Best "Tip" you've learned here?

I think the tip that helped me most was to get the flue heated up QUICKLY
to get the smoke to draw. I used to have a good amount of smoke in the room
upon start-up and could never figure out why.
I grew up with a fireplace and a woodburner is just enough different that
I had a tough time "getting the bugs worked out"....this forum has been
wonderful!

using the ash to clean the glass

Fiskars for splitting wood. A great tool.

Probably learning about the advantages of catalytic and/or the newer EPA stoves. Less wood use and more heat = good.

1. Don't buy Vermont Castings
2. Wood takes a full year to season
3. Top-down fires

~Rose

Getting ahead on wood was the best tip for me. I always use to cut in the early Spring and burn that Fall. Makes a huge difference having 3 year old Oak to burn.

Todd said:

Getting ahead on wood was the best tip for me. I always use to cut in the early Spring and burn that Fall. Makes a huge difference having 3 year old Oak to burn.

Click to expand...

+1! Also, using a fan to blow cool air toward the stove vs. warm are toward cooler rooms. I KNOW I would have attempted the latter and likely not tried the former! Cheers!

The big steel cat stove is the way to heat my house and the failure of the previous stove to do so was not on me. Thanks to whoever that was; you were right.

1. Importance of dry wood.
2. Basics of controlling primary air for secondary burn.
3. Top down fires => smokeless starts.

1. Seasoned Wood
2. Burn Down Your Coals B4 Reloading
3. Get Ahead In Your Wood Supply (Sav)
4. Horizontal is for TOWING your splitter only. (Sav)



Zap

NH_Wood said:

Todd said:

Getting ahead on wood was the best tip for me. I always use to cut in the early Spring and burn that Fall. Makes a huge difference having 3 year old Oak to burn.

Click to expand...

+1! Also, using a fan to blow cool air toward the stove vs. warm are toward cooler rooms. I KNOW I would have attempted the latter and likely not tried the former! Cheers!

Click to expand...

These are my two, too: Burn Dry Wood, Blow Cold Air

BeGreen said:

Starting fires with the tunnel of love. Starting fires with big splits is child's play now.

Click to expand...

I'm gonna need you to elaborate on this... before my imagination runs away from me...

-SF

SlyFerret said:

BeGreen said:

Starting fires with the tunnel of love. Starting fires with big splits is child's play now.

Click to expand...

I'm gonna need you to elaborate on this... before my imagination runs away from me...

-SF

Click to expand...

Me too, I must have missed that tip...... tunnel of love?

I also like the tire tip and bungee for splitting rounds. Really, there's hundreds of tips I've gleened from this site! I went from a bafoon who knew nothing to ---> actually getting by

Not really a tip.....but the fact I am not alone with an obsession is nice.

1. Top down fires.
2. Burning in cycles.
3. Buying a woodstove one size up from what you think you need.
4. Getting ahead on the wood = burning happiness.
5. Using the "fan trick" to move heat.
6. If you have a problem that cannot be resolved just take Quads' advice to heart . . . JUST WHACK THE SUCKER!

Keep in touch with "Hearth.com forums";

there are "cords" of good wood burning information from smart & helpful members who love to share
their knowledge.

My top ten list....

10) some one in the gear forum posting where the oil plug is on my Huskee 22 ton splitter when I had given up finding it (btw - its on the bottom of the engine and you need to get at it from under the splitter frame)
9) Reviews of chain saws
8) Rave reviews of the marvels of a FISKARS
7) Advice to purchase the Huskee 22 Ton vs spending more on other models and sizes
6) Safety gear
5) Stacking techniques .... (off ground, wind, sun, etc...)
4) Various attributes of different wood and the effect they have on seasoning time and burn characteristics
3) Learning what "Seasoned" really means
2) Super Cedar Fire Starters

and the most amazing tip

1) Its ok to burn Pine