My Fossil Fireplace!
It’s cold and has been for a while now with no let up in sight. I don’t know when the last time was that we had a no subzero day in Minnesota, but it’s been a while. And the heating bills are killing me! So I am working at various low/no cost ways to keep warm.
This is building off of someone else’s idea, but it works and I twisted it in such a way that I thought other fossil people may be interested in it. This is a 10 gallon aquarium that leaks water, such is life… I put kitty litter in the bottom to keep the candles in place and absorb any wax that might drip – we are under 2′ of snow so sand or rock is just not available right now. I covered the back and both sides with Mylar along with 2/3s of the top opening – tinfoil shiny side in or mirrors would work as well. I placed 4 candles in it and boy did I get heat! It keeps me cozy next to my desk and I can warm my hands (we’ve reduced the temperature down to 60 degrees in the house trying to conserve).
So then I thought about a masonry heater – heats up the rock and when the fire goes out the rock keeps radiating warmth. How to heat the rock up quickly? On a grate above the flame or on metal. Couldn’t find a grate that would work but I did find an old 1930s license plate about the size I needed. Set that on two coffee cups and piled junk fossils on that for the “masonry”. Looked kind of plain so I stuck some more junk fossils toward the front into the kitty litter. Lit the candles with a BBQ lighter and I have HEAT and Ambiance!
I may just keep this after the heating crisis and put it in the bedroom! A mini-fossil fireplace… In case you too are suffering from the harsh winter the U.S.A. is experiencing this year, go here for more ideas on ways to get warm during an emergency:
http://seasonedcitizenprepper.com/aquarium-heater-passive-solar-heat-now/
Here is a lovely little masonry heater utilizing junk fossils and just a single candle. Add water to the bowl and you can add humidity to the oh so dry air from the furnace working overtime in this cold. Just a metal bowl to amplify the heat from the candle and transfer the heat to the rocks. A lid would even be better to create a regular rock furnace. Great for a hand warmer on your desk!
