Alcohol burning fire pit.

[RegeSullivan]

Anyone here have any experience they could share building their own?... I've been searching for instructions for making your own alcohol burner for an outdoor fire pit. I've seen many burners sold online for indoor fireplaces and small table top bowls but none really fit my needs. Also, it probably wouldn't stop my from buying one but there are damn expensive... well, unless they are way more complicated than I imagined.



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[danfromsyr]

Hmm, I usually just consume alcohol while standing around the fire pit.

 

[malibu101]

Why alcohol as fuel?
Easy to light and no smells like with wood? Just nice flames to look at.

Maybe look towards propane?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Meh. For me the asthetics are lost if you don't burn wood. IMO, ethanol fires are not something to experiment with.


Tommy

 

[laser3kw]

wait till it gets a little on the rich side and your eyes start watering like you've been hit by pepper spray
I agree with Tommy^^^^
what is the point of an outdoor fire if you are going to fake it? Might as will just run a tap off you natural gas line and light that.

 

[Slowboat]

Alcohol burns pretty clean. A friend has one and we add baking soda to it to get a good flame color. Fun to try different stuff!

His is small and nice to sit near, but not really a fire pit.

 

[coljar]

Hmm, I usually just consume alcohol while standing around the fire pit.

Yeah, that's the way it is at most fire pits I've been around, that is until I witnessed the spinning firepit at Mid Ohio Race Course.

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[Slednut]

Where I live there's a burn ban most of the summer months so no wood burning.

My daughter built a pit that uses propane for fuel. Nice fire, no smoke and legal.

 

[nadogail]

Because we are in Fire Season, they will not be welcome here.

 

[RegeSullivan]

While I agree real wood fires are the way to go they are not always practical. I want to use alcohol because I'm trying to put a small fire pit on a covered patio where it is not practical to pipe propane without creating a trip hazard. A real wood fire is too smokey because the patio is somewhat closed off on three sides sides. Also wood smoke most likely will stain the ceiling.

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[Skiff Builder]

Have a pressurized alcohol/120v elec stove on one of the older boats. Used to be quite popular. Propane is it now for cruisers. Would a propane tank pit work?

Have an alcohol fondue set that we use as an indoor fire pit.

 

[gungatim]

I've built a few small alcohol cookers, run off either my still cuts or gas line antifreeze.

maybe you could scale it up using a larger can, like a tomato juice size instead of a beer can.

google beer can stove for plans.

 

[laser3kw]

I've built a few small alcohol cookers, run off either my still cuts or gas line antifreeze.

maybe you could scale it up using a larger can, like a tomato juice size instead of a beer can.

google beer can stove for plans.

I have the same Moroso timing degree wheel in your picture. Great to split hairs with!

 

[gungatim]

I have the same Moroso timing degree wheel in your picture. Great to split hairs with!

I could never figure out a good place/way to store it, in that pic it kept falling down in that old box lid, so I ended up taking a big round speaker magnet and sticking it to the back and it now resides on the back side of my toolbox! win win...out of the way but easy to find.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I have the same Moroso timing degree wheel in your picture. Great to split hairs with!

So do I...

Tommy

 

[MattRMagnum]

Where I live there's a burn ban most of the summer months so no wood burning.

My daughter built a pit that uses propane for fuel. Nice fire, no smoke and legal.

Unless you're way out on the Western edge where there's rarely forest fires, the burn bans are on ALL forms of outdoor fire. The burn ban covering Eastern Wa is currently this type. Right now most of the rest of the state is only banned from having charcoal briquettes on DNR land.


As for the OP: I would check the wording on local fire bans, if that's what you're trying to get around. I know that my local city often bans ALL forms of outdoor burning (above/beyond what the state/county puts in place) during the hottest parts of the summer, so you might want to tread carefully.

 

[Slednut]

Unless you're way out on the Western edge where there's rarely forest fires, the burn bans are on ALL forms of outdoor fire.

You sure?

https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/rp_fire_burn_ban_factsheet2016.pdf

 

[softailgarage]

I had a nice tabletop "fireplace" that consisted of a steel tray mounted between 2 pieces of tempered glass that burned ethanol. It looked good but the ethanol was a pain in the *** to find. Years ago an old friend built a large fireplace that consisted of water fueled by natural gas, looked like flames dancing on top of the water. Still dont know how he did it, unfortunately he passed away, so I guess I'll never know. Out here in the desert I prefer the old washing machine tub mounted to a shaft that can be turned by hsnd...or a long pole if in use (don't ask why, it was just something to do )

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Years ago an old friend built a large fireplace that consisted of water fueled by natural gas, looked like flames dancing on top of the water. Still dont know how he did it, unfortunately he passed away, so I guess I'll never know.

The burner is below the surface of the water. The gas rises up through the water column and is ignited at the surface.

Tommy

 

[Falcon67]

Why alcohol as fuel?
Easy to light and no smells like with wood? Just nice flames to look at.

Maybe look towards propane?

In my experience, alcohol - at least methanol - burns pretty clear, not a lot of flame. Nearly impossible to see in the daytime for sure. And methanol fumes are nothing to be trifled with. I have easy 50+ gallons of alcohol sitting around most of the time but I'd look to propane, personally.

 

[MattRMagnum]

You sure?

https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/rp_fire_burn_ban_factsheet2016.pdf

Yes. Read your own document? Your description of your daughter's fire pit isn't allowed during a burn ban. It doesn't match any of these categories [list below]. Also, that list is four years old. In light of how badly we've had fires the past several years, I believe the burn bans are now all-inclusive, when there's an on-going fire. I would suggest using this tool, which tells you the types of burn bans in effect, and what they do and don't allow.

What IS allowed during the burn ban?
Western Washington
Campfires in approved fire pits within designated campgrounds.
Charcoal briquettes.
Lanterns, stoves, solid fuel candles and tikistyle torches.

Eastern Washington
Liquid gas or propane camp stoves with an on/off control.
Propane campfire pits used for campground or backcountry use.
Solid fuel and citronella candles in metal or glass containers.

 

[Slednut]

Yes. Read your own document? Your description of your daughter's fire pit isn't allowed during a burn ban. It doesn't match any of these categories [list below]. Also, that list is four years old. In light of how badly we've had fires the past several years, I believe the burn bans are now all-inclusive, when there's an on-going fire. I would suggest using this tool, which tells you the types of burn bans in effect, and what they do and don't allow.

What IS allowed during the burn ban?
Western Washington
Campfires in approved fire pits within designated campgrounds.
Charcoal briquettes.
Lanterns, stoves, solid fuel candles and tikistyle torches.

Eastern Washington
Liquid gas or propane camp stoves with an on/off control.
Propane campfire pits used for campground or backcountry use.
Solid fuel and citronella candles in metal or glass containers.

WOAH........ Settle down Beavis