I think you would need some sort of airspace between the metal and wood or cooling fins or something like that. The heat transfer is likely to carbonize the wood in contact with the metal ring and likely catch fire one day. What about sparks, there will be burn marks all over the table from sparks that likely won't set the table on fire but will certainly mar the finish. Perhaps some sort of stone buffer or concrete like they make counter tops with, at that point though I would lean toward making the whole top that way.
Fire bowl table
I had a customer present an idea to me this morning and I'm sure I can make it work, but I wanted to ask if anyone has seen it before. The customer wants a wooden patio table with a fire bowl built into the center. I've seen fire pit tables before but mostly made of metal, stone, or whatever the orange box store's table is made of. I'd be comfortable doing a gas pit, but the customer lives in the country and would rather burn real wood in it. I'm thinking of welding a round mounting bracket with a 2-3" lip between wood and the bowl to make me feel better about having a fire in the middle of a wooden table. Anyone else have another good idea or do you feel this would catch fire being that close together?
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I tried talking him into a custom concrete top. I could do some different colors or polish the top with broken glass in it. He has a giant concrete patio though and feels it may be too much. I've seen those Korean BBQ tables, but they're just like a wooden bench slats for each persons serving area surrounding a giant grill. I have a guy who does welding and I may have him make a pedestal for the center pit and then arms that reach off to support the top ring with a decent air space in between it. I have a bit at home with a really fine mesh. It does a great job of keeping the embers and ash inside of it.
That sounds like trouble. Bondo has some good points in his comment that I agree with. Specifically that the table might eventually catch fire or at the least char. And you'll have burn marks all over the table from flying ash and sparks. I'd say no to this one.
Haven't worked as a mason for quite a few years, but fire code in our area did call for no less than 6" of solid masonry between a flue crock and any wood, to keep it from combusting. This may give you some idea of the amount of heat transfer from a fire bowl. I agree that the idea doesn't sound the best. If you do decide to him make something consider covering the surface with tile or tempered glass.
Why not set the bowl on a concrete ring attached to the wooden table top.
Hadn't thought about that yet. Trying to bounce ideas on here. Thought about making an insulated bowl. I have a custom welder who can do it for me. Just not sure the best way to go about it.
find a terracotta flower pot,put some fireproof insultion in the pot,then your fire bowl and then follow your plan, you should be good.
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