VIKING
ABOVE GROUND FIRE TABLE
Supplies List and Assembly Instructions
Lady Ayla Volquin
& THL Piotr Zavilov ( Craftsman/ Builder )
Ever go to an event that requires above ground fire pits and you really love cooking over
the fire but you don' t have an above ground fire pit? Perhaps you can't lug your round
metal fire pit to events due to lack of room so you pack the camp stove and make the best
of it, but really deep down you miss the wonderful flavors and the fun you get from
food cooked over the open fire.... well worry no more! You can build your very own
portable Viking Fire Table/Stove to cook your favorite camp meals anytime! Depending
on how big you make it, what materials you use, and where you buy your materials, you
can make one for about $60-$100. The following are instructions for making an above
ground fire table 8ft tall, 5ft long and 2ft wide at the table.
SUPPLY LIST
5 ­ 2x4x8 STUDS – I Used Pine 1 – 1 3/8 in 10ft Poplar Wood Dowel 1 – 1 3/8 in 6ft Poplar Wood Dowel 1 – 15/32 2x4 Pine Board 1 YD Bronze Brazing Rod 30­ 2 in Metal Decking Screws ( Or wood pegs)
3­4 Bags of Play Sand TOOLS NEEDED
Wood Saw
Hack Saw
Hammer
Anvil or Other Hard Surface
Hand or Electric Drill
1 ­ 1 3/8 in Hole Saw
Eye Goggles ( Always protect your eyes)
Choose your supplies carefully, try to avoid knots or warped or cracked wood. We chose
metal screws instead of wooden pins for ease and as a time saver. The pins can be
improvised too, use what you have handy, even bent nails will work. I prefer the more
authentic look of the bronze brazing rod but to each his/her own. I strongly do not
recommend treated or coated/sealed wood. Remember, the fire table will get warm in
areas and treated wood or polyurethane is dangerous when heated or near a fire. If you
take care of your fire table it should last for many years to come without the need of
wood treatments.
I hope you enjoy making and using
your Viking Fire Table as much as
I have! Here we go....
Take 4 of the 2”x4”x8's and measure about 6 inches from the end and mark the center of
the board to drill your holes with the hole saw so that the dowel rod will pass through.
Do that for each board but only at the one end.
Next measure on each board from the opposite end ( bottom ) how ever many inches high
that you want your table to be, we used about 30 inches. Drill another hole with the hole
saw for the wooden dowels to pass through that hold the table. Run the 6ft wooden
dowel through the top of all 4 boards/legs of your table and stand it upright.
Next take the remaining 2”x4”x8' and measure 45 inches from the end and cut there. Then
take that 2”x4”x45” inch piece and cut (rip) it in half length wise on the 2 inch side so
it is approximately 1 inch wide. This gives you two lengths of 1”x4”x45” that will be
fastened to the long sides of the plywood board. Now take the remaining piece of board
and cut(rip)that in half length wise as you did the last piece. This gives you two more
lengths that are approximately 1”x4”x51” giving it the extra length on each side of the
short ends of the plywood fire table required so you can drill the holes that the dowels
pass through holding the fire table up. Fasten the boards onto the plywood fire table
base with the metal screws making a box. Keep in mind that the two short pieces will
extend past the edge of the plywood fire table. Hold the table at the height that matches
the holes on the uprights (legs) and mark the extended boards on the fire table there so
you can drill the hole to match, you want the holes to be slightly below center so the
strength is on the top of the board. This can be tricky because you want the uprights
(legs) to be spread out enough to be stable when the fire table is assembled. Make sure
you have several inches from the end of the extended boards for strength and drill your
holes with the hole saw as you did on the uprights, again slightly below center for
strength.
Now you are ready to assemble the fire table. Cut the 10ft length wooden dowel in half
and pass each end through the holes in the fire table and uprights.
Now you need your metal pins to lock the pieces in place. Take your length of bronze
brazing rod and cut 12 lengths several inches long and bend them at one end so it hooks
over.
You need the pins to be long enough to pass through the
wooden dowel with length to spare so you can remove
them easily when you are ready to transport your Viking
Above Ground Fire Table.
Next make sure that the wooden dowels are even on either side of the top of the uprights
and either side of the fire box. Drill holes through the dowel on either side of the
uprights above and on the fire table to pass the pins through. One trick is to drill the
first hole, then turn the wooden dowel just a little and drill the second hole on the other
side of the uprights so the direction of each pin is staggered. This is in case one falls
out, the other will be at an angle that will keep it in place thus keeping the whole thing
locked together.
Once you have the pins in all the holes on all four sides top and on the fire table you
are ready to put the sand in the fire box! In these pictures I didn't put all the sand in
filling the box, but I recommend it. If
you do not fill the fire box completely,
make sure you build the sand up on the
sides to protect the wood from scorching
or burning. Some folks use rocks around
these edges, be careful with that... believe it or not, rocks from around here tend to hold
moisture and can explode if they get very hot for a long period of time.
Once the sand is there, you are ready to get your firewood and or
charcoal, light it and enjoy! I DO NOT recommend lighter fluid or
fire accelerant of any kind, it soaks through the sand and can splash
on your uprights and sides of your fire box causing your lovely
Viking Above Ground Fire Table to go up in a blaze of horror. Keep the fires to a
safe height, keep a small camp fire shovel handy with a
bucket of water close by just in case!
Enjoy, and may you have many
happy outdoor fire cooked camp meals...
Please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions... I can be reached at [email protected]
(c) Copywrite Sept 2, 2016 Lady Ayla Volquin /Fonts Used Provided by Proportional Lime Type Foundry -ProportionalLime.com
VIKING BREAD
http://odiesfoodmusings.blogspot.com/2013/03/viking-bread.html
Recipe by Odette
Introduction by Lady Ayla Volquin
I found this lovely recipe on Pinterest and wanted to share it with you. I converted the
Metric to American measurements so you can make this at home easier. I can get into
discussing the history of Viking bread, the grains that were used and how the grains
were processed in the Viking Age, but I will save that for another day. Now that we
have this really cool Viking Above Ground Fire Table to cook on, I really just want to
make and break bread with you so....... lets do this!
This is very simple recipe, but it actually is very healthy and easy to put together.
To make 4 you need:
150g of barley flour ( 1 Cup)
50g of wholemeal flour (I used wholegrain spelt flour) ( ½ Cup)
2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds (you can buy this in health food shops)
2 tablespoons of lard or butter
100-120 ml of tepid water ( just under ½ Cup)
1/4 teaspoon (pinch) of salt
In a bowl mix all of the ingredients together until combined and kneed for a few minutes. This will not
be a typical soft dough, it will be quite stiff and crack slightly when kneaded. If it seems too dry add a
tablespoon of water at a time and keep kneading. If it is too wet, add more flour. You need to leave the
dough to rest in a cool place (kitchen counter top is fine) in the mixing bowl covered with a tea towel for
about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
Once the dough has rested, divide it into four and shape each quarter into a flat disk of about half a
centimetre thickness. If they're any thicker they may not cook all the way through, and no one wants to eat
raw bread dough! Heat up a dry pan (cast iron would be best) and cook each of the breads for about 4-5
mins a side on a medium heat. They should have quite a nutty smell and get a little charred.
Enjoy your delicious Viking bread with stews, soups or just a little butter.