How To Make A DIY Smokeless Fire Pit From Cheap Stainless Steel Pots

I make a DIY smokeless fire pit from cheap stainless steel pots I got at Walmart. I used a few modified tinktube brackets and nuts and bolts. Get 10% OFF your first tinktube order:
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[@haraldtheyounger5504]

I used the drum out of our old washing machine. No cutting, no drilling necessary. Just build a brick pit, slot the drum in, and lift it out to clean. Perfect.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Sounds great! I'll have to try this. Thank you for watching.

[@mikesmith-bt6um]

This comment completely misses the size and portability of this project

[@haraldtheyounger5504]

@@mikesmith-bt6um It's an alternative.

[@mikesmith-bt6um]

@haraldtheyounger5504 not a small portable alternative....

[@haraldtheyounger5504]

@@mikesmith-bt6um And? Why the obsession?

[@kyleo1236]

Use a carbide hole saw when you drill into stainless. Also, when drilling metal you want your drill spinning slowly but you want a lot of pressure. It allows the hole saw to cut chips out rather than burning a hole.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank for the tip! Thank you for watching.

[@ashthesmart1]

How about a knockout punch? The kind used on electrical panels?

[@kyleo1236]

@Ashmeed Mohamed you would have to make sure they are stainless rated. Also, a knockout set like that is probably going to be around $1k and a lot slower than carbide hole saws. (I'm an electrician and have used both)

[@errol27william12]

Absolutely correct 😊

[@SparkyStormy123]

Great ideas, the top leave a gap?

[@kevinye1753]

I appreciate your way of disposing the debris, see a nice soul cares about environment.

[@melissahoffman4687]

The handles you took off the small pot would make a great pot stand!

[@mikebond6328]

That’s a good idea!

[@Tonisuperfly]

excellent idea

[@BKTX]

Great vid, very creative. Appreciate you showing all the impediments you encountered along the way and how you got around them.

[@WhichDoctor1]

you can make mini versions of this with different size food cans. It's a great way to get the hang of the concept and all you need is some recycling, a hole punch and some tin snips, or a swiss army knife. Even ones made with standard food cans will throw out enough heat to cook for one person on, and only needs twigs or pinecones for fuel. That being said, now I have a place with a garden I would love to make one this kind of size for chilling around on summer evenings

[@GreenShortzDIY]

I’ve made a few gasifying stoves from the soup cans. I plan to make a regular rocket stove soon as well. Thank you for watching.

[@Mpls845]

Learning from your design, I used the Mainstays Stainless Steel 8 Quart Multi-Cooker Stock pot with Lid from Walmart (cost $14.98). I only need to drill holes 2" from the bottom of the main pot, then put the steamer on top. With 6 cups of wood pellets, the fire was last for 1 hour.

[@Mpls845]

@@jen1762 The cooker pot which I used has 2 pots and the small pot inside has a lot oh holes on it.

[@TheConpuentes]

Did you have to make a steel wall to create a draft for the smoke less effect? I think a steamer has most of the work done. But it can't easily make a draft.

[@castanmaibawa4568]

Thank you, I'm watching from Papua New Guinea and I am very happy

[@87Rado]

We have something similar in our backyard, using the stainless steel drum from a washing machine. Works fantastic!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Cool. Great idea! Thank you for watching.

[@johnhubbard6262]

Excellent tip on the tinktube, been a contractor for over 30 years and have not seen this brand. I see a step-bit as a go-to as well, yours looks like a big box store or harbor freight one (same quality really). When I stepped up to a Milwauki step-bit it was a game changer.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the feedback, John. I always appreciate hearing from the pros. Thank you for watching.

[@ruatarengsicolneyrengsi8924]

Great stuff. Inspired me tremendously.

[@wattsdronewilltravel3881]

I have a stainless steel washer drum… zero cost and works like a champ

[@CharlesSmith-io9fp]

For deburring the holes get a flap wheel instead of a hard stone disk. They're made from layers of sanding paper and work much better on ragged metal like you had from the step drill. Usually around $4 dollars at Harbor Freight or a Big Box store.

