The Copper Fire Pit — Ancient and Modern

 

The copper fire pit goes back to ancient times — copper was first used in the Bronze Age for crafting a variety of materials that humans needed to not only survive, but have comforts. In the Stone Age we used open fire pits as well as hastily constructed circular fire pits made from round, flat stones. Later on, in the Neolithic and Mesolithic periods humanity began experimenting with various new techniques such as smelting and crafting useful items such as a copper fire pit.

Copper ore was mined from various tunnels and caves and was smelted down to make weapons, farming implements and of course the copper fire pit. In the Bronze Age and iron age, a variety of metals and alloys were used for these purposes, such as copper, tin, iron, steel, gold and silver. Later on, it became more and more popular and in both the Renaissance and the first Industrial Revolution the copper fire pit became more and more well-known and used worldwide.

 

The copper fire pit — advantages and disadvantages

 

One of the best advantages of the copper fire pit is that copper is a metal that can retain a great deal of heat without melting. It can get extremely hot yet remain solid and sturdy. This is the purpose of a copper fire pit — the heating does not just come from the burning wood, but is augmented and amplified by the copper fire pit itself. Energy is stored in the copper dish of the fire pit and the ceramic or porcelain joins or legs insulate this heat and also store some of the excess. The heat is conducted between the various elements of the copper fire pit — being transferred from the burning wood down into the copper dish and then refocused to the center of the entire device by the concave shape of the dish. The copper fire pit therefore focuses the heat into the center of the dish where it can be used for cooking or warming up anyone sitting around it.

 

You might want to think about further reflecting the heat produced by the copper fire pit. Let’s say you install the copper fire pit underneath a lean-to at a campsite in a forest. What will happen is that as the heat rises from the central part of the copper fire pit, it will be reflected by the back wall and the ceiling of the lean to down onto the ground. It is often a very good idea to set up the sleeping area for the campsite under the roof of this lean to. The back wall of the shelter will protect from the wind and the cold, as well as curious animals and on the other hand the copper fire pit in the front of the lean to will keep animals at bay from the other side. In the meantime, it should be very warm and cozy between the copper fire pit and the three walls and ceiling of the lean to.

 

A disadvantage of a copper fire pit is also that it is quite heavy, as copper is a material that is quite dense. Thus, it can be very burdensome installing a copper fire pit in a remote location and it could be a lot of hard work if you cannot get there with a four by four vehicle. On the other hand, this could also be perceived as an advantage, as it’s likely that thieves would not bother to steal a very heavy copper fire pit, no matter how useful and valuable they are. For this reason you may like to leave them outside so they are always available for use by anyone who needs a copper fire pit in the forest.

 

Use different types of fuel in your copper fire pit

 

You can use a lot of different types of fuel in your new copper fire pit. The most common of course is wood, but it also matters what type of wood you use. Different types of trees produce different smelling smoke and your fire may be extra special if you load pine, cherry, maple, oak or other different types of wood into your copper fire pit to burn with different scents. Some people like to use charcoal to burn in their copper fire pit. This is very efficient too, because it saves you going through the step of burning down the wood to produce the hot coals. You simply load your charcoal into the copper fire pit; add the kindling and very soon you have the coals you need for the greatest heat and the best cooking.

 

You should pay attention to the instructions of the manufacturer when you are building copper fire pit. The instructions give you a guide as to the type of lighters and fuels needed, and that should never be used at all. There is no problem in using charcoal or untreated wood, but pressure-treated wood should not be used. Also, your copper fire pit should not be started with gas or lighter fluid. Keep it away from things which can easily catch fire. Those things include structures like nearby trees or your house. If you fail to do this, those structures will catch fire easily, in addition to the fact that too much smoke can discolor the outside walls of your house.

 

Making your copper fire pit interesting with incense or scented herbs is another interesting way to spice up your campsite. Additionally, there are some types of herbs and incense available which keep mosquitoes and other insect pests away at night.

 

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