I always used to waste the heat of my burn-barrel paper fires. But a few weeks ago I made some dimples in the lip of the barrel, and placed two pieces of rebar across the top, resting in the dimples. Now I reheat my rabbit stew, and boil my water for coffee, much faster than on my wood stove and using heat that would have gone to the atmosphere. One thing I learned: put the "whistle" top of the teakettle on the edge, facing outwards. The high pressure generated by the hot paper fires can cause the cap to pop off, and once I had to fish it out of the ashes after the fire died down.
last updated 2009-07-01 16:13:27. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com