piedmont wrote:
> On 3/22/2010 4:49 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
>> JeffH wrote:
>>> On Mar 18, 6:03 pm, > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Fats just wants to burn logs down to coals. He isn't into charcoal
>>>> making.
>>>
>>> Not sure what I'm missing here - so he'd just have a pile of wood
>>> and burn it. Wood burns down to coals. No? Why a special rig to do
>>> it then?
>>
>> The oldest methods to do bbq will take raw wood, and burn it down to
>> coals (you ever see the glowing red embers in a fireplace fire or in
>> a campfire?). Once you get a buncha coals in the fire, you grab 'em
>> with a shovel and put them in the pit. In some municipalities, they
>> don't want people to build big ol' campfires on the front lawn, due
>> to the risk of spreading fire. Something like a burn-pit to contain
>> the fire and help control sparks is a plus. At my place, I can dig a
>> burn pit and not have the fire department breathing down my neck.
>>
> This isn't for you Dave, as I assumed you are aware of this, just
> posted for others to learn,
> There is a simple 'pit' made out of a 55 gallon barrel, open top,
> rebar run through about 2/3's down spaced about 3 inches apart, then
> cut out a hole in the side, near the bottom, simply burn logs in
> barrel on rebar, as it burns down the coals fall through and then you
> shovel out what you need,

Yup, it's a good design. With my fire pit I have a grate on top of the pit
and the coals fall into the shallow hole, where I can scoop them out from
either end. Takes a bit of stooping, though. I may just go with the above
ground burn pit to keep the kinks out of my back :-)
--
Dave
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan