Back to Fatwood again

You'll do fine Soupy. But one thing I might mention is how you were using the Super Cedars. You placed quarters in the 4 compass points around the kindling. That makes me wonder why you used so much? We, like most folks use only 1/4 of a super cedar per fire, not 4 quarters per fire.

Backwoods Savage said:

You'll do fine Soupy. But one thing I might mention is how you were using the Super Cedars. You placed quarters in the 4 compass points around the kindling. That makes me wonder why you used so much? We, like most folks use only 1/4 of a super cedar per fire, not 4 quarters per fire.

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I was just going to say the same thing, one quarter is more than enought to get the fire going. Yours could have lasted 4 times as long.

Only burning in the mornings? Up in the NW corner of CT, we never got above 37 degrees today and Torrington is looking for a low of 17 tonight. May as well be january if you ask me. 24/7 burning here. Wood pile looking awfully lean.

Soupy-

Thanks for the invite... I think we'll be ok. Just more work in the coming weeks for next year, playing catch up a little.

I'm envious of the tight house... and newer, more efficient stove. For now, will make due with what we've got but foresee burning 24/7 until Tues-Wed at the least.

soupy1957 said:

Used up all the Super Cedars. They worked fine. I found my best use of them was to break them into quarter pieces, and place them strategically in the four compass points around the kindling.

Figured I'd go back to Fatwood though this time. Ordered another 35 lb box from Plow and Hearth. Less messy, but burn up faster.

Only burning in the mornings now................

-Soupy1957

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I haven't fooled around with fatwood as yet. That said, I've got a few pine stumps in my yard I'm planning to dig out and carve up this spring for starters.

I used the two Super Cedar samples I got in the mail. They're neat, but are strictly a novelty item in my view - I restart my stove each morning, so blowing cash on the things makes very little sense in my view. Burning wood is a fairly marginal way to save money from my experience over the last three seasons, so I'm careful about buying accessories. It's fairly easy to knock down that $1500 savings by buying wood, chainsaws, paying for sweeps, ect. You have to do as much as you can in your own free time to make it pay. For these same reasons it is a great hobby.

This was my second season using pines cones and kindling. I went through about two trash cans worth using three per start. They work great - no need for newspaper here anymore.

I'm just burning in the evenings now, using a stash of pine splits from a few pines I took down for one of the neighbors.

I use a small piece of supercedar, but the key thing in my view is the kindling; it should be dry and I need to use enough of it. If I have nice, dry kindling and use a handfull or two, it is easy to start a fire. If I skimp on the kindling or if it isn't as dry as usual then the fire starts more slowly, with or without a supercedar. I keep a bunch of kindling indoors so it gets really dry and almost lights with a match. I have an unlimited supply of kindling, but I can't resist trying to use the minimum amount necessary to start the fire in an attempt to hone my firebuilding skills. Every once in a while I use too little and the fire fails to start. Hopefully nobody is looking when that happens.

Lately I have just used very thin pine as a fire starter. Granted there are usually hot coals left. I keep the lighter on the pine for about 10 seconds to get it going. I am thinking about just cutting a bunch of 1/8" pine strips for starters. Has anyone tried this?

Fatwood is as bad for your flue as green wood. The pitch in fatwood is what burns the best, but at the same time it burns at a lower temperture which cools faster when escaping your flue. This is when it tends to stick to the flue sides and causes other particles to stick to. I would suggest dry kindling and paper over Fatwood. You can see the proof by watching the smoke come off the fatwood when burning.

Fatwood is much cleaner until you light it!!

Thomas

And that is exactly why Woodstock does not recommend using it at all.

By the way, I do not understand a couple of folks on this forum who seem to get some joy out of bashing the Super Cedars. If they don't want to use them, that is certainly their choice and nobody would have a problem with it. However, do they really need to keep coming on this forum and bashing one of our good sponsors?! Yes, NW Fuels is a sponsor on hearth.com and I believe they deserve our respect. Thomas is a good man and has a good product. Nobody will have a product however that everyone will use or like; that is expected. But let's show respect.

So I do hope the bashing by a couple of folks does stop. Stop using the product if you so choose but also stop bashing it.

In reply to Backwoods Savage...I don't think Soupy was bashing them at all. It was just his personal opinion of them. He was very respectful and even said that they worked just fine. Personally...I use them and love them. But just because Thomas is a great guy (which he is) and they are a sponsor, doesn't mean that a member can't voice his personal opinion while being very respectful. I think you need to lighten up just a bit and reread his post. Just because Barack Obama is President of the United States doesn't mean people can't voice their opinion of him if they are respectful doing it. And by the way...I am a liberal and proud of it! Can't we all just get along???

With all due respect yanksforever, if you read my post you will notice the only name I mentioned was Thomas. I also agree with you that we should all get along and that is the very reason for my post.

That's cool...But it was a little indirect because it was Soupy Thread. No big deal...I know you didn't mean no harm by it. We have a great forum and it belongs to everyone. If someone gets out of line they SHOULD be repremanded...but I don't think he was out of line or I would have said something myself...all is good!

Backwoods,

You bring up some good points. Not everyone has to like the products we buy to try. With my product I only guarantee it to start your fire. I want to hear from a customer when it won't.

When I buy gasoline and it makes my car run I have no problem with it. When I get that said gasoline on my hands or clothes I deal with it. I don't post on Cheverons web site that their gasoline smells over and over.
Same with Oats N Honey bars. I love them but they are messy. I expect it and deal with it or don't buy it. Would it do me or anybody any good to tell them they are messy and crumbs fall on my trousers, hell no that comes with the territory. Complaint's should come into play when the product will not perform as advertised.
Thomas

Yanksforever,

Since you brought up the name I will defend Backwoods on the fact that on multiple occasions Soupy and friend Biff seem like dissing my product or my business behaviour is in their plan. Read this post and see the little stab about Super Cedar being oily. Super Cedars are not oily, why say it? Every couple months it comes up in more than one thread.

We all know that Super Cedars can be messy when broken, this is a well known fact. We all know it cleans up.
Thomas

If he keeps jamming or bashing your product, I agree with you! First thing I don't want to do is get in a pissing match with anybody...especially someone I buy products from (YOU) ...I love your product and will continue to buy them. BUT...I don't agree with anyone that says someone can't voice their opinion because of a sponsor or whatever. If it is malicious...it needs to stop. But freedom of speech on a forum must be preserved...as long as it isn't malicious or repetative in nature! Relax...you don't have to defend anything...you DO have a great product...or you would have heard from me already! )) lol

Stir...stir...stir....lol...and no...fatwood doesn't leave pitch on your hands...but it does smoke and give off pitch! Let's keep it going...we don't have anything better to do on a Wednesday Night!

By the way...if i were you West Coast Guys,,,I wouldn't be worried about pitch on your hands...i 'd be worried more about that Plutonium coming your way!

Thanks for the Wiki Begreen.

Yanksforever, I know there is a lot more than Plutonium coming this way. They are saying plastics and timber will show up in about 1 year.

Cheers
Thomas

I've used the Super Cedars all season (my first burning). I've had no problem starting fires with them and I rarely use more than a quarter, even on some marginal wood. They're not as messy if you break them up inside a plastic bag. 30 of them came delivered for $30. Breaking them into quarters has given me about 100 starts.

joetal17 said:

I've used the Super Cedars all season (my first burning). I've had no problem starting fires with them and I rarely use more than a quarter, even on some marginal wood. They're not as messy if you break them up inside a plastic bag. 30 of them came delivered for $30. Breaking them into quarters has given me about 100 starts.

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$30.00 !! You should of paid no more than $23.15 including the shipping.

Thomas