Fire pit welding project

[Alaska]

I thought I would post a simple afternoon project for review. It is a firepit made from a steel truck rim, and a steel washing machine tub - both items commonly aviabale at the dump or salvage yards. Anyway, once you have your tub seperated from your washing machine body (the hardest part of this project, and remember the big locking nut for the tub may be left hand thread) you remove the steel upright tube in the center of the tub. I do this by flipping it over and hitting it with the PowerPlasma60 - cuts it like butter! Then I take some scrap 11 or 12 ga steel and cut a circle out of it by tracing a lid from a 5 gallon bucket. plate is then welded to the bottom of the tub to block the hole you just made with the plasma. With the tub still upside down throw the rim on it (I found 17" truck rims work the best) and level it using the very accurate eyeball technique. Then simply three 2-3 inch beads from the MIG and your are done wit fab work. Next hit it with the power washer to get all the soap reasidue off of it. Lastly, I hit it with high heat BBQ paint (walmart under $6). Get the 2000 degree if you can but the 1200 degree works well also.

I have uesd these since highschool and they work great for firepits. Never look for rocks on the side of the river again or when it is winter throw it down in a pull off next to the sleds and fire it up. Easy clean up (put it back in the truck) and off you go. I also take one when rafting and have had one at the house set up on some pavers for years. It still looks new just paint it about every dozen fires or so.

These give off a lot of heat, with all of the mico holes in them. And like I said it is an afternoon project that is less than ten bucks and will last for years. I also sell about 20 of these a year netting about $75 bucks a piece so again welding keeps me in the silver (coors light). Speaking of the "silver" these also are an effective way to police the empties by smelting them.

So that is what I have, what do you got for afternoon or weekend projects under $50?

[Alaska]

Sorry guys, I am new to the site. I see now this should have been posted under the Hobyist thread and not the custom. Live and learn I quess.

[DaveO]

No worries about thread location- it could go either way and if it was (for some reason) a real problem the mods would move it.

I'll have to run this one by my wife: she's been wanting a fire pit behind the house, and we spent most of the Spring and early Summer clearing brush to accommodate. I've had it in the back of my mind to fab one, but so far my mental picture has been something that looks store-bought: a large bowl shape and a mesh screen to capture sparks. The bowl has been the hurdle to overcome so far, because I haven't found one- I'll keep your plan in mind.

[EmptyNester]

Excellet project!

How hot does the bottom of the rim get? Seems like this could work well on a deck.

[Alaska]

The bottom does not get very hot. Although I do not use it on a deck, my father in-law does without problem. We both use some pavers under though.

[redbeard]

I've always been leery of trying to cut anything porcelain coated with the plasma. Does it do anything weird when you cut it?

[everlastsupport]

Alaska, you post is fine, this is a custom project. And it is pretty slick. I live in Florida, but kids always like a fire.

[Alaska]

I've always been leery of trying to cut anything porcelain coated with the plasma. Does it do anything weird when you cut it?

No, cuts it nicely. I would add, that before welding take a wire brush or grinder to the area to weld so you get a good arc and weld.