I have a big cast iron pot. It is about 2.5 feet in diameter. I played with the idea of making a fish fryer out of it but to be honest, I just don't eat a lot of fried fish. I have a friend that has several wash pot fish fryers I can borrow anyway.
I came up with the idea of using it for a fire pit. A quick google search came up with the site below. The only thing that bothers me (and also kept me from using it for a fish fryer) is that it has a short hairline crack along the rim.

Do you think the heat and subsequent expansion would cause the crack to spread and the pot to eventually fail?

Cracking open and spilling logs on my patio is 100 times better than spilling 15 gallons of hot grease but still not desirable.

http://www.cowboycauldron.com/fire-pits/image-gallery/#!prettyPhoto

Mine has about 4in legs. I would just set it on those as opposed to making the tripod to hang it.

I think you'd have trouble getting enough air in there to fuel the fire.

If you are worried about the crack expanding, why not drill a hole at each end of the crack and fill the holes with jb weld?

It will work as a firepit, no problem.

The last time I was in Red River, NM during spring break, there was this place called "The Black Crow Coffee House". Out in front of it, they had a big old cast iron wash pot like you're describing that the proprietors would fill full of firewood & burn every evening. Surrounding the firepit/wash pot were big, pine tree stumps you could sit on & drink your coffee, watch the fire burn & roast marshmallows. The owners looked like a bunch of old hippies, but they were super nice. They'd bring out their guitars & other musical instruments & have a good ole jam session around the fire, if i wasn't too cold & snowy. I took my guitar with me one evening & joined in. It was a blast!

Looks good!

If you're worried at all about it splitting and spilling logs/coals you could easily build a simple frame out of steel or something more permanent out of stone/masonry.

Just a thought.

I tell you what, that looks a lot cooler than the ones you buy at the store!

I'm sure something like that is not cheap though.

We have one at the deer lease and one at the ranch. Been using them for years as fire pits. Get a piece of expanded metal to throw across the top and you've got yourself a grill. I drilled a hole in the bottom of both of them to let water run out if you forget to flip it over.

Edit: just looked at the picture. The ones we use are smaller and have feet welded to them so that they stand off the ground about 1'

[This message has been edited by Agmechanic (edited 12/22/2012 7:06p).]

[This message has been edited by Agmechanic (edited 12/22/2012 7:07p).]

This big cast iron pot is awesome! Does anyone know where I could find one??
The largest I found online was 18g which only like 30" across.
Please and thank you!

Late to the party, but obviously you can make it work. My grandfather had one of those (looks exactly the same) and it's been used as a planter and fire pit over the years.

BTW...your BBQ tag looks like a cast iron pot on fire

Google sugarcane boiling pots and bet you like them also. Bit pricey but nice look. Check out Carolina Kettle company for these also.