[@Icanfigureitoutintime]

Yeah man you were my hero putting granddad's oil on the jig saw cut line. As you've likely had commented, stainless likes it's loving slow. My dad and brother were installing security bars on gas pumps for a client. They went though so many drill bits. There were going through sheet stainless. Unfortunately they had a corded drill they used at twice the speed of light, I'd imagine. One day my brother said they had one pump to do but Dad was busy with all the tools. I worked alone with my own business. I said i could go by with my step bit and cordless DeWalt. My brother said he doubted the cordless could do it but we could see. On speed one my step bit crawled right through the sheet like it was nothing much to his but not my surprise! Yeah it takes some lessons but you'll learn slow gets you all you want from stainless with just one new bit and a little oil out of respect. Ha. Great job making you're own stuff! Feels good, doesn't it!?

[@GreenShortzDIY]

It does feel good to make stuff! Thank you for the cool story. I learned a lot from the comments on this video. I’m still teachable. Lol. Thank you for watching and for the excellent feedback.

[@MbahMu9829]

Thanks, man. This will be my next father n' son project in the weekend.

[@GreatPlainsKayakAngler]

Great build! For drilling holes in SS, use slower speeds & lots of pressure & cutting fluid. Also, they make a hole saw that has carbide teeth, there expensive but work amazing at going through SS!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the tips! Thank you for watching.

[@burger1113]

Really cool! Love how you try to be green where you can, as well.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you. Little things can add up. Thanks for watching.

[@johnrobertson7583]

Knowing full well that you are very talented, i still would like to offer a couple of tips. When filing, especially a hard material like stainless, you only want to make forward strokes. Drawing a file backwards can flatten the grooves. Secondly…the next time you need to punch a big hole in metal like this, you may want to consider a knockout puller that makes holes for electrical fittings.

[@yasirshah333]

Many thanks for going through the trouble to film your work, much appreciated and really grateful

[@GreenShortzDIY]

My pleasure! Thank you for watching.

[@michelebreese5940]

Thank you. That was awesome. I am going to make one. Thank you

[@ghostape6481]

That was a great build and it worked well.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you. Thank you for watching.

[@emaglott]

Really nice build and it looks like it works really well! Glad to see you back again too.

[@cillaloves2fish688]

Cool piece of kit!

[@Ghost_moto_WPN]

9:13 With just the tools you had, I’d have used the hole saw bit to drill a hole in the middle of the wood (you used to punch a deeper divet with the screw) at the end. Being the the step bit was smaller, the wood would have made a surface to press against, stopping the pot from deflecting, leading to a cleaner (no punch out on the inside) and cooler cut. With the step bit having a surface to fight against, it would have cut away more material instead of heating it and pushing it inside. Just my 2c 😁 The design is quite nice, I really like it.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks, Luke. I appreciate the tips and feedback.

[@rlm9093]

Great to see you back! Amazing what the right tools in the best shape can help you accomplish! This project is above my tools and skill limit, but I enjoyed watching. I figure, eventually, when I understand the concepts...then maybe I can build something of my own.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

More power to ya! Thank you for watching. :-)

[@missingremote4388]

I made a burn pit 20 inch X 20 inch . Out of a SS washing machine tub. Kind of smokeless, used it two times. It's shiny stainless but has turned a golden anodised brown color due to the heat. It was free. Pre drilled. It is lightweight. And I'm adding a drop-in round grate ( cast iron) to act as an ash tray

[@rlm9093]

@@missingremote4388 That really sounds great! This truly expands my thoughts about how I can have a safe and useful place outdoors to burn and cook and such. Thanks for your comment. I'm going to explore what kinds of material I have around that could serve this purpose.

[@rlm9093]

@@missingremote4388 Quick question: do you use this above ground, or is it pitted into the ground? Some people use the turn burn "pit" to refer to above ground units.

[@missingremote4388]

@RL M it is above ground. Totally unmodified. Straight out of my own washing machine . Ex-wash machine. I WILL make you a youtube video / after I get my 'drop-in Grate' . I do make videos on youtube.. but it's been 2 years or more since I posted one. Thanks

[@nategoodell1044]

Well done man! Love the legs. Really cool to see it work right off the bat!

[@dberry310]

I Love it... nice job

[@TheConpuentes]

I knew someone would figure this out sooner or later

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching. This still needs some tweaking, but I’m happy with the performance.

[@Agirl52]

That is a very nice cooker and nicely done

[@MadDestructionChaos]

Awesome build! Making one!!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Awesome! Have fun with your build.

