I Built an Amazing Outdoor Fire Pit!

I build an off grid outdoor seating area through my 2nd week at the offgrid cabin to put in a seating area using a home made rock washer. Gabion baskets rock seating area down by the fish pond.
We'll use cedar, pine, ash, maple, and whatever else we can scrounge up from the 30 acres around us. The aim is to avoid using as much store bought material as possible and keep the budget reasonably low.
Originally we set a budget of $1000, but that included the use of a frame from an old camper trailer. As we build, the budget will remain flexible in effort to produce a cabin that we are proud of and one that will last a long while, be comfortable, and sleep real human beings.
Living Off Grid - Week 2! - Building a Complete Off Grid Outdoor Life (more amenities, features!)
My Brother The Wooded Beardsman's Channel: / billert55
Living Off Grid - Week 2! - "Red Green" DIY ROCK WASHER/Dryer - Building Amazing Fire Pit
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"Self-Reliance" is an 1841 essay written by American transcendentalist philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow his own instincts and ideas. This channel will approach self reliance from a modern perspective. and will focus on various build projects using modern amenities, and tools to build a completely self reliant lifestyle.
Many people ask me where I am from and where I film my projects. I am from Northern Ontario, Canada, and live in an area where off-grinding is easy because I have lots of land to build on and experiment with different buildings and materials. Everything I do is to try to be more self reliant, and to depend less on others. But that doesn't mean I don't like working together with other people on projects. Knowing people who have skills is part of being self reliant, and trading skills is a great way to get more things done!

[@gabba5423]

The dryer part made me laugh 😂😂😂

[@Suzwebb1]

I'm surprised you haven't built a firepit before this! It looks great. Love how you did the benches. Washing the rock was hilarious.

[@Suzwebb1]

Tried to get back to you on Instagram. Your site doesn't come up.

[@melissabrookens710]

Sometimes I feel like I am watching an episode of the Red Green Show. LOL. Love the dryer rock cleaner.

[@f4lloutgaymer]

You Canadians are fantastically imaginative. Red Green makes a wood chipper out of an old dryer. While Kevin makes a powered gravel washer from a dryer. 🤯👍👍 Wonderful episode, Kevin. Be Excellent, Party on, and Keep your stick on the ice. 🤘🎸😎😉

[@f4lloutgaymer]

Oh my gosh, Kevin! You updated the title of your episode to include Red Green! So cool. 🤗🙏

[@tedbryer2512]

Those rims work great for a fire pit!They last for years. the ones you buy at the store fall apart after a couple of years. Wife and I was watching you cleaning the stones and we both were laughing using a washing machine from the house. This is the best site on you tube for learning stuff and comedy too!! LOVE IT!!

[@whataday9021]

I would be concerned that, because of the uneven/rolling rocks, someone might fall into the fire. I would have used my cement mixer to clean the stones. You are very creative. When are you going to start an Airbnb?

[@arlenefrancis2791]

He's not. It is a family orientated outdoor sight only. If you've watched the channel all along you would have known that. It has been mentioned before. Just enjoy Kevin's adventurous and creative spirit come alive. With the help of family and friends. Good Morning Kevin, Don, Chris, and Holden. Have a great day!!

[@monicat4205]

Love the firepit 💪.. Using the dryer as a rock tumbler was hysterical 😂😂😂 . 🕊

[@sshaw4429]

When the dryer appeared, I thought, “…..you got me now Kevin!”😂😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤

[@samuelfox3997]

Only a great reinassance man can pulll off the taking-a-sip not-taking-a-sip schtick that naturally! Well done sir!

[@ZildjianCymbalsKs]

I worked in a blue jean factory in the early 90s where we would use large commercial washing machines to stone wash the jeans. Except we would add water, chemicals, and lava rocks to stone wash them. I thought I would share a memory you reminded me of when you used the dryer to clean the rocks.

[@bearpawdgamr2785]

Nice to see the dryer experiment worked out so well! Benches look amazing. Hope Don enjoys his vacation!

[@andywoodward3097]

Dryer as a rock tumbler? You're officially a crazy person. I like it. Best video yet.

[@BeerGuy1050]

this has become one my all-time favorite channels on youtube. well done on everything!

[@pasveritas1872]

Cool dudes - had fun on your latest adventure 😍

[@annewendt8434]

Nice boys trip! Weather!! I love the recurring phrase, ‘I hope this works, we’ll see’. That is the magic phrase that makes things fun!

