Infrared Firepit Refletor

[Alloy]

This is a reflector that I've had about 6 years.

Each panel is .063"x12"x48" aluminum.The hinges are aluminum with 1/8" all aluminum rivets. It folds to 3/4"x12 1/2"x48".

Aluminum reflects 99% of the infrared (heat) waves.

It also acts like a chimney drawing the smoke towards the back.

After 5-6 days by the fire the soot builds up so we flip it around or clean it with a green plastic pot (Scotch Brite) scrubber.

 

[Laps]

Where did you purchase it, or did you construct it yourself?

 

[shade]

Alloy is a metal man. Pretty sure he made that himself.

Is that gauge heavy enough to allow driving it into the ground a little to stabilize it?

 

[Alloy]

Too light to drive in. Even if it was 1/4" it wouldn't last long hammering into the roots/rocks.

We stand it up and it stays....six days last trip. It will blow over but usually away from the fire. Increasing the arc helps up but rocks and branches have been used if the wind picks up.

When the wind is coming from the back it lifts the smoke up over us if we are sitting on short camp chairs. I've been thinking of making another at 60" but the hinge comes in 12' lengths so maybe 72"...... at 72" it would be easier to make 24"to stack on top of the 48"........

 

[shade]

Too light to drive in. Even if it was 1/4" it wouldn't last long hammering into the roots/rocks.

We stand it up and it stays....six days last trip. It will blow over but usually away from the fire. Increasing the arc helps up but rocks and branches have been used if the wind picks up.

When the wind is coming from the back it lifts the smoke up over us if we are sitting on short camp chairs. I've been thinking of making another at 60" but the hinge comes in 12' lengths so maybe 72"...... at 72" it would be easier to make 24"to stack on top of the 48"........

I like the idea. It's a rare campfire that couldn't benefit from some control of the wind, and being able to reflect heat would make for a more enjoyable experience.

If there were a few 1" holes near the top, some small branches could be put through them to act as props on the backside.

I've used a DA with progressively finer paper to wet sand 6000 series aluminum to the point where it could be buffed to a good shine. I don't know if it'd be worth the trouble to do that with a reflector like this or not. Have you tried spraying something on the reflector to make it easier to clean?

 

[Alloy]

Never wanted to put holes lower down for fear the smoke blowing back at a lower point i.e. why the hinge is continuous. Simple to cut a notch in a branch with a machete to lay on the top.

Polishing would help some but the soot etches into the aluminum and needs to be scubbed off....scrubbing takes 3min.

Don't know of a high temp clear coat for alum. If there was it might absorb infrared and the soot.

 

[shade]

Never wanted to put holes lower down for fear the smoke blowing back at a lower point i.e. why the hinge is continuous. Simple to cut a notch in a branch with a machete to lay on the top.

Polishing would help some but the soot etches into the aluminum and needs to be scubbed off....scrubbing takes 3min.

Don't know of a high temp clear coat for alum. If there was it might absorb infrared and the soot.

I meant that the holes would be near the top edge, allowing the branch to pass through and form the hypotenuse of a right triangle. Fit and wedged properly, it would stabilize fore & aft.

I was thinking of a sacrificial coating. One of my scout friends puts liquid detergent on the bottom of his pans to keep soot from attaching. Probably more of a mess than it'd be worth with a large reflector.

 

[Wilbah]

Cool idea, thanks for sharing. Must be great in the fall/winter.