[@KeithGuyer]

Very cool project. I might try this one myself

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Go for it! Thank you for watching.

[@bringit3164]

Pretty neat, I might try this. Thanks

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Cool! I think the side holes in the inner pot could easily be punched instead of drilled. Thank you for watching.

[@flyty2134]

Always enjoy your videos thanks for all the good ideas❤.God bless you and yours

[@GreenShortzDIY]

You are so welcome. Thank you for watching.

[@myklive]

Awesome build! And I am only teasing when I say nice flip flops safety 3rd. Thanks for sharing.

[@yogabutler]

Great idea with green tips

[@DiyEcoProjects]

Ooo! thats a nice looking burner you got there, nice one

[@un65tube]

Great to see that more people care about recycling even of small amounts of metal. I thought I'm the only idiot who picks up every nail and put it in the metal recycling ;-) Many greetings from Germany

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Guten tag, mein freund. I do the same with the nails and bolts I find along the roadside. Lots of energy went into mining and refining. Much less needed to recycle it into something new. The small efforts add up. Thank you for watching.

[@markschreck8283]

I'm gonna make one. Nice video.

[@blt981]

I like the fact you use WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE TOOL SHED, AND SHOW USE YOUR MISTAKES….THATS COOL

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you, Herman. Mistakes are important learning opportunities too. I hope to help others avoid them. Thank you for watching.

[@jayachandrappam9416]

Thank you so much sir.

[@sethsponhower]

The only thing I would add are lock washers on your nuts and bolts because I have made some things like this and the expanding and contracting from heating and cooling caused things to work loose and want to fall apart without constantly keeping things tightened until I added lock washers which stopped the problem for the most part. Otherwise double up your nuts and tighten them down on each other works good too

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the suggestions. Happy New Year!

[@catgynt9148]

Welcome back Tom. This was a nice video. Great way to repurpose scrap tinktube pieces into another project. Infinite adaptation. I’m sure you can find a circular wire grill to cover the opening. In future, when drilling into flexible metals, the wooden base is a better idea. Use the hole saw to drill a 1”+ hole in the 2x4. Place pot over the hole and allow the wood to support the sides while you perforate the metal. You need to add toes to your “Eyes and Ears” mantra. Just trying to keep you safe out there. Wishing you and your family another blessed week, gentle autumn weather and restful evenings. Peace brother

[@Enjoymentboy]

I appreciate your interest and desire to do things in a more "green" manner. I built a melting forge a few years back and followed the same principals. In doing so I found that the stainless pots at my local walmart were all made in china. Not exactly the greenest option available. Instead I scoured my local re-use centre until I found the sizes I needed. So instead of using dirty stainless steel made in china and then shipped all the way over here, burning oil the whole way, I used domestically made stainless that was easily 30 years old and had already served a long life before I gave it a second one. It's great to do something as simple as saving the aluminium shavings to properly recycle them but we can do even better by being more choosy about our initial starting materials.

[@shadrach5681]

Yeah, all the go green hypocrisy while using ALL Chinese products and tools killed me. The project was a cool idea that I've had for a long time. However, I'd execute it completely differently, this was done poorly.

[@timsolomon8352]

Ummm the cell phone or computer you're using to watch this and type your comment used more oil and carbon than it did for him to get that pot lol

[@timsolomon8352]

@Shadrach Ummm the cell phone or computer you're using to watch this and type your comment used more oil and carbon than it did for him to get that pot lol. Talk about hypocrisy 😒 🙄 😑

[@shadrach5681]

@@timsolomon8352 I'm not the one talking about recycling and going green. I'm literally talking about him talking about it. Are you dense?

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Especially that I look for some old pots to make this project. I did go out and find some for my video today. Although, I think the one of the pots I found at Goodwill was never used, relatively new and I can't be sure where it was made. My initial video focused on the creation of a sustainable firepit, even though I did source materials from not the most sustainable source. I do agree that both parts of this process can be made sustainably, the creation and the sourcing. Thanks for your input on this. Thanks for watching.

[@Biodyn3758]

Amazing how Jurgen Klopp finds time for such trivia while competing in Premier league! Respect.

[@chriscook3120]

Harbor Freight sells a set of punch dies that would make short work of the holes.

