Fire starting

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AKA Top down fire starting. Many folks do this. It's good for getting draft in a sluggish chimney going as it helps warm it up faster. Top down burning has been suggested and discussed many times here. It's also demonstrated in the helpful Gulland video series. Give it a try!
 
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Yup. Love me some top down fires. I've been doing this for three years now. Plan on doing one tonight when I'm off work.
 
I came upon this method the beginning of this last burning season and was sceptical at first. Glad I tried it though! I got the stove up to temp and cranking out heat in half to third the time as normal compared to a boy scout start. I can start a fire and not stir or touch it again for 5+ hours other than adjusting the air.
 
Works great in the BBQ too.
 
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I usually start with 3-4 regular size splits across the bottom followed by a row of medium and small mixed and then pine strips for kindling with the newspaper on top, and a couple more kindling pieces on the newspaper. Light it upnand let it rip. Turning down the air an 1/8-1/4 depending on what is needed about every 5 minutes.
 
Top down fires? Yes . . . in fact I sometimes forget that most folks start fires the other way with tee-pees, log cabins, etc. Friends tend to give me strange looks when I start the top down fire in campfires . . . they look at me as if I'm nuts.
 
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