Heated Outdoor Bar

[whiteworks]

I’ve had this idea for a while, finally made some time to work through it. Pretty simple concept, took some old wire spools and put a heater in them.

The spools are 42” finish height when on their side, that’s the perfect height for 30” barstools. Refinished the tops, milled a nice edge, installed a heater, and also created a beer can drop hole and catch can underneath.

For the finish I used a Japanese technique called yakisugi, it’s basically treating the wood with fire, I did it for esthetics to show the wood grain, but traditionally it’s used to seal the wood and make it insect and rot resistant. Applied a few coats of poly eurathane and called it a day.

Simple, cheap, cool. Labor intensive, so build your own or pay me a $1000 to deal with it I built three of these for a camping property in the desert.

 

[outboard_256]

Looks good

 

[SoCalDave]

Isn't the heat a little intense at that height?

 

[whiteworks]

Isn't the heat a little intense at that height?

That is the same height as stock heaters, I actually had to cut 12” off the tube to get it that height. Figured someone thought about heater height and made them X height from ground so I went with that height. It quite pleasant.

 

[hawgty55]

Let’s actually talk about this rental property!!!

 

[wzuber]

Great repurposing of a fairly common item. Very creative and cool idea.

 

[whiteworks]

Let’s actually talk about this rental property!!!

Best done standing next to a fire or sitting at one of these tables over a beer.

 

[hawgty55]

Best done standing next to a fire or sitting at one of these tables over a beer.

If i was able to attend I would take you up on that! Nice job sir.

 

[sirbob]

Are those OSHA approved flip flops?

Cool party tables

 

[monkeyswrench]

Beautiful work! I can't let my wife see it though

"Yakasugi"...I've never heard the term, but done that before. On oak, I do that before "aging" the wood. It gives it some definition with the silverish look.

 

[Marios Metalworks]

Are those OSHA approved flip flops?

Cool party tables

A sign of a true fabricator

Great job sir.

 

[DaveC]

Fire and flip flops….I like yore style

 

[coolchange]

Staining with a bright color after burning gives a real bright contrasting cool effect.

 

[RiverDave]

How do you access the heater to change the propane tank?

 

[calkid]

Groovy!

 

[whiteworks]

How do you access the heater to change the propane tank?

Removed a few boards from inner spool, enough to squeeze propane tank through.

 

[SoCalDave]

How do you access the heater to change the propane tank?

I would assume it's under here with the recycle can.

 

[Sharky]

Isn't the heat a little intense at that height?

He is wearing OSHA approved flip flops

 

[cofooter]

Looks great! Where do you pick up the wire spools?

 

[whiteworks]

Looks great! Where do you pick up the wire spools?

You can find them on Craigslist and sites like that for cheap, just gotta find the right size. 42” is ideal for 30” barstools.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Very creative !

 

[Taboma]

Holy Crap, I feel like I've been transported back to the 60's. Myself, like most single sparkys in those days were well known for our ability to adorn a bachelor pad with all sorts of sizes and configurations of wire reels.
Torch burning and covering with about 1/4 to 3/8" of resin for the top was the order of the day. Of course the torched burns matched the decora with our torched 2x10 wood water bed frames and of course, the mandatory entertainment equipment shelves made from stacked, painted cinderblocks, supporting two or three torch burned 2x12" shelves.
Largest reel table I ever made was a 60" diameter living room table, lowered to the appropriate height and sitting on 4 - 4" galvanized conduits legs screwed into floor flanges so they could be easily removed for the rather constant relocation of us single nomads.

Eventually the much larger, nicer wire reels came with a money back deposit, and most of us got married and that style was quickly replaced with real furniture.

Love your idea with the heater and recycle bin

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Dylan I found a couple....checked with a friend in a business where he would know these things, he had a guy go through the yard and get the two best.
One is big, the one is "Bigger" LOL. delivery tomorrow. Friend is bringing them on his way home form work.
I am knee deep in another project right now, I am gonna throw a tarp on them and start gathering tools.
I ain't a big woodworker, so gonna hafta hit harbor freight for a belt sander and some other stuff.
This will be a spring project.
I may do one up for my friends, the ones who lost their grandson. I am going to see if I can find a bunch of pics of our times at the lake and the desert, etc, and then I will finish the tables as you did and put the photos on, then get a guy in town to make me some lexan "toppers" for the table...

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Surprised I didn't see this thread.. cool idea. I had a similar idea that I was gonna do up like this...minus the heater. Might not be a bad addition.

 

[whiteworks]

Dylan I found a couple....checked with a friend in a business where he would know these things, he had a guy go through the yard and get the two best.
One is big, the one is "Bigger" LOL. delivery tomorrow. Friend is bringing them on his way home form work.
I am knee deep in another project right now, I am gonna throw a tarp on them and start gathering tools.
I ain't a big woodworker, so gonna hafta hit harbor freight for a belt sander and some other stuff.
This will be a spring project.
I may do one up for my friends, the ones who lost their grandson. I am going to see if I can find a bunch of pics of our times at the lake and the desert, etc, and then I will finish the tables as you did and put the photos on, then get a guy in town to make me some lexan "toppers" for the table...

Awesome, can’t wait to see them.