Hats off to SuperCedars

[xjcamaro89]

Being a first year burner i took all the advice i could get for every aspect of burning. One thing that I always hated was the startups, and since the way we burn, we start up almost every day, which meant alot of news paper, sticks, and kindling. Well after burning for 4 months and going through alot of sticks and newspaper trying sometimes for a hour or more to get a fire going, i found this message board, and found everyone raving about SuperCedars. I decided to buy a small amount to try, reading that some break the pucks into quarters. So i received my pucks on friday. And all i have to say is that i wish i would have found these a long time ago. I broke one into quarters, took a chunk, set up my wood, placed it under the wood, hit it with my little torch and bang! It was off and burning, quickly catching everything on fire in a fraction of the time. I love them. So thank you SuperCedars for a quality, inexpensive product that works! Hard to find those these days. Thanks again!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Good to hear. Lots of us folks have switched to the Super Cedars; even some of us old folks. It makes fire starting very easy and for me, it means the wife can now start fires if need be. They are not expensive either so we bought a large box that should last us for many years....if I quit giving some away...

 

[Adios Pantalones]

I have never needed them, but the point that it would make it possible for my wife to start a fire is a very good one. Fast starts are really important in preventing creosote.

 

[xjcamaro89]

I also dont "need" them, but i figure, for 20 cents a start up, ill pay that and get a fire going quickly instead of bothering with newspaper, sticks, kindling, and the gathering of all of that stuff. Now for the guys that burn almost 24/7 or have a high efficient stove that leaves them with coals all the time, they dont need them. But starting from a dead stove several times a week, its worth it to me. Im not trying to sound mean or anything like that towards anyone.

 

[Nyquil Junkie]

I love those things. I cut them on 1/4 and its more than enough to get my little stove going with almost no kindling.

I'm out... I have to buy some more.

 

[wkpoor]

I haven't needed to do a restart since I put my EPA stove in service. Since they hold coals for ever even if I only fired once a day I wouldn't need to restart. One pack would last me for yrs. Everyone on here is always talking about how long there stove burns. How could there be much demand for SCs.

 

[grommal]

Super Cedars + Top Down method = stove starting nirvana.

 

[bboulier]

I second grommal: super cedars + top down method. Such an easy way to get a good fire going.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Being a first year burner i took all the advice i could get for every aspect of burning. One thing that I always hated was the startups, and since the way we burn, we start up almost every day, which meant alot of news paper, sticks, and kindling. Well after burning for 4 months and going through alot of sticks and newspaper trying sometimes for a hour or more to get a fire going, i found this message board, and found everyone raving about SuperCedars. I decided to buy a small amount to try, reading that some break the pucks into quarters. So i received my pucks on friday. And all i have to say is that i wish i would have found these a long time ago. I broke one into quarters, took a chunk, set up my wood, placed it under the wood, hit it with my little torch and bang! It was off and burning, quickly catching everything on fire in a fraction of the time. I love them. So thank you SuperCedars for a quality, inexpensive product that works! Hard to find those these days. Thanks again!

Every fall, I get super-cost-concious and tell myself I'll just use old newspaper and plenty of kindling-- and that lasts about a week before I get desperately sick of fussing with the newspaper to the point where I start putting off re-starting a fire in the morning and let the boiler burn $$ to keep things minimally warm until I wake up enough to face the newspaper chore. Then I come to my senses and go dig out the Super-Cedars again and use them for the rest of the burning season. With a small stove that doesn't come close to doing an overnight burn, I have to start all over again every cold morning of winter, and the Super-Cedars at least make it psychologically bearable...

 

[Wood Duck]

Usinga wood stove is something I enjoy, but honestly it is a pain, too. If I can reduce the pain associated with starting fires for $0.20 a fire, I think it is well worth it. Plus, I have three kids and a wife who like to start fires on occasion and the super cedars make it easy for them to start a fire almost every time and without much smoke. I think my starts are a lot less smoky than reloads thanks to the fire starters and dry kindling.

I get about 8 starts from one Super Cedar. I use smaller and smaller pieces until the point where I use too little, walk away, and half an hour later I realize the fire didn't start. Then I go back to a larger piece, the fire starts without a problem, and the process begins again. Super Cedars should be made with indentations to make it easy to break into pieces, the way a chocolate bar is made. My biggest complaint is that when I break them up too small, part of the cake turns to dust and if that dust falls on the lip outside the wood stove door the wax melts and leaves little dark spots on the metal for a day or two until the wax evaporates? or somehow disappears.

 

[Jags]

and the Super-Cedars at least make it psychologically bearable...

They should use that on their label. :lol:

"Super cedars or your sanity?"

 

[BrotherBart]

I break them into quarters over and store them in a coffee canister. People talk about the "crumbs" but when you have reloaded on coals and for some reason want a faster blast off reaching in that canister and tossing some of that "pixie dust" in front will get'er moving fast.

 

[smokeater]

This product may have been mentioned before,as someone that has to start a fire every morning it has saved me a lot of trouble.It is called Fire King reusable fire starter www.glcgreen.com will show the product.It invovles putting a small amount of charcoal lighter fluid in the bottom of the cup provided (about a quarter inch)and putting in the white brick provided which soaks the fluid up in a few minutes and it is ready to go.It gives a nice slow hot burn for ten or fifteen minutes and you retreive the brick with tongs or gloves, within a couple minutes it has cooled down and ready to repeat the process.

I was a bit worried at the start about it burning too fast etc. but I have been using it non stop since October and have had no trouble.I found you can use about half or less of the amount of fluid they reccomend.I just finished the first jug of fluid yesterday probably around a 120 lights or more.

 

[jeremy29]

Super Cedars should be made with indentations to make it easy to break into pieces, the way a chocolate bar is made.

The SCs I just ordered have an indentation down the center to help break them in half.

 

[Wood Duck]

This product may have been mentioned before,as someone that has to start a fire every morning it has saved me a lot of trouble.It is called Fire King reusable fire starter www.glcgreen.com will show the product.It invovles putting a small amount of charcoal lighter fluid in the bottom of the cup provided (about a quarter inch)and putting in the white brick provided which soaks the fluid up in a few minutes and it is ready to go.It gives a nice slow hot burn for ten or fifteen minutes and you retreive the brick with tongs or gloves, within a couple minutes it has cooled down and ready to repeat the process.

I was a bit worried at the start about it burning too fast etc. but I have been using it non stop since October and have had no trouble.I found you can use about half or less of the amount of fluid they reccomend.I just finished the first jug of fluid yesterday probably around a 120 lights or more.

I think I would get smoke out of the stove if I opened it 15 minutes after the start to retreive the fire starter. I usually start the fire and the door stays closed for an hour or more.

 

[smokeater]

This product may have been mentioned before,as someone that has to start a fire every morning it has saved me a lot of trouble.It is called Fire King reusable fire starter www.glcgreen.com will show the product.It invovles putting a small amount of charcoal lighter fluid in the bottom of the cup provided (about a quarter inch)and putting in the white brick provided which soaks the fluid up in a few minutes and it is ready to go.It gives a nice slow hot burn for ten or fifteen minutes and you retreive the brick with tongs or gloves, within a couple minutes it has cooled down and ready to repeat the process.

I was a bit worried at the start about it burning too fast etc. but I have been using it non stop since October and have had no trouble.I found you can use about half or less of the amount of fluid they reccomend.I just finished the first jug of fluid yesterday probably around a 120 lights or more.

I think I would get smoke out of the stove if I opened it 15 minutes after the start to retreive the fire starter. I usually start the fire and the door stays closed for an hour or more.

Yes that could be, every stove id different,I have never seen the supercedar around here or I would try it.Once I figured out to leave the firestarter near the front of the firebox it takes about 10 seconds to get it out so it doesnt seem to be a big problem.What makes the supercedar work so well,is it just wood or is something added to it?

 

[xjcamaro89]

There is a little bit of wax in it. My manual for my stove specifically states not to use any liquids to fuel or start a fire, like lighter fluid, or lamp oil, anything like that.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Yes that could be, every stