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Steel thickness for fire ring?


plane_crazzy

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I am working on a portable fire ring. I have made a couple of them already but I need to revise my sides thickness. I used 1/8" on the last one and think I could still lighten it up some. I have looked at some sheet metal but I am iffy on how well that would hold up. The rings are about 24" Square with angle iron in the 4 corners. Anyone have some experience on what to use?

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Pardon me, but what is a fire ring and if it's a ring, why is it square?

While many use a ring of stones, the metal ring is nicer in a permant installations, like a park or camp ground, even the back yard. Helps to keep burning things in, and childrens feet out.

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My ring is stout sheet metal, about 1/16 inch (#16?) or maybe a little thinner, with decorations pierced into it. It has 1/2 x 1/8 bar stock welded to the top and bottom as rims, and the ends of these bars have joggles so the rim forms a nice circle from 4 pieces. The 4 pieces are fastened with 1/4-20 bolts welded on as studs.

I bought it at the store, it is a rather inexpensive unit. The bolts are welded onto the back of the bars, and at least one stud has broke. I probably will have to make a repair to several places on it next time I need to move it, but it hasn't moved in a couple years since it is big enough to just clean with a shovel being about 3 ft across.

At my mother in law's we use cinder blocks. The bottom row is on the sides so air goes through, the top row is upright to contain the fire better. 5 bricks per side with an overlap. The top row is running bond fashion to the lower row. Every few fires a brick crumbles, but it works well for burning debris and later roasting marshmallows, hot dogs, and brats. The fire dept has looked at it and gave their approval too.



Phil

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I am working on a portable fire ring. I have made a couple of them already but I need to revise my sides thickness. I used 1/8" on the last one and think I could still lighten it up some. I have looked at some sheet metal but I am iffy on how well that would hold up. The rings are about 24" Square with angle iron in the 4 corners. Anyone have some experience on what to use?

Unless your building tiny camp fires, you might consider a larger ring. Nice (pronounced "safer") to have a bit of a buffer between fire and ring.

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A local Veteran's group has one made out of the end of an old oil or water tank for doing flag retirements: portable in the fact that it is on a sled that can be pulled by a tractor.

 

3/16" tread plate seems to be the smallest size that holds up without additional bracing, uneven heating will cause warping no matter what you do.

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sorry for being slow on the reply, been a busy week. I like the square design because it can easily be taken apart and it makes it easier to make a support for a stainless steel grate across the top to cook on. the 24" is a request, I prefer the 30" that I have, but I have a request for one that is smaller.

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