Replacing 42 fire pits with rocket pits

I may have the ability to replace 42 campground fire pits with rocket pits, they get used for 8 weeks of summer camp three times a day and several hours each night. Then they get used two or three days each weekend mostly in the evening but occasionally folks are more fire happy than that.

I am exited at the amount of trees that will stand rather ther than being split up, and the reduction in junk in the air from recreational fires.

My conserns are longevity safety and training campers. If anyone has any experience or thoughts on that it would be very much appreciated!

Chadwick Holmes : There is something magical in staring into the flames of a Real live campfire that you have kindled yourself ! It chases away the Dark Dark Night!

It is both The destroyer and your most intimate friend it is light, heat ,and also magically that drink in your hand.


Getting visiting campers to give up a fire pit requires Giving them an improved cooking platform at or about waist height ! ////// see 1st link below :


http://www.theparkcatalog.com/outdoor-charcoal-grill-166-1300


The goal here is not the grill itself -it is the raised platform and the Total absence of a Fire Pit that will allow this to work !

While total eradication of the fire pit is your goal, you might consider having a few of these type grills, and a fire pit at site that lends itself to Large or multi - family

camping !


Given the chance any female camper will pick that elevated cooking surface over the fire pit. Also you are providing them with a cooking platform that is much more

efficient and controllable. Teaching someone for the 1st time how to use a Rocket stove can be a little intimidating; And there are durability issues , however take a

look at this second link below :


https://permies.com/t/52081/rocket-stoves/rocket-hanukiya

This can easily be manufactured, and sold to campers who will then teach themselves how to use it like a Rocket Stove, making the swap over to the real Rocket Stove

a nearly Automatic thing when the Rocket stove is offered to them on a return visit .

Are you aware that there is a ban in many places on bringing wood from more the X miles away and a general requirement to comsume all the wood you may have

brought with you from away !?

I am sending you a P.M.

For the Crafts ! Big AL

Yes, I am aware of the biological need for only kiln dried wood crossing state lines, park boundaries, etc.

I am a camp Ranger, currently at a 100 acre Girl Scout Camp, I have been a campground manager/ranger for 12 yrs, and I want to offer this rocket pit as a "green alternative" to start teaching the scouts that their decisions help to make a difference, but also that it is not a never enjoy a fire decision.

Waist high is hard in youth camping, my campers waists are anywhere from 18" to 36" off the ground.

We do Dutch oven cooking lessons, pie iron dinners, etc, that require a cooking fire, but are done individually fir the lesson in it.

My hope is to replace at least the recreational fire that you sing around with one that pollutes less, gives less smokey eyes, etc.

I think it can take the place of "most" of our firepit use, but I am making one to take around to the nine camps to get input, and feedback before I name forms.

We gotta inoculate the youth with better choices that don't exclude fun! That's the front to fight.....I think....

We currently have benches in an octagon with one side missing, in the middle a flat red brick square floor to build fire on.

The rocket will just go on the existing, with some rigging points so that it can be moved easily with the tractor.

Here is a picture for an idea of my thought.

Chadwick : Nice, O.K., I understand a little clearer The Rocket Stove (RS) can be built into a low stone table that will allow the cooking materials to be close to hand

where the chimney comes up in the center A couple of Bent Reinforcing Rod ( RE-ROD ) can be installed and will serve as lifting points and as the cooking grate -

with this type of lid a pot skirt can be included for further increased transfer of heat energy from the flames to the cooking pot ! In that spirit here is something that

solves the problem by trowing money at it ! I love the pot, and kinda want to try the light ! see link below :


http://stovetecstore.net

For the good of the Crafts ! Big AL

Yeah, those are all cool and nice, but I feel they are optimized for shipping, I can see a five year old burning herself on a metal one....I want to build one then pour it into a 2-3 ft diameter concrete pour 18-24 inches tall. Then if that one works, might try that size and shape in cob.

I would look into Matt Walker's "ring of fire," elsewhere on this site (and on his website). Sorry I can't provide links, I need to get back to work. . . He has instructions for making your own cast core for a rocket stove.

Thanks Julia !

The second photo down in this thread, may be Matt Walker's ring of fire. Paul wrote something about him, immediately after.

https://permies.com/t/44671/rocket-stoves/rocket-mass-heater-pyronaut-event

Yep, that's Matt, kneeling in the blue shirt.

This sounds like a great opportunity, Chadwick !

Considering that you are dealing with Girl Scouts, you should probably get some preliminary lessons into the girls heads before they even get to the camp by contacting their troop leaders or scout masters or whatever their hierarchy calls it; sorry I is ignorant here.

We gotta inoculate the youth with better choices that don't exclude fun! That's the front to fight.....I think....

Send them a simple rocket stove design like http://www.thedoityourselfworld.com/DIY-Rocket-Stove-Make-Your-Own.php and get the little girl troopers to get a feel for it first hand at a scout meeting, and maybe bring it home to camp with them.

...Giving them ownership of it in a way and eliminate the need for longevity, if they were bringing their own.

You could also, if time was permitting, get the campers to help with the cobbing of a rocket mass heater bench. The bones of the whole system could be ready, and you could quickly assemble all the parts, while explaining it, and get them to cob it up, and then demonstrate it over the course of their camping stay, and invite them to ask questions, and get them to give suggestions on making it better, and thus owning the idea in their imaginations.

Inspire them. And they will inspire you.

Each camping group coming at a specific time could take part in building a bench, and as such would have a lasting memory of it, and pride in the accomplishment. New troop members would be told about it before they got to go to the camp, and would want to build one too. Maybe other permaculture projects could be dreamed up for future camping years.

All great ideas Roberto! Thanks!