At Death Valley National Park we had a special place in staff housing for community campfires. Instead of an open fire a 55-gallon steel drum had been turned into an oven. A tall flue pipe kept smoke out of our faces and clothes. Once fired up it radiated heat in all directions so we'd circle lawn chairs all around it. The closed fire barrel also preserved night vision to full enjoy star gazing. Once hot enough she gave off a Rosie glow. Hence her name.
That was 2014. Two years later she was cloned for Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in MS. Rosie 2 flattered the original design with only minor changes based on materials available. Part of my fun during the build was repurposing scrap metal. New hinges for the door only cost a couple bucks.
This winter I had some extra time to pass (during the recent 35-day government shutdown) at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in NV. So I built Rosie 3 based on the original design. This time I even made the door hinges from scrap metal. Here's a video of the initial "seasoning" process.
I really enjoy welding. It's fun. It can be challenging. It's a mix of art and science. It's satisfying to build and repair stuff.
