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Fire Pit/ Grill Build

11K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  Amigatec 
#1 ·
From when I was 5, to about 11 or 12 I was in cub scouts. During my second or third year my dad and one of my den leaders, Steve, came up with a design for a fire pit, and a grill. The concept was simple, cut a 55 gallon drum in half, and make detachable legs so you could use it on the ground as a fire pit, or attach legs so it was also a grill. My dad did all of the fabricating on it, and although I do not remember exactly how he made it, I am sure the one I am making will be very, very similar.

Steve is still a good family friend and is still Troop Master (he stepped up to the position a year or two before I left). A few weeks ago, I modified a plow bracket for his truck and I dropped it off at one of the scout meetings, since I offered to make something for the scout trailer as well. After talking for a while (and delaying the meeting), he told me the fire pit/ grill my dad made had moved up to the boy scouts, when the other boys moved up. Steve stayed with the cub scouts, and said he missed the fire pit ever since it left. That is when I said I still had the other half of the barrel my Dad used to make the fire pit about 10 years earlier, and I offered to make another.

Tonight I finally got it started; here is the half of the barrel.

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The first thing I did, was make a rectangle out of square tubing, to go around the barrel.

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Test fit.

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Next, I had to add some kind of legs, so that when it is sitting on the ground it does not roll over.

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Here, I just have the barrel sitting in the box, this is how it will be used for the fire pit.

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I still have to make the legs, and weld the barrel into the box. I should be able to get that done tomorrow. Then, I have to figure out a cooking surface, I think I have some grates out of old grills that got scraped, I will have to look.

I want to see if there is time for me to go into welding class tomorrow, so I can use the Plasma CAM. I want to try and cut out "Troop 79" and "Boy Scouts of America" on a piece of sheet metal, then attach it to the grill.

Steve has asked me a couple times how much I want to make it for them, and I keep telling him we will talk about it after I am done; although, I am just going to tell him it is a donation.
 
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#6 ·
This morning, I made some legs. I cut some square tubing the length I wanted it to be off the ground. Then, I cut some square tubing that was small enough to fit into the ends of the other tubing. I drilled some holes, and plug welded the smaller tubing inside the large tubing.

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The reason I plug welded them in, is so that when they slide into the top part the seam will be flush. If I made fillet welds all the way around the seam would not be as nice looking.

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I cut out some 2x2 inch squares from a piece of 1/4" plate, and welded them to the leg bottoms, for feet.

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Here it is with the legs on.

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I did not have a lot of the smaller square tubing, so I was not able to make the piece extending out of the large tubing as long as I would have liked, it only extends out 4 inches. Because it is so short, the legs have a lot more movement then I planned on, causing it to rock back and forth a lot when in "grill mode." I am going to have to add some supports between the legs.
 
#10 ·
I am not sure how thick normal 55 gallon drums are, but this one has rotted slightly, so it is a little thinner then normal. Because it was thinner in some spots, I burned through each time I hit a weak spot. I did get it welded in though, there are 6 3-4 inch welds holding it in, which is more then enough.

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I talked to Steve a few minutes ago, and told him I just needed a cooking grate now.
 
#11 ·
Nice little unit your building there.

Not to make this off topic but I'll take them Bolens wheel weights on the wheel horse. :D
 
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#13 ·
Nice! What is the total cost to make one? Oh, and the shopping cart/refrigerater shelves? They are probably cadmium plated which is a source of heavy metal poisoning.
So far, I have had everything I needed to make it! Steve stopped by earlier and was thrilled with it! He is going to be getting some grill cook tops, and fire retardant paint for this, so I will not be buying anything from my pocket. We also worked out a deal on what the troop is paying me... I get the first burger. :D
 
#22 ·
Nice little unit your building there.

Not to make this off topic but I'll take them Bolens wheel weights on the wheel horse. :D
These guys don't miss a thing!!
 
#23 ·
It also might add a draft control on one end to allow air into the grill.
 
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