Huntindog1
Minister of Fire
Use good small split kindling to start your fire. Makes things much easier. The reason for the hard start with no hot coals is just that, no hot coals. As its all about the heat in the stove. You got to build the heat in the firebox to get the wood to off gas.
If you leave the door open too long then alot of the heat will be flushed up the flue. So its a feel of your pants thing. But back to the kindling if your using good dry small split kindling it will burn more easily with the door shut and your heat that you need to warm up the fire box isnt being flushed up the flue. Then learn to turn your air down in like 1/4 ways increments. And wait a few minutes between increments to let the fire and heat to stabilize. What do I mean by stabilize that means to let the heat build a little more in the box before makeing another increment of turn the air down by another 1/4 ways. Lastly 65 degree weather will make the things hard to get going like someone already mentioned.
If you leave the door open too long then alot of the heat will be flushed up the flue. So its a feel of your pants thing. But back to the kindling if your using good dry small split kindling it will burn more easily with the door shut and your heat that you need to warm up the fire box isnt being flushed up the flue. Then learn to turn your air down in like 1/4 ways increments. And wait a few minutes between increments to let the fire and heat to stabilize. What do I mean by stabilize that means to let the heat build a little more in the box before makeing another increment of turn the air down by another 1/4 ways. Lastly 65 degree weather will make the things hard to get going like someone already mentioned.