I made one of those years ago and still use it today. I made mine by simply copying one of the stainless steel units you can buy. I used a 55 gallon barrel portion for the outside (cut down to about 20") and the inside chamber is just a piece of an old water heater (which is the perfect diameter for the inside) A little drilling and welding took me all of an hour to make one. They work great and last for many years.
One of the best tutorials on the internet. 👍 Thank you! 😎 INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING! Oh, pay no attention to the critiques. 🤑 They always think they know better 👎 some jut like the hear themselves type ⌨️
The one barrel design is a lot more portable and easier to enjoy like a campfire. Plus half as much materials. We’re a fan. We have two that are nearly two years old and still holding up!
Nice design. Unfortunately as mentioned, the heat will cook the carbon out of that thin sheet and it, like all 55gal burn barrels will rot out quickly. I have been building these out of old water heater tanks for a long time, and your method should be able to be applied(I weld the inner barrel), and don’t use holes. It would be easier as the WH tank is typically domed on the top. They are 1/8” thick,so last a good long time. A pit this size does not need very much primary air. Too much air will actually cool the fire down, create towering flames(like seen in your videos) and roar thru fuel. I found about 1% of the bottom surface area to be about right for the area of the vent letting air into the base of the fire. I have some video here on utube of the ones I build.
Thanks for the insightful comment! I happen to have an old water heater on hand right now. I’ve been trying to decide what to do with it. This certainly does go through fuel, but I consider that a perk since I use it to dispose of branches and cardboard and things. For heat/not brush disposal, your suggestion makes a lot of sense. Thanks again for the comment. It’s great to get feedback from someone who’s worked on similar projects.
Would love to see a video of you doing it. I think now the new water tanks have foam insulation. I don't see a lot of them for sale on local classifieds. Any suggestions?
We've had good luck finding old water heaters where ew are. We've used them for other projects. Check Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and see if there's a local agriculture or buy/sell/trade bulletin. You may have luck at a local scrapyard, too.@@yangmagic0703
Yea, you need to remove the insulation. You can slice thru it, and I have heated the tank to loosen the adhesion. I have also used a pressure washer:) I mostly find tanks via word of mouth. As mentioned, marketplace or scrap metal or recycle yards. You might also call local plumbers when they change them out, they may have ones that they will have to pay to dispose of, or can recommend a recent customer who just had one changed out and is in the same situation and would probably be glad to have you take it off their hands…
Great job with explaining everything. A lot of DIY videos skip steps and leave you scratching your head, or dont explain things very well. The title is not misleading. I dont know why people are complaining. You made it from one barrel as stated in the title. The videos that tick me off are the ones that have a thumbnail picture that draws you in, then you watch the whole video and never see the thing that was in the thumbnail. That is bait and switch and should have consequences for the channel creator. Anyway, great job. 🍻
Nature can be wonderful if we treated fair. Before you start grinding on an empty barrel check that it’s not full of flammable gases ,You can also use that lid on top to fry you some bacon and eggs. Thank you
I bought a barrel a few days ago, but it came with 7 randomly placed 1.5 inch holes in the top of the bottom half if i cut the barrel in half. Do you think these holes will mess-up the turbo action if i do your plans on it?
If possible, you could try to use the section with holes as the inside portion. You could patch the holes using mega from the cut away section. Use pop rivets or high temp JB Weld.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead Thank you! The barrel came with just one end cap. the previous cut holes will be on that outside half. But i can just get a new barrel and perhaps make a practice one out of the existing barrel
@@johnpaul-mp7zc Holes on the outside will let in more cold air, but you should be able to use that cut away strip for patching. You don't really need the second lid if you don't make a deflector. If you can patch the holes it should work.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead Awesome, thats about 2" wide Perfect thank you much looking forward to doing this. Enjoy the rest of your day What size rivets did you use ?
