CBD's Light Fire Pit Stand & Cover Page

Getting it All Worked Out

This is a custom 39" wide solid copper stand and 36.5" wide fire-pit cover for our client Jim Light in Redondo Beach, California. It has a 2.5" drop flange below the lower rim to hug the rim of their gas fire pit. The frame weighs 20.8# and the cover w/handle is 11.4#. Jim will use the top cover set over his gas fire pit when not in use to keep it clean of debris, so this is in 2 pieces for this multi-purpose use.

We tested the strength of the frame with 450# on it (as shown here). I believe it could easily handle over twice this much weight, but no need to find out it's compromising strength.

Jim had diagramed the frame in this fashion. I suggested letting me curve the diagonal pipes to add a little more style. I love collaborating with Clients who have a vision in mind.

Getting the frame Created

I just spent $737.35 on new rollers and a kit to motorize my pipe bender through Swag Off Road. Then spent another $140 for the reversible drive motor and hydraulic ram, but it took me several days to get this kit prepped and installed.

I was able to get the larger 1" copper pipe bent in a uniform circle to go on top his fire pit hearth.

This flange was made with 32oz copper and curved to hug the outside of his hearth. Then attached to the larger pipe ring with rivets and solder.

The cover got hammered out to dome the middle, pitched the outer rim, sealed the outer rim with solder, which discolors the copper from the heat.

Now that we had the cover prepped I was able to determine the width of the upper ring at just under 24" wide to rest under the mid rim in the cover, so it is fairly stable and self centering. The upper ring was formed with a smaller 3/4" copper pipe. Then I was able to position it 18" above the base to figure out the lengths of the smaller 1/2" cross pipes.

I then I had to drill out 16 holes in it for the smaller 1/2" cross member pipes. It was rather tricky to get the 16 holes drilled in the lower ring at that odd angle.

I finished drilling the holed in the lower ring, filing the rough edges of the holes, sanding, and fluxed. I got the 1/2" pipes cut at 19" after bending 2 - 10' long pipes and one 7' pipe. It was then very tricky to get this all to come together after the pieces were made. I had to grind the edges of the pipes, so they could spread apart more where they met inside the pipe rings.

We got the copper cleaned up with polish to get these images. What do you think?

From: James Light <jim.light1@verizon.n*t>
Subject: Photo from May 2013 Photo Stream
Date: Fri, 24 May 2013

Got the fire pit cover today. Looks great as you can see below…. Thanks for a great piece of art. It is the centerpiece of our lawn.

Jim