# Galvanized stock trough as fire pit.



## lordbater (May 21, 2004)

Ive got a roughly, 3'x2'x1' high galvanized water trough I'm gna use as a backyard fire pit.

Ideas?

I'm thinking on bricks w a few holes in the bottom for airflow and water drainage.
How bigga holes? How many?

A

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## On The Hook (Feb 24, 2009)

Anything galvanized will give off toxic fumes when you burn in it. If your just burning and not cooking you might be ok, but don't get too close. I don't know if it will ever burn off and be safe. Others will have more info, I'm sure.


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

On The Hook said:


> Anything galvanized will give off toxic fumes when you burn in it. If your just burning and not cooking you might be ok, but don't get too close. I don't know if it will ever burn off and be safe. Others will have more info, I'm sure.


kinda what im thinking, when i was on a job at the texas city docks we had a whole bunch of galvanized pipe lines we were running and you have to grind all that stuff off to the real metal before you could weld it because of the smoke and the way it would burn out, and if you burned it out i dont know how long it would hold up after a few times, maybe try to find a peice of 48" carbon steel from a pipeliner here on 2 cool


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## spike404 (Sep 13, 2010)

As others have stated, avoid burning galvanized, even as a fire-pit. Welders always drink milk when welding galvanized because of the zinc fumes.


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## donf (Aug 8, 2005)

Metal man chiming in, do not burn stuff in Zinc coated metal.


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## robjord (Dec 3, 2009)

If you breath the fumes you will get galvanize poisoning. It is not fun, don't do it.


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## Tarr Balls (Feb 10, 2010)

Don't do it. Galvinized anything gives off toxic fumes when burning.

But if you do, throw some creosote cross ties in for maxium effect.


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## lordbater (May 21, 2004)

Where to put the holes aside, I have some experience using these. They are cheap and any coating burns off quick. So ill keep my distance. It's just a cheap tub. I appreciate the words of caution. What's done is done. I just wanted advice on holes for best ventilation..

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## lordbater (May 21, 2004)

No cooking BTW.

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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

Sure will burn out fast.

TH


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

1/4" holes in the bottom to drain and some 2" holes in the sides for air should do it. Get a brand name hole saw. The cheap ones won't cut metal.


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## lordbater (May 21, 2004)

Last one lasted 8 years w moderate (couple/few times a *MONTH* when the weather was right..) use.

THANKS Mont. Gotta handful, cheap set, of hole saws, ill burn those up n get a good one if I need.
A

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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

Tarr Balls said:


> Don't do it. Galvinized anything gives off toxic fumes when burning.
> 
> But if you do, throw some creosote cross ties in for maxium effect.


LOL, is that where you got your Handle...cva34


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## FishinFoolFaron (Feb 11, 2009)

Mont said:


> 1/4" holes in the bottom to drain and some 2" holes in the sides for air should do it. Get a brand name hole saw. The cheap ones won't cut metal.


How about .44 caliber drain holes and 12 gauge slug air holes?
Seems an easier and more fun way.


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

FishinFoolFaron said:


> How about .44 caliber drain holes and 12 gauge slug air holes?
> Seems an easier and more fun way.


I like the way you think, Faron!


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## NOCREEK (Jan 18, 2012)

donf said:


> Metal man chiming in, do not burn stuff in Zinc coated metal.


 Metal Man-2 chiming in , what he said, even if you did it's such a lite guage material it wouldn't last long enough for the effort you put in it. Find somthing else. Use that for the Dog water!


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## Oso Blanco (Oct 17, 2010)

Lordbater, I cut the end off of a 250 gallon propane tank. You can buy the condemned tanks from the propane sales people. The last one I bought was $75. If you hobby weld like me it is a cheap quick project. I remove all the valves and hardware from the tank and let it sit for a few days and as an added precaution I purge the tank with CO2 or Argon while cutting it. After you cut the end off cut one more ring off the tank around 2". This ring will be your swing away expanded metal top. Time wise it takes two guys about a quart of Crown.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

$40.00 big tractor rim from a tractor salvage yard made fantastic fire rings.


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## Oso Blanco (Oct 17, 2010)

peckerwood said:


> $40.00 big tractor rim from a tractor salvage yard made fantastic fire rings.


Are they solid or slotted?


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## lordbater (May 21, 2004)

Oso Blanco said:


> Lordbater, I cut the end off of a 250 gallon propane tank. You can buy the condemned tanks from the propane sales people. The last one I bought was $75. If you hobby weld like me it is a cheap quick project. I remove all the valves and hardware from the tank and let it sit for a few days and as an added precaution I purge the tank with CO2 or Argon while cutting it. After you cut the end off cut one more ring off the tank around 2". This ring will be your swing away expanded metal top. Time wise it takes two guys about a quart of Crown.





peckerwood said:


> $40.00 big tractor rim from a tractor salvage yard made fantastic fire rings.


both great ideas. I'll keep that in mind when, not if, this one fails. I'm ok with a welder, I have a couple, I don't so much weld as I stick metal together with electricity..

A


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

I did one today. $72 worth of bricks from Lowes. The family had dinner around the fire this evening. Right off my back patio. Great family time today. Great day to be a Texan


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## 2slick (Dec 5, 2008)

I ran across a commercial washing machine drum (stainless steel). Makes a nice fire pit. Just cut the shaft off, and used a stand from one of the clay pits that didn't last long. Picked up a grill that fits the top at Academy for five bucks. Links, hot dogs, or such over the coals!


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## swifty (May 13, 2005)

Hotrod said:


> I did one today. $72 worth of bricks from Lowes. The family had dinner around the fire this evening. Right off my back patio. Great family time today. Great day to be a Texan


Looks great Hotrod. Let me know how they hold up as I might just try that myself. Built ours out of natural limestone and it only lasted a few winters. The rock just seemed to disintegrate although we did have some overbuilt "bonfires" in there. :biggrin:


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

swifty said:


> Looks great Hotrod. Let me know how they hold up as I might just try that myself. Built ours out of natural limestone and it only lasted a few winters. The rock just seemed to disintegrate although we did have some overbuilt "bonfires" in there. :biggrin:


At $1.89 a brick is cheap enough lol. Im gonna buy some regular masonry brick and line the inside. Guy at Lowes said that helps save the other brick.


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## Stringer (May 22, 2004)

Here's one i built last year. about 60$. dug a hole, filled with sand and pea gravel, then lava rock.


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