What is the circumference or diameter of the barrel you used? I'm asking because I have a much smaller garbage can and think I need to adjust the dimensions. With the same dimensions (the piece I have to cut out for the inner barrel) the distance between the inner and outer barrel will probably be too big. Tha ks for the video though :-)
This size drum is usually about 22” across. The gap between the inner and outer shells is about 1”, so is reccomend adjusting your measurements to make that happen for your materials.
It will smoke at the beginning, but then clear up as the fire get going. It needs a "critical mass" of fire to get the secondary burn going. Smoke on the first burn can also be from residual stuff (whatever was in the barrel) burning off.
Hi, I want to make one but cannott see the purpose of the outer barrel holes at the bottom. There is a gap between the inner and outer barrel and the outer doesnt go all the way to the ground so lets have enough air in for secondary combustion. Am I right?
The holes are necessary for both primary and secondary combustion. The barrel rim should be at ground level, and it can sink in a bit (depending on the surface). We have found those holes to be necessary.
No campers in my back yard! I could see it being a theoretical concern, but not really a practical one. The only time we've had the deflector come off is when a log was tossed into it. You're probably not going to have a fire going in a strong enough wind to blow it off, and there's no reason to leave it on when the fire pit isn't being used.
I hit it with high temp Rustoleum when I see a bad spot forming. 10 bucks of barrel and 2 hours of time seems worth it for a year of enjoyment even if your prediction is true.
Build this concept super cheap (reuse/recycle) and spend $200 on drinks around the fire. 👍 My cousin made a gorgeous bbq from thrown out stainless vessels from a milk processing factory. You’d be paying thousands retail and not be anywhere near as robust.
Ypu didnt really do it with just 1 barrel. You just turned 1 barrel into 2 barrels and than just copied the same process as everyone else aside from adding a fire stop on top
Internet people find a whole awesome tutorial explaining the tiniest bit and complain about ambiguity that wasn't there 😂 The video is great, congrats for putting it together
I wonder how many people have blown themselves up when grinding this drum. You should be filling it with water first, this will expel any any gases or oils first. By just taking the cap off and then grinding you have made a bomb! And I don't like all those sharp edges on the top, people will cut them selves for sure when stoking the fire.
Why bother cutting and bending those squares around the bottom? Why bend 4 out to be feet? Why not just stand the barrel on a few bricks? Air and feet in one go!
I made one of those years ago and still use it today. I made mine by simply copying one of the stainless steel units you can buy. I used a 55 gallon barrel portion for the outside (cut down to about 20") and the inside chamber is just a piece of an old water heater (which is the perfect diameter for the inside) A little drilling and welding took me all of an hour to make one. They work great and last for many years.
Heck yeah!
Thank both you :) great detail and visuals to get the details
Building stuff is fun
Nice. I just finished building my dual barrel bin.... Then saw your video ! Heh
Well done! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks!
One of the best tutorials on the internet. 👍 Thank you! 😎 INFORMATIVE AND ENTERTAINING! Oh, pay no attention to the critiques. 🤑 They always think they know better 👎 some jut like the hear themselves type ⌨️
Clever to make it out of only one barrel. The original idea on UA-cam was using two, but I prefer this I think.
The one barrel design is a lot more portable and easier to enjoy like a campfire. Plus half as much materials. We’re a fan. We have two that are nearly two years old and still holding up!
Very nicely done. Something I think I mbe able to do.
Nice video 👏 any credits to the original builder?
Nice design. Unfortunately as mentioned, the heat will cook the carbon out of that thin sheet and it, like all 55gal burn barrels will rot out quickly. I have been building these out of old water heater tanks for a long time, and your method should be able to be applied(I weld the inner barrel), and don’t use holes. It would be easier as the WH tank is typically domed on the top. They are 1/8” thick,so last a good long time. A pit this size does not need very much primary air. Too much air will actually cool the fire down, create towering flames(like seen in your videos) and roar thru fuel. I found about 1% of the bottom surface area to be about right for the area of the vent letting air into the base of the fire. I have some video here on utube of the ones I build.