[@garywheeler7039]

Spray the outside of one side of the pots with high temp flat black paint, and it will radiate out heat much better on that one side. The flat black (or other color) has less "emmissivity" so radiates much more heat where you might want it on a cold day. Rather than polished chrome color.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Gary! Excellent suggestion. Thank you! I'm going to do this. Thank you for watching.

[@seanpeine9258]

Super cool! Well done!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you. Thank you for watching.

[@violakrone8429]

Nice One i like building stoves myself too👍

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@tommydadsmith1]

Great job! Thanks!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@nikkoiswantoro]

This big version .. 🍺🍻great work.. love this ❤🙏👍

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Nikko. 😀😀😀

[@nikkoiswantoro]

@@GreenShortzDIY my pleasure 🙏🙏❤

[@shoonsserendipity]

This is so cool. I will make similar one.

[@lancerudy6584]

Great video.😊. Thanks

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Lance!

[@comedydelhi-ib9rw]

Too much hard work thanks for this video sir🎉🎉🎉🎉👍👍👍👍

[@Wayne_jetski]

This is awesome, if I wasn’t so lazy I’d make one, but for now I’ll just buy one that is ready to go 😂❤

[@stevemilcoff1502]

Good project

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Steve.

[@melissahoffman4687]

If you grab another pot drill holes in it. Then wrap it around the bottom air holes. Your stove will have an adjustable flame. A ring binder handle will help you move the flame adjuster around.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the suggestion. Thank you for watching.

[@gategi10]

What about diameter of holes and numbers of holes and proportion of primary to secondary air to optimise

[@user-ny5vr4oi7b]

I’ve made burn barrels. Tryyto be thrifty using harbor freight step bit’s also, bought Brand name bit much much easier. Irwin brand middle of the road price, surprised how long it lasted. Love the videos ! Thanks

[@youhyuky]

It's a good idea. You did a great job.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

시청 해주셔서 감사합니다.

[@royspeakman1157]

Brilliant !

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching, Roy.

[@lienco9330]

Great job 👏

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you! 😃

[@kitchensciencecooks]

Nice job!

[@Quannluong1571]

I had make one it’s worked amazing. Great ideas. 👍❤️ Thanks mate! 🇦🇺

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Glad you made it. Thank you for watching.

[@TheRanxerox]

I like that it's so much smaller than the ones in the stores

[@majorsmackdown]

Good job !

[@flashcraft]

GreenShortz DIY, while I don't give a damn about the environment I can definitely see that you know what you are doing. Changing to the Step Bit was the right call. Thank you for the video.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the feedback and for watching.

[@StephenButlerOne]

Maybe a cone type chimney baking the top about half the size would create more draw from the bottom, and would ignite the gasses more and be much more efficient.

[@JJamiah]

Please include green tips! Love them

[@GreenShortzDIY]

I can’t help myself. :-)

[@hsntrkmnturkiye5326]

Harika video için teşekkür ederim. 🙏

[@callyman]

Rev the drill when using a hole saw in SS. Don't aim for a high speed cut and use cutting fluid, it keeps the heat down and yr hole saw lasts longer 😁

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the tip! I appreciate the feedback!

[@DeeDesignGraphic]

thanks for sharing the work. 😉💚💚

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching. 😁🙌🏼

[@netretailer]

I'd use Greenlee hole punches for the holes. They are designed to make holes in electrical boxes and should be able to handle the job easily.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for the tip. I'll check into that. Thank you for watching.

[@RealJohnnyDingo]

yes, those hole punches are awesome. the hole is very, very clean too

[@stevecole6485]

FYI No hi RPM’s with stainless… Toss the uni-bit. Use cutting oil and your hole saw. Pulse the drill on & off, go slow as not to heat up the stainless steel. It will go through like butter after a few slow turns.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Great tips. Thanks, Steve. Thank you for watching.

[@glengarbera7367]

Amazing

[@freeyourmind2187]

good job 😎👌

[@billbucktube]

Like it! Good job. Carbide bits and cutters are easier to use on stainless.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for the tips. Thanks for watching.

[@FranciscoCruz-fd3pw]

So cool

[@fireofenergy]

Nice 🙂 (I finished watching).

[@mjoe877]

Great video!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thanks for watching, Joe.

