Top down fire, just amazing.

Couldn't agree more!

I especially love my ' fire ritual' on days I don't have to be anywhere after lighting up... when i set the top down fire then sit back with a coffee and watch the flames slowly take and grow; it's just so satisfying.

So how about a pic of your next ready-to-go top down fire and let's see how many layers and sizes of wood you use!

Yup top down fires are the way to go for sure. I havent done it any other way since I heard about them here around the time I joined. I also havent used paper to start a fire since about the same time!

The best compromise for a non-cat burner to get thru the shoulder season. Better yet, get yourself a cat stove, and just set her to cruise slow.

I tried the top-down thing, but don't find much opportunity to be doing cold starts, other than once per year in the fall.

Joful said:

The best compromise for a non-cat burner to get thru the shoulder season. Better yet, get yourself a cat stove, and just set her to cruise slow.

I tried the top-down thing, but don't find much opportunity to be doing cold starts, other than once per year in the fall.

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Sootfoot said:

So how do you start a fire with no newspaper?

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Many here use super cedars. Its hard to get in my area so I use fatwood which is taken from the trunk of pine trees and has lots of resin in it. They are small pieces of wood that you stick in your kindling and then lite. They last quite some time allowing your wood to get going.

BrotherBart said:

Amaze your friends and start an outdoor fire top down this summer.

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Seriously recommend doing this! Did this last summer for a family reunion. My inlaws have a little beach house and a landscaped backyard with built in fire-grill-fireplace thing. When asked to build a fire, my 6 year old daughter and I set up a top-down much to the surprise of everyone watching: "that will never start", "aren't you going to make it..." There was lots of advise. My little daughter spouts confidently that "daddy makes fires like this at home all winter and we have no smoke" (we talk about being responsible burners a lot apparently).

The family was shocked when after 5 minutes from the start, there was little to no smoke, and no one needed to tend the fire for at least 2 hours. People still talk about "Top-Down Fires" at holiday get togethers!

So yeah, amaze your friends! Its fun and educational! ;-)

Top down definitely gets the cat going quicker, especially in a shoulder burn. Handy in the grill, also. I stopped buying charcoal 6 cords ago.

Joful said:

The best compromise for a non-cat burner to get thru the shoulder season. Better yet, get yourself a cat stove, and just set her to cruise slow.

I tried the top-down thing, but don't find much opportunity to be doing cold starts, other than once per year in the fall.

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I find if I set the coals to one side, load it up with the heavy stuff on bottom and a smaller stuff and kindling on top, the fire naturally finds its way to the top pretty quickly and does pretty much a top down burn even on a hot reload. Not as pretty and clean as from a cold start, but it still works quite well.

I think that is right BB. If you say "except for..." you didn't really try it.