Thanks for the insightful comment! I happen to have an old water heater on hand right now. I’ve been trying to decide what to do with it.
This certainly does go through fuel, but I consider that a perk since I use it to dispose of branches and cardboard and things. For heat/not brush disposal, your suggestion makes a lot of sense.
Thanks again for the comment. It’s great to get feedback from someone who’s worked on similar projects.
Would love to see a video of you doing it. I think now the new water tanks have foam insulation. I don't see a lot of them for sale on local classifieds. Any suggestions?
We've had good luck finding old water heaters where ew are. We've used them for other projects. Check Craigslist, FB Marketplace, and see if there's a local agriculture or buy/sell/trade bulletin. You may have luck at a local scrapyard, too.@@yangmagic0703
Yea, you need to remove the insulation. You can slice thru it, and I have heated the tank to loosen the adhesion. I have also used a pressure washer:) I mostly find tanks via word of mouth. As mentioned, marketplace or scrap metal or recycle yards. You might also call local plumbers when they change them out, they may have ones that they will have to pay to dispose of, or can recommend a recent customer who just had one changed out and is in the same situation and would probably be glad to have you take it off their hands…
Do you have a build video of you fire pit?
Great project!!!
Thank you!
Woooow nice 👌 I sub from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 👋👋👋
Great job with explaining everything. A lot of DIY videos skip steps and leave you scratching your head, or dont explain things very well. The title is not misleading. I dont know why people are complaining. You made it from one barrel as stated in the title. The videos that tick me off are the ones that have a thumbnail picture that draws you in, then you watch the whole video and never see the thing that was in the thumbnail. That is bait and switch and should have consequences for the channel creator. Anyway, great job. 🍻
very good instructions. thank you.
Glad you like it!
Great video thank you
Thank you! We're glad you liked it.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead made mine today love it ty
Should have been titled, "How to make your burn barrel as complicated as humanly possible."
Very cool 😎
thankyou.. simply lovit..lovit lovit lovit.... guess what Im doing this next week?
Good job.
Nature can be wonderful if we treated fair. Before you start grinding on an empty barrel check that it’s not full of flammable gases ,You can also use that lid on top to fry you some bacon and eggs. Thank you
Surely you want to fry bacon and eggs on a previously painted lid.
a good tutorial
Welp, I just found a use for the 55 gallon drum I just finished using as a hot tank for truck parts....
Right the add on .. not the fire .. thats whats making you warm.. the add on.
It makes a huge difference. Like a fireplace inside, most of the heat goes up without a deflector on.
Great video, thank you!
Nice video
Easy to follow step by step directions 👍🔥🪵
I kinda feel like it'll take longer to build this than it will last
I've been using this exact fire pit for a year and it's fine. One I built earlier for a friend is also still fine.
make sure you clean them out after each use. the ash gets wet otherwise and they rust out in record time.
Good advice@@defaltoption
"Angel" - LMAO. Gen Z for you.
It’s a Hispanic name. I’m Cuban. But thanks for thinking I’m younger than I am.
I bought a barrel a few days ago, but it came with 7 randomly placed 1.5 inch holes in the top of the bottom half if i cut the barrel in half. Do you think these holes will mess-up the turbo action if i do your plans on it?
If possible, you could try to use the section with holes as the inside portion.
You could patch the holes using mega from the cut away section. Use pop rivets or high temp JB Weld.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead Thank you! The barrel came with just one end cap. the previous cut holes will be on that outside half. But i can just get a new barrel and perhaps make a practice one out of the existing barrel
@@johnpaul-mp7zc Holes on the outside will let in more cold air, but you should be able to use that cut away strip for patching.
You don't really need the second lid if you don't make a deflector. If you can patch the holes it should work.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead Awesome, thats about 2" wide Perfect thank you much looking forward to doing this. Enjoy the rest of your day
What size rivets did you use ?
Thank you, miss Appalachian Wood!
What is the circumference or diameter of the barrel you used?