[@andywoodward3097]

Great use of gabion for the firepit benches. Ideas. Ideas.

[@MageSkeleton]

3:00 i wish more people knew how to explain it like that. i'm bookmarking this video because that was very well put.

[@freebirdk8]

Lol I love you videos! And as a girl, just saying I’d take a lumberjack building a mall out of the woods over a corner office ceo anyday! 👍 great job guys! 💗🥰😂

[@Golden_SnowFlake]

If you dig out the area under the firepit, and fill it with large rocks, it will allow more air flow, and massively reduce the smokey nature of your fire. Far more ability to use the benches, when you don't get smoked out by the fire. Epic video, and was fun to watch the dryer rock cleaner in action!

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Once the fire was established it wasn't smoky. We didn't film once it was established for some reason.

[@jasonmacdonald5468]

The radiant heat from the fire should make them rocks nice warm for the overnight people.

[@cmclaren7]

Love the look of the firepit. I'm a fan of Gabion walls, so this was especially appealing to me.

[@ghomerhust]

worked great for the bar/sink area, looks really sharp. so why not do it again!

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Did it on the smoker too! I like keeping my rocks in cages.

[@DavidD03820]

When you started washing rocks, that made me laugh. Hopefully the seating is the right distance from the fire cause that looks pretty permanent to me. Looks like you have a good setup!

[@glawenclattuc3127]

My favourite fire pits use the metal drum from an old washer or dryer. It’s stainless steel so it won’t rust to pieces when you leave it outside or forget to clean out the ash.

[@jamesellsworth9673]

Mining gets revolutionized here! Talk about 'repurposing!'

[@stevecollett901]

Forests are like bonsai trees... You have to prune them to keep them growing strong and beautiful.

[@mattivirta]

worst keep forest, all trees too near other, need harvest lot then wood live lot better, and not have lot wood viruses and sick. and grow big and better.

[@bizzarehubbs]

@@mattivirtaenglish isnt your first language is it🤦‍♂️

[@mattivirta]

@@bizzarehubbs sure not have first and not second, my time at school not has english teacher.

[@bizzarehubbs]

@@mattivirta oh fs🤙

[@frenchiezooted8833]

@@bizzarehubbs😂😂

[@thehettichaquariumhole4470]

I wonder the people that complain about you cutting trees. I wonder if they trim there hedges and cut there grass. Hahaha

[@fred-san]

To avoid smoke when starting a fire digs a "dakota fire pit" for air intake. You add a vertical tube, 5cm diameter, drilled with 6-8mm holes, and cut half of tube - lower part in the dakota - as air inlet. After you block it with a flat stone, if necessary - limit combustion.

[@hejdingamleraev]

If you have access to dirty gravel and gravel of different sizes, you should build a sift/strainer/whatever it's called (basically a solid metal grid/net with some sort of walls that's being shaked by some sort of motor in order to get the smaller stuff to fall through and the "right size" to stay on top)

[@renaissancewm2000]

They could have spot welded a screen on the inside of the bucket to screen out the small stuff. Just bang it on the ground a few times, and used the pressure washer to clean them.

[@taylormcintyre5759]

You should make a rotary stone trommel (screen) to sort your gravel out. Dump a bunch of shovel fulls of dirt into it, and out comes sorted gravel!

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Been on the lookout for one..

[@allenenabnit7078]

Go to a gravel pit we’re they screen rock the screens ware out and get thrown away but could be great start to building one I have some here that I got that way I found lots of things to use them on most of them are tightly woven wire with a bar down two sides to lock them into a screen plant for sizing rocks

[@olyman63]

Great show thank you for sharing it. Everything is looking good. Have a good day.

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

😆dude, Kevin. I love your show man. Hey Chris. Dinner of champions over there, hey Holden…😆🐸🍺🔪🔥

[@bobbyk6585]

Looks like a nice place to spend some relaxing time. Using the thermal mass was a great idea.

[@bobflores]

You could drill some ventilation holes around the lower portion of the fire pit/tractor tire rim it would help the combustion. Nice place to sit around a fire. Mission accomplished.

[@Delphius-]

Love the Leclaire, ia shirt. My old stomping grounds.

[@sandman4384]

great video tree fall went good also fire ring area looking good rock wash is crazy thanks

[@michaelhorton6166]

Now make a smokeless enclosure for your firepit!

