Burnshield Platform design help

[tigre]

Hey hey, designing a small-ish effigy for the first time and looking for some tips and guidelines on building a burn platform. Because of some of the details of the piece and its burning, i'm choosing to construct a platform rather than have DG set up. However, I haven't been able to find any detailed instructions or guidelines for building a platform. *Or I just missed an obvious article or thread on it and would be happy to be pointed in the right direction.*

Anyway, the structure will be 10-15 ft high x 4' x 8'. How wide around does the platform footprint need to be to adequately catch the burning wood? I dont know if this would matter, but there will also be a steel structure within the wooden effigy that will remain standing as the wooden form collapses.

If anyone is willing to share it, I would love detailed building instructions/suggestions. However, even just the basic dimensions needed would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance.

tigre

[Savannah]

Well, let's see. The height of the art seems to determine the width of the platform.
http://www.burningman.com/installations/open_fire.html

I think you should feel free to ask the professionals. What I don't know is if you have to register your piece first, or ask your platform questions first. I don't think it does any harm to email and ask which comes first.

No matter what kind of protection you think you will use for burning your artwork, The Fire Art Safety team (FAST) is here to help discuss your Open Fire Burn Shield Designs. Arrangements for the purchase of Decomposed Granite are made through Burning Man and a deposit will be required pre-event to insure its clean-up and removal. Please contact us at fire-art (at) burningman (dot) com for any questions.

http://www.burningman.com/installations ... ntion.html

Here's some cool stuff about perimeters.
http://www.burningman.com/installations ... eters.html

[trilobyte]

I don't think there are any step-by-step instructions for building ruggedized elevated burn platforms.

The problem with elevating a burn platform is that you're elevating a burn platform. What you think you may be gaining from elevating the fire from the surface of the playa, you lose (and then some) by making the risk of airborne flaming debris significantly higher. At a higher elevation, it will be a bit more exposed to winds. Sure, not as much as if it were at the top of the Chrysler Building, but enough to make a difference. I'm sure it could be done through proper fortification and with high enough walls, but I'm guessing one of the reasons you'd want such a thing at such an elevation is for the purposes of people being able to see it. If people can see it, wind can get to it, and it would be a fairly significant hazard.

You may have missed all the pages and contact info on the main site, but check out the links Savannah posted and you'll find what you're looking for. Get in touch with the FAST team, and they can hopefully help you out with the logistics of your planned burn.