Chimera

[Sue]

Hi
Does anyone have one of these? Was interested to see that you could burn prunings in them and also some of them can be used to cook with.
Do they work, would see it as a way of doing without a need for a bonfire and also save on buying gas cannisters for the shed cooker.
We've been asked not to have bonfires on the allotment, and fair enough but what to do with a big blackcurrant bush uprooted due to big bud (had to burn that) but the stump left and there will be lots of rose prunings to come.
Sue

[terrier]

Hi Sue, I presume you mean a CHIMENEA (there seems to be different spellings used). They make good patio heaters and get so hot you can burn literally anything in them. I've used mine to get rid of waste wood from prunings etc and there's only ash left. Also,as a charcole burner, they are amazing to cook with, a hefty steak done in a few minutes. The only problem is all waste wood has to be cut up small to actually get it in the thing.

[srodders]

If I had a Chimera the only thing I would burn is rubber

http://www.diseno-art.com/images/TVR_Chimera.jpg

[TEB]

Hi
Does anyone have one of these? Was interested to see that you could burn prunings in them and also some of them can be used to cook with.
Do they work, would see it as a way of doing without a need for a bonfire and also save on buying gas cannisters for the shed cooker.
We've been asked not to have bonfires on the allotment, and fair enough but what to do with a big blackcurrant bush uprooted due to big bud (had to burn that) but the stump left and there will be lots of rose prunings to come.
Sue

I want a chimera but the OH put her foot down (chimera - a monstrous creature made of the parts of multiple animals)

[sweetcorn]

We have a Chiminea (another spelling!) and we love it!! It gets incredibly hot, and is great fun for all pyromaniacs. Ours is a clay one (from Mexico) and you're not to put charcoal on it. You also have to protect it from the rain. We have never cooked anything on it, but I believe it's possible - there are special 'crowns' you can buy onto which you put something a bit like a tagine. Also, there are grill-like things you can place above the burning material onto which you can place stuff to grill. It can get v. smokey, so there is no real advantage over a bonfire in relation to upsetting the neighbours ... But there's nothing like it late on a summer evening! We even lit ours on Christmas Eve last year, and we had a 'bonfire' on 5 November too.

[Snadger]

We can't have bonfires between May and October on our allotments but we are allowed solid fuel heaters for greenhouses/huts.

Best thing I ever got for my allotment greenhouse as it means I can get rid of all my allotment crap as long as I can cut it up small enough to fit inside the stove door!

A few of the guys have chiminea's for the same purpose and of course for those chilly summer evenings!

I am even building a shed, solely to store timber for the stove!

[terrier]

Sweetcorn posted...Ours is a clay one (from Mexico) and you're not to put charcoal on it...
Why?
I put a layer of sand in mine and the charcoal on top, never had a problem.
What do you burn in yours?

[Sue]

Thanks for the advise and the proper name, which I did know but have obviously muddled it up with the greek mythical thingy for some reason.
From what you're saying it sounds as if it makes the same amount of smoke etc as an incinerator? in which case I'd still have problems due to the " don't have bonfires unless you absolutely have to" rule.
Sue