How to firepit???


 
R

Rob_S

New member
Ok missed out on a smokey Joe and table today so I figured I would fire up my latest toy for the 1st time. Using real cheap firewood and used 1/3 of a small chimney of kbb to star two logs. Getting a lot of smoke but not much heat to save me from this 52 degree freezing bay area night! Oh and I used a 22in cooking grate on the bottom. Anybody who knows how to use this thing right?
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If you aren't getting much in the way of flame or heat, it's the wood.....I'd guess it's not real dry, so you won't get the most BTU's out of it. Also, different woods will burn hotter or cooler. If I can get a good price on it, I prefer almond wood, but, really any well dried, hardwood will do just fine. I typically have carbonized remains from my previous fire that act like charcoal. I light those in three spots, 30 seconds each spot with my MAPP gas torch. Then I put three pieces of kindling (parallel to each other) on the charcoal, stack another three pieces of kindling at 90 degrees to the first three. Two smallish splits on top of that, and one bigger one (again, 90 degrees to the first) on top of that one. That will typically get me a fire that causes me to need to be at least 10 feet away so I don't melt something. :)

Again, my bet is your cheap firewood is probably not super dry (especially if it came in a box from the local store.....done that in a pinch, never a particularly satisfactory result.)

....and yes, ridiculously cold here in the Bay Area at a frosty 54F here! ;)

R
 
Weber does not recommend using charcoal in the fireplace, they suggest using lighter cubes to ignite the fire. Also, make sure there is at least 2# of sand in the bottom of the fireplace. The sand will insulate the bottom of the fireplace. Assuming you are using seasoned wood, the key to igniting the fire is with plenty of kindling. If you don’t have access to kindling, you can make your own via an ax or a log splitting wedge, see link provided.


Here is a picture of mine from last year. I may have been a little overzealous with my fire, or perhaps I have watched Donald Sutherland in “Backdraft” too many times!
 

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EricV. said:
Weber does not recommend using charcoal in the fireplace, they suggest using lighter cubes to ignite the fire. Also, make sure there is at least 2# of sand in the bottom of the fireplace.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure the reason they recommend this is that there isn't a "charcoal grate" in the fire pit like you would have in a kettle. Hot charcoal on the porcelain over the life of the fire pit would possibly do some damage. There's also the issue of heat radiating from the bottom of the fire pit, which could be a safety issue depending on the surface the fire pit is on (hence the sand recommendation.) I used my pit with sand and no charcoal grate for the first 8 years. Recently, I got tired of the weight of the sand when I wanted to move the pit, so I removed it, dropped in a charcoal grate from one of my kettles, and it works great. I will keep a layer of ash in there for thermal insulation on the bottom.....

You and I have the same style for fire building!

R
 
Use Duraflame Logs (for outdoor fire pits-smaller than the typical Duraflame Logs) to get the wood started. Clearly, your wood needs to be seasoned.
 
Yah, that stuff has a pretty gamey taste to it unless you season it first. Duraflame logs come pre-seasoned.
 
EricV. said:
Weber does not recommend using charcoal in the fireplace, they suggest using lighter cubes to ignite the fire. Also, make sure there is at least 2# of sand in the bottom of the fireplace. The sand will insulate the bottom of the fireplace. Assuming you are using seasoned wood, the key to igniting the fire is with plenty of kindling. If you don’t have access to kindling, you can make your own via an ax or a log splitting wedge, see link provided.


Here is a picture of mine from last year. I may have been a little overzealous with my fire, or perhaps I have watched Donald Sutherland in “Backdraft” too many times!
Click to expand...
That fire is much larger than the one I built. I will buy better wood and follow all the advice given here. Had a feeling I was doing something wrong.
 
I also use an old 22" grate in my Weber firepit. I start with a starter log, only because I have an old box that I need to use.....I'd have no problems using charcoal to start it up.
I also usually use wood from a tree I had cut down a couple years ago.....that or I'm burning limbs and stuff that have recently fallen.
With the lid on I get good heat pushed around.

Maybe you were burning wet wood?
Also, in your picture you have 1 log.....get that sucker going with 3-4 logs!
 
Kyle in Woodstock said:
I also use an old 22" grate in my Weber firepit. I start with a starter log, only because I have an old box that I need to use.....I'd have no problems using charcoal to start it up.
I also usually use wood from a tree I had cut down a couple years ago.....that or I'm burning limbs and stuff that have recently fallen.
With the lid on I get good heat pushed around.

Maybe you were burning wet wood?
Also, in your picture you have 1 log.....get that sucker going with 3-4 logs!
Click to expand...
I live in the burbs so store bought firewood is whats available. It was sold as firewood at Grocery Outlet. Thats 2 pieces in the pic, I did add 2 more. I will try more wood next time.
 
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