[@Anunum-cq2dy]

Great idea! The company Dancook has even built a smoker with this principle of air supply. I have one of these and it doesn't use half the charcoal that it would otherwise. I think this oven would then have to be similarly economical. Greetings from good, old Germany 🙂

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Guten tag! Ich spreche ein bissien Deutsch. :-) I studied two years of German in high school (der Gymnasium). Thank you for sharing your experience. Thank you for watching.

[@bjornsans4935]

Very creative, love the idea. I wonder if this could scale up using a stainless steel 50 gal drum

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Hi Bjorn. I think this concept would work just as well at the 50-gallon drum size. You’d just need bigger logs. :-) I may have to try that. Thank you for watching.

[@TheSMPeto32]

Smokeless Burn Barrel kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmizXmmdpr6aaMk

[@TheSMPeto32]

Smokeless Fire Pit kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoXSgZuBq5epj68

[@RealJohnnyDingo]

SS drums are expensive, but it would be nice if you could find cheap surplus ones. I saw a regular steel 55 gallon drum version that worked well but of course it's going to rust out pretty quick.

[@DIYDSP]

There is a vid on here of a guy doing that... watched it the other day!

[@myklive]

Some great food is going to be cooked on that. And good stories and memories.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

You got that right! Thank you for watching.

[@brownel9504]

Excellent

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@TheFLOMAN76]

It's time for me to buy the stuff to make this. Been wanting a smokeless fire pit for a while now. I'm fabricating meself one. Thanks!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Good luck with your build. Thank you for watching.

[@muhammadmukhlef2519]

Perfect ...

[@bnk28zfp]

i bout 16qt and 20qt for 49,90 this going to be amazing project!! thank you!!!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Nice!!! Have fun with your build. What I learned from making this video (from commenters), was slower drilling speeds and higher pressure work best on the stainless. Thank you for watching.

[@comedydelhi-ib9rw]

Genius 👍👍👍👍

[@manoojamamporn3126]

Very good❤❤❤

[@Matthew21v42]

I just use an old clothes washer tub as a smokeless fire pit. They have all the hole pre drilled burns smokeless and it is perfect size for camping. It sucks on air from the sides through all of the holes. You can see jets of flame form as it re burns the smoke vapors and burns clean after a few minutes.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

That’s brilliant. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for watching.

[@harveyhudspeth6824]

This is what I use as well , you can usually find a metal scrapper and buy a tub less than $20 from him , mine do seem to rust through after about a year but they are cheap

[@jameslaw3740]

I get my washer tub from the side of the road , when people throw out old used appliances to the curb for someone else to take....fridge shelves make a great cooking grill , haul the scrap to the metal recycling place and they pay you for it💲💲 double win 👍 👍 🇨🇦

[@shanemandoh420]

Throw an old dryer drum around the washer drum. Dryer has the holes in the bottom and generates a vacuum.

[@johnwilliams8654]

I'm looking for something like this that will fit in the jeep when I go camping. Being able to have a small fire and cook on it is great!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

I think you go go down in size on this as well, if you needed to. Thank you for watching.

[@Addy-ft4ps]

Thank you for sharing. It looks good. The solo stove has holes at the top for a secondary burn. May I ask why you chose not to add the holes at the top?

[@marilyntkeller]

I’m IN! Thanks.🙏🏾

[@GreenShortzDIY]

You got this! :-) Thank you for watching.

[@mooserogers7573]

I love your smokeless fire stove

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you, Moose. Thank you for watching.

[@user-sd5qy3ng8q]

Im interested in this sort of things

[@balloney2175]

Genius!

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Thank you for watching.

[@edwfd356]

Chassis punch to create knockout holes nice n clean

[@jetpilot555]

Instead of step drill, use Greenlee punch. You can rent it from a hardware store

[@abulbanat4363]

So simple, so perfect! Many thanks!

[@walterashley149]

Instant Subscription

[@robertjackson1407]

Thank you 😊

[@GreenShortzDIY]

You’re welcome, Robert. Thank you for watching.

[@RippingJack76]

I was thinking of a grill or pot standoff. I'm gonna try to get mine through second hand sources. I'm almost done with a smaller stove using cans.

[@GreenShortzDIY]

Good luck with your build. Thank you for watching.

[@TheRojo387]

I just saw this video that says clay can be made insulative by mixing in little grains of charcoal, the size of pebbles. When the clay is fired its charcoal burns up, leaving behind air gaps. About 30% of the mix should be charcoal, and another 30% ceramic powder.