks for the reply. With it being double skinned stainless, do they radiate much heat out the sides, or is it upwards all the heat goes ie do they heat your lower legs and feet much if you are sat around them ? 

[Stere]

How about this design?

 

Kon-Tiki Kiln - Open Source Ecology

WIKI.OPENSOURCEECOLOGY.ORG

 

Doesn't seem to be any for sale though.....

 

https://www.terrapretadevelopments.com.au/products/kon-tiki-tas-deep-cone-kilns/kon-tiki-tas-compact-deep-cone-kiln/

Edited June 23, 2022 by Stere

[Woodworks]

Been looking at them from while but couldn't face coughing up the kind of sums of money they go for considering how rarely we will use it

 

Just picked up some new barrels for our charcoal retort for stuff all money so came up with an idea to make a smokeless fire pit from one. Took an hour or two and works better than I could have possibly hoped 

 

The lid makes a floor

 

The outer is made from the base and cut out around 25mm in from the edge. Then drilled holes around the base to let the air in

 

The inner is made from the top of the barrel and cut around 20mm lower than the outer. Split it down the side and riveted together at 50mm smaller diameter as the outer

 

I didn't fix the rings and base all together and just rested the two rings on the lid evenly space and popped some ash in the bottom to stop air bypassing and getting in at the bottom of inner ring. 

 

Hope that makes sense

 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Woodworks

[Tom-Gobowen]

I'm planning to make one from an old oil drum in the next couple of weeks. Im planning to follow the build instructions from this video but make it half height. Will report back on how it burns

 

[Woodworks]

That looks great. Prefer the way the inner tube comes through the top and is then bent over. Looking at other deigns this seems to be the way to go. 

 

Not sure I would give the fire air at the base though. For disposing of wood quickly it makes sense but for a fire pit I want my wood to last an not be gone in a flash