Bushman Burners

Chiminea Guide and Resources

What is a chimney?

A fireplace is an oven for use outdoors, which is fed with dry wood or specialist chiminea fuel (briquettes burning wood). They are generally used as an alternative to a barbecue on the outdoor terrace. They also fall under the general category of patio heater.

What are chimneys made from?

Traditionally, in chimneys were made from clay. However, only clay chimneys tend to lack strength and durability. Most vents found these days are made of cast iron or clay reinforced - it is the clay which is reinforced with wire mesh embedded. clay reinforced with chimneys are also called "Bushman Burners.

Those cast iron rust. Rust will not affect their performance, but if you find rust attack, you can remove the rust with a wire brush and repaint paint designed to use high temperature, for example StoveBright.
Whence comes to chimneys originate?

At home stacks over a thousand years in Mexico, where they were used by the Mayan Indians as ovens for heating and cooking.

The Maya were a nomadic tribe who inhabited the mountains in Mexico. They form a simple clay outdoor fireplace , and wooden forms from powered ovens. People living in cities in Mexico copied the Maya and made their own fireplaces - they still do today. The word "firepit" comes from the Spanish word for fire.
Why would I want a fireplace?

In chimneys have two uses. The first is like an oven to cook food outdoors. The second, and for me the most important use is as a patio heater. It will really help you make the most of late August, the evenings in September, April, May and June evenings outdoors.

My family has a cast iron fireplace we fuel yard waste (leaves, newspaper, etc.) that inform us on the cool evening. We sit outside on the terrace, sipping a glass of wine and watch the stars, comfortable and warm as toast. It's so nice, I even fell asleep before her, and woke up at two o'clock in the morning with a stiff back to sleep on a deck of plastic.

Note that it should be placed on a basis which does not burn like a concrete slab, and at a safe distance from any fuel - including plants, trees, windows and sheds!