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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    4,779

    Default Cast iron bath fire pit

    Hi all,

    While not the precision piece of work that some like to read about, here in Melbourne I have been missing getting out and camping since we are back in stage 3.

    So decided to sacrifice one of my cast iron baths from the vegie patch and see how good they may be at a fire pit.

    They are very deep so decided to roughy cut to halve its depth.

    It still needs to breath but I didn't want to drill holes in the bath so decided to make an attachment that sits in the existing plug hole and (via 75x25mm rhs) distribute air via a series of holes along the length of rhs. This seems to work ok.

    The grill that sits on top is a piece of cast iron left over from a park bench seat that has long rotted. I kept the cast back "just jn case" and now finally found a use for it.

    I wanted to acquire 4 original cast feet for it tk sit on but they are bloody expensive. So I'll do something else.

    I will also make a spit roast attachment powered by a car wiper motor and some angle irkn frame that can sit on it to house a hot plate if needed.

    Happy with it so far... even the wife sat outside with me at night and was impressed with the 1 hour effort it took to get it working.





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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,439

    Default

    Hi Simon,

    That is a very nice and effective use for an old bath !

    Around here old baths are much sought after for use as horse troughs and there is one guy down the road growing strawberries in them. He has about half a dozen. Lovely strawberries
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Thanks Baron.

    I keep my eye open for them every now and then. Some people who sell them think that because they are old it gives them permission to ask stupid prices for them!

    Understandably the pristine ones will fetch nice prices for people wanting that style or look in their home but i have not paid more than $10 for any of mine.

    I actually did 2 hours of gardening as trade for 2 of them!

    Another i got for $0.99 because no one else bid. I actually felt a little embarrassed handing over the $1 coin but hey a deal is a deal!

    And, the other day I was at the local tip and I saw one cut in two pieces. I thought that was a real shame.

    So, cheap cast iron bath tubs can be had with some patience and they really lend themselves to many uses in the backyard.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    They probably have lead in the enamel coating, so for the first few burns keep away from the smoke.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Thanks RC. I did not even think of that!

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    395

    Default

    I remember my dad who was pre war trained Fitter and Turner saying the guys who did the enamel process on baths had the most unhealthy job in industry.
    H
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    A few additions.

    Original claw feet are too expensive for this project, although would give it a great finish.

    So I came up with a compromise. Many years ago we had a park type garden seat, the type with cast iron ends and hard wood slats joining it all together. Well, the timber rotted away but I kept the ends.

    So I cut the feet sections off at about 100mm in length. I then sandwiched a couple pieces of 32x10 flat bar and bolted them together. I welded the sandwich flats to a flange plate, drilled 2 holes and bolted them to the bath.

    I'm pretty happy with the way its turned out.

    I also want the option of cooking some snags or steak so I made an angle iron frame that holds 3 hot plates (had them laying around from previous BBQ)

    the frame rests on the top and has two removal gate hinges on the opposite side. This allows the frame to be lifted up to check/add firewood and allows for total removal when not in use.

    Next will be the rotisserie for the spit. I bought a S/H windscreen wiper motor for that.


    Still hoping I can remove the enamel with a super hot fire. I was just going to let the enamel chip Way over time but with its lead content im keen to strip it away in one go before actual use.


    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Frankston south
    Posts
    102

    Default

    Nice work, how long do you think before burning out or cracking if at all?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Yea interesting questions...

    In terms of cracking it should be OK as long as I don't douse it in water after getting it real hot.

    All the fixings (hinges, legs etc) are bolted to the bath. Given that the bath is mostly curved and i have fixed flat plate fixings to it, i had to be mindful not to bolt flat fixings hard onto curved sections. I still have to attach fixings at each end to hold a spit. One end is reasonably flat but the opposite end to the plug hole is very well curved. As such I will need to custom a plate to allow for this so as not to stress the cast iron.

    Having said that, it holds about 250L of water and designed to hold a person so its made to hold at least 250kg. The casting thickness near the base is about 10mm and maybe 8mm near the top.

    As for rusting out, not likely in a hurry. For camping I use a wood oven made from an LPG cylinder which is steel. I use it maybe 10 times a year and its about 4 yo now. Its maybe 3-4mm thick and still shows no real sign of rusting out Cast iron does not tend to rust out in layers like steel.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Kyabram. Vic
    Posts
    632

    Default

    What's wrong with a freestanding frame for the spit. Could straddle the tub sideways or longways and taken away when not wanted and no chance of cracking the tub with installment.

    Ken

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Toggy View Post
    What's wrong with a freestanding frame for the spit. Could straddle the tub sideways or longways and taken away when not wanted and no chance of cracking the tub with installment.

    Ken
    Nothing wrong with that idea but its not what I want to do. I want it to be an all in one set up and capitalise on the stability from the mass of the tub.

    Simon

    Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

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