Great video on starting your wood insert

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ClydesdaleBurner

ClydesdaleBurner

Member
Dec 5, 2007
145
South Coast, MA
This video is for a Clydesdales and I have to say it's about 98% how I do it and I have a fool proof method which includes a 1/4 to a 1/2 of a Super Cedar. I use bio bricks as the bottom layer of my start up fires, as they are guaranteed to be 100% dry and they light easily, but otherwise this video is spot on. They even make the little rut down the middle of the ash pile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEowmtSaQYs
 
Thank you ClydesdaleBurner for the link to this great video and the tips on starting up fires. We will be starting our Clydesdale soon and we are going to use a wood alternative fuel for the first fire. We have bought a box of Enviro-log. I heard that Thermowood is also a great fuel. At this point, I am not sure how they compare with bio bricks in regard to quality of burn and price per BTU. Eventually we will find out which one is the best and we stick with it.
 
I just stuff it full of wood and put double sheets of newspaper rolled/knotted on top and in cracks (5-10 sheets). Light it, leave the door cracked, and watch it until it's going strong. I do orient the wood to ensure air flow from front to back. My wood is dry, and I have at least a split or two of pine in every load, which is almost like a firestarter. For a hot start, I just pull the coals to the front, make a furrow in the middle, and load it up.
 
I would rate that video as fair. I found it interesting they talked of laying splits on but were not using all splits. A fire will start easier with splits. I also find it interesting that they want this thing to burn between 250 and 475 degrees. That is not a lot of heat because that is a very low temperature in a wood stove.

I also wonder if they are cleaning out all the ashes each time (there is no need to do this) as that is what it sounds like. A statement like emptying the ashes if it is over 2" deep. We never clean out all the ashes except after the last fire in the spring. We usually leave about 2" of ashes in the stove.
 
Thank you BroadCove and Backwoods Savage for your tips. There are so many ways to start a fire.
We started our Clydesdale the last Sunday. For the very first time we decided to follow instructions that came with the unit.
Instructions say "do not use artificial logs". Therefore, we did not use Enviro-log as originally planned. We used twisted newspaper, pine kindling and chunks of oak from our own tree that was cut few years ago. We will be ordering seasoned firewood from a local supplier. They can cut firewood into 16" or 20" pieces. Maximum log size for this insert (as per SPEC) is 22". What is your recommendation for size of logs?
 
KeepWarmInWinter said:
Thank you BroadCove and Backwoods Savage for your tips. There are so many ways to start a fire.
We started our Clydesdale the last Sunday. For the very first time we decided to follow instructions that came with the unit.
Instructions say “do not use artificial logs”. Therefore, we did not use Enviro-log as originally planned. You will find some manufacturers do not recommend using the processed logs -- and you will find that some folks here have used them with no ill effects. We used twisted newspaper, pine kindling and chucks of oak from our own tree that was cut few years ago. We will be ordering seasoned firewood from a local supplier. Just be aware . . . sadly . . . many people buy "seasoned" wood and discover the wood is not as well seasoned as they would hope -- it's a pretty common experience to buy seasoned wood and find out that the seller's definition of seasoned wood that will burn great in your woodstove may in fact not fit in with reality -- that being the wood may only be semi-seasoned and may not burn very well at all in your woodstove. They can cut firewood into 16” or 20” pieces. Maximum log size for this insert (as per SPEC) is 22”. What is your recommendation for size of logs? 20 inches . . . you will want to fill your firebox . . . but never cut to the absolute maximum size . . . I always cut my wood a couple inches shorter . . . it will fit in the firebox better.
Click to expand...
 
Firefighterjake,

Thank you for your warning on purchasing firewood. We ordered firewood of variable size, between 10" to 20" chunks.
A seller turned out to be a double cheater. He advertised seasoned firewood but delivered less than full cord of green wood.
We have refused his wood and purchased seasoned firewood from somebody else.

Backwoods Savage,
I believe that the "building a fire" video was created for a vacation rental place.
Therefore, they use a fire-starter, instruct about cleaning ashes and request to stay within "orange zone" for operating temperatures. I am finding this video very beneficial for inexperience wood burners since it emphasizing safety precautions.

All,
I am attaching few more links on starting and maintaining a wood fire:

Wood heat videos: http://www.woodheat.org/videos.htm (the top down fire starting)
How to start and maintain a wood fire: http://www.woodheat.org/tips/technique.htm
Lighting a fire: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/31393/
 
Hi guys!
Actually that is my video. How funny to see it referred to here.
To answer your concerns, I used rounds in the video only because I didn't have any splits handy. Ugh! I would have preferred to have used splits . Probably less than 5% of my wood consists of rounds. It is a Clydesdale insert, not a stove and the temperatures do tend to runner lower than a stove, and maybe even a typical insert. However, it is good for a Clydesdale. Honestly, running it over 500 would be REALLY cooking this insert. I do sometimes have people using the place who want a fire but aren't too familiar with an insert so this is for them and I am erring on the side of safety.

Lisa
 
It's always dicey comparing temps btwn different stove & inserts as placement of the thermometer & stove design makes a huge difference. On my Regency I-2400 insert there is no good place for a thermo as everything exposed except the door is actually an outer shell with airgap behind. The thermo can drop 200 degrees just from cranking the blower fan up. 475 reading on mine with fan on high is really cookin! & 275 pretty normal.
 
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