I'm asking because I have a much smaller garbage can and think I need to adjust the dimensions. With the same dimensions (the piece I have to cut out for the inner barrel) the distance between the inner and outer barrel will probably be too big.
Tha ks for the video though :-)
This size drum is usually about 22” across.
The gap between the inner and outer shells is about 1”, so is reccomend adjusting your measurements to make that happen for your materials.
I just finished building the firepit from the video, it is still smoking a lot. What could have gone wrong?
It will smoke at the beginning, but then clear up as the fire get going. It needs a "critical mass" of fire to get the secondary burn going.
Smoke on the first burn can also be from residual stuff (whatever was in the barrel) burning off.
Hi, I want to make one but cannott see the purpose of the outer barrel holes at the bottom. There is a gap between the inner and outer barrel and the outer doesnt go all the way to the ground so lets have enough air in for secondary combustion. Am I right?
The holes are necessary for both primary and secondary combustion. The barrel rim should be at ground level, and it can sink in a bit (depending on the surface). We have found those holes to be necessary.
I like smelling like smoke😅
Me too, but you know how they say happy wife, happy life
I think that eat deflector just sitting loose is a safety hazard, really strong gust of wind come up and blow it onto a camper.
No campers in my back yard!
I could see it being a theoretical concern, but not really a practical one.
The only time we've had the deflector come off is when a log was tossed into it. You're probably not going to have a fire going in a strong enough wind to blow it off, and there's no reason to leave it on when the fire pit isn't being used.
How many man hours did it take from start to finish?
Not 100% sure since I don't time anything, but it can be built in a day.
Put a rubbish bag there will b smoke
Unfortunately all that work and it'll rust out in 12 months
I hit it with high temp Rustoleum when I see a bad spot forming.
10 bucks of barrel and 2 hours of time seems worth it for a year of enjoyment even if your prediction is true.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead not true someone has their own issues
had mine 2.5 yrs
@@pdwilly maybe I had a Chinese barrel 😅🤣
make sure you clean them out after each use and it will last for years.
Too much process
Just spend the $200 and get a commercial unit. This is not only ugly, but a waste of time. In a year or two this will be junk.
Build this concept super cheap (reuse/recycle) and spend $200 on drinks around the fire. 👍
My cousin made a gorgeous bbq from thrown out stainless vessels from a milk processing factory.
You’d be paying thousands retail and not be anywhere near as robust.
Ypu didnt really do it with just 1 barrel. You just turned 1 barrel into 2 barrels and than just copied the same process as everyone else aside from adding a fire stop on top
I used the materials from *one* barrel. A single wall burn barrel isn't going to be smokeless because it lacks the re-burn/recirculation.
@@appalachianwoodhomestead his point still stands. I was mislead by your title to think it was a unique single walled design.
Internet people find a whole awesome tutorial explaining the tiniest bit and complain about ambiguity that wasn't there 😂
The video is great, congrats for putting it together
@@iacamigevaerd376 people put videos on UA-cam to make revenue, it’s not some communist charity. Misleading titles should be called out.
@@jamescoppe did they change the title? the current is not misleading, they built it using a single barrel. they did not say "single wall".
I wonder how many people have blown themselves up when grinding this drum. You should be filling it with water first, this will expel any any gases or oils first. By just taking the cap off and then grinding you have made a bomb!
And I don't like all those sharp edges on the top, people will cut them selves for sure when stoking the fire.
Likewise why drill all those holes around the bottom of the outer shell when the bottom of the barrel is open??
Err, also, if those are 3 inch squares how can there be 3 long sides and one short...?
Why drill such small pilot holes, how many drills did you snap? 1/4" would be better.
No drills were snapped 😜 But one drill bit was. I would use a spring loaded punch if I made it a third time. The hole doesn’t need to be big.
Why bother cutting and bending those squares around the bottom? Why bend 4 out to be feet? Why not just stand the barrel on a few bricks? Air and feet in one go!
That's okay, we don't have aloominum over here in the UK, we have the far superior stuff called aluminium....