[@claudiademoss6040]

Using the dryer ranks near the top of one of the most hairbrained things I've seen you do! I'm guessing you have no plans for it beyond cleaning those rocks. Keep 'em coming, man. You're totally entertaining

[@ModernSelfReliance]

It was my failed attempt at a hydronic powered clothes dryer.. just wasn't getting the btu... but it works well for cleaning rocks.

[@renaissancewm2000]

I'm wondering if it would work for mixing mortar.

[@rapclooney1544]

You probably have mentioned this but, boardwalks connecting all of the buildings? I love your work and how you collect free / cheap materials for all of your projects. I am also a fan of the Wooded Beardsman.

[@terryrobinson1416]

Take your torch and cut the rim top to the bottom.. it'll spring open a tiny bit allowing more air flow.

[@ncot_tech]

I like how you made a washing machine out of a tumble dryer 😂

[@Ano1ntedOne]

S/O to Don and his Penn State T-Shirt. My home state

[@c.a.g.1977]

I really didn't think the washing would work, but you certainly proved me wrong 😄 Maybe someone already commented this, but maybe you could drill some holes in to the barrel, so you make a sort of rocket stove effect?

[@patrickheavirland3599]

Good morning from Minnesota USA! Fun episode!

[@SkidderKev]

That fire pit area turned out awesome!

[@cgamejewels]

Thank you, Kevin. Some people don't understand that forest fires are a natural thing. Sometimes, careless, irresponsible people cause them; other times it's lightning or spontaneous combustion. Your fire pit area turned out nice.

[@elpegaso]

I have some nostalgia for rock fireplaces. The house I grew up in had a rock fireplace. The current owners got rid of it. Did you ever think about putting a rock fireplace in a cabin build?

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Yes I have... been on the project list for awhile.

[@dottieburton5501]

I love the way you take something that someone thought was not useful and turn it into something awesome hey a heads up, unless you cook them marshmallows, black it ain't no good well in my life anyway I love them burnt then peel off the burnt part eat that and reroast the rest of the marshmallow and eat that lol its like getting two for one lol

[@jeronethompson1059]

Nice job Kevin benches look good

[@richardwhite4277]

11"10 we love the DON

[@visnuexe]

Beautiful job on the fire pit! It really classed up the place! The drier idea was amazing, that you didn't burn out the motor. It was a stroke of luck! Those old driers were made like tanks to handle the job, though. People convert the motors into water mills to run electricity off.

[@monicat4205]

Cool.

[@gabba5423]

Looks like a great place to be in front of the fire with the family and friends.

[@jacquelinewells7575]

The area is really starting to look good. I couldn’t believe the way you actually washed the rocks. It actually worked. It is looking good with the fire pit, grilling area, pool/sauna and everything else. I just think it would look a lot better if you would run a weed eater all around and clean it up all around there. Just saying! Lol.

[@glawenclattuc3127]

Also for cleaning the gravel, you could have put it through a seive first to get rid of most of the dirt and clay while it’s dry.

[@sshaw4429]

Ok, I’m inspired, back to m6 crappy backyard to clean up.😊

[@mohammadalam7536]

Make an inverted funnel shaped chimney, so that the smoke goes straight up.

[@bunkerking73]

Drill holes on the bottom of the rim to get more air flow so there's less smoke.

[@hillbillywisdom777]

7 years later Don and Kevin are still washing rocks ........... To fill up the campfire area...

[@jamesabbott9301]

Miss the Red Green show, found some shows on youtube!😂😂

[@specials3607]

Really like the fire place. The property is awesome!

[@vanessawalls4305]

Don u the man thank you for being his friend

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

I found a car rim on the side of the highway and did the same thing 🐸

[@theres975]

Hi,amazing job,very enjoying to watch.Tell Don hiiii.keep vids coming thanks

[@SJC49]

Miss Red Green but you are keeping the faith, Kevin. Make sure you have a good stock of duck (duct?) tape on hand!

[@freebirdk8]

Lol the hazards of rubbers!! 😂

[@heyhope326]

🤣🤣 Holden is such a Chris Jr.

[@jonpomerance-trifts6113]

There's a part of me still hoping that Kev is building this village for all his fans to come stay in. Think about it Kev.... free rock pickers....

[@richardwhite4277]

we love DON !!!

[@kathleenmead9259]

Love your cozy fire pit build!

[@kentmill847]

I’m from PEI.. I’ll keep an eye out for Don! 😀

[@williamwalsh3779]

Coolest darnn property I've ever seen.

[@michaeldove720]

Maybe putting a couple holes ground level in that rim under the center will help with the draft

[@jamesellsworth9673]

The aerator's pumpin'; those fish are jumpin'. Looks like Chris has got his wish: Hoorah, those fish are jumpin'. Apologies to 'This Joint is Jumpin' and to Cab Calloway

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

That’s an awesome idea!😆😆😆I’d like to put a bunch of rocks in a dryer and run it at 3 in the morning in the middle of my neighborhood 😆😆😆

[@ModernSelfReliance]

You'd wake the dead... Don and I both agree it's possibly the loudest thing we've ever done.

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

😆😆😆😆😆freaking awesome man😆

[@SJC49]

I have a neighbour who calls the cops when you sneeze! Would love to figure out how to drive him crazy without having the police at my door! Any suggestions, Kevin?

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

I used to leave my hose running and flood my neighbors yard. I torrented the bbc collection of most annoying sounds, I got a cheap cd player and hung it outside and put it on repeat at a low decibel. Just enough to drive em insane. I also built a compost heap right near their window and would throw my dogs crap in it and stink em out😆

[@clearlyabot]

The rain is ❤️

[@marinacalabrese1218]

Awesomeness, great job! 34:15

[@adammurphy9655]

Great content! I look forward to seeing your videos every week.

[@RestorationIHealYou]

I really didn't think the rock washer would do so well haha

[@jaymeswheeler]

Love you two brothers

[@jaykruse3507]

Nice shirt! My neck of the woods.

[@kingrafa3938]

It's nice looking new project.

[@Sperminski]

That pond has really come far. Magnificent work guys.

[@lindamoore691]

Fun video ! Thank you for sharing ! 👏😀❤️

[@JennyMack]

love your rock tumbler

[@timryder4036]

You brought the Coffee Cup to your mouth so many times it was awful anticipating you finally taking that drink! 😅

[@bbouc40254]

lots of good times coming im certain

[@stanleykeith6969]

You want the holding wood higher above your front cut.

[@WagonLoads]

I think if you put those rocks in the dryer with sand, it would work as a rock polisher. You could have some fancy rocks...

[@judithparsons1920]

God knows you make me laugh!! Geeeeezzz.. I keep laughing… you are adorable

[@avidhunter6169]

A homemade Kenmore trommel, cool.

[@grannykimmy]

Next adventure you should get Fowler up to your area

[@rubenstohler8659]

Dude, you have perfected the (Sip of coffee sort of pump fake)...I'm sure there is an edit or two in there but, the level of coffee doesn't appear to change. You've held that coffee for a sip since 1:05. 1st fake at 1:28, good effort, nice form. 2nd fake is at 1:42, best effort thus far, (keeping in mind we still have a ways to go yet.) 3rd at 1:49. 4th at1:53, 1:58, & 3:01, nice combo. At 2:14, the pause of intent....the posture. It's in these short moments when we all realize we are witnessing greatness, LOL. My two boys and I get such a kick outta tuning into your channel I'd bet we've watched them all twice..Good stuff, high quality, wholesome...I appreciate all your effort! Thanks man! Give a ' What's up to Mr. Don ' aka Yardmandoo

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Love it!

[@christopherbeston4473]

Love the videos and the things you're doing out there the place is very beautiful

[@ram1brn]

you should put a high back on those benchs that way cold air isnt hitting you in the back

[@Guiltyme]

it was funny to watch how many times you put the coffe cup towards your mouth, while speaking, and never tok a sip

[@freebirdk8]

I tried to get @The Chris and Hollie Show to follow you, but you should follow them too! They’re just starting out you should see what Chris does to fell trees and mill wood! You probably got great tips too!

[@remralte2480]

Nice fire pit. I think the rim will also radiate a lot of heat.

[@jamaldaniels7402]

Love your videos from Ohio👍

[@shawnfromportland]

Finished area looks nice!

[@ronaldcline1235]

Great fire pit.

[@TestingWithMike]

Can't wait to sit by the fire and enjoy this fine work! Well done sir!

[@reginaldprasad2328]

You should do something surprise n special for Don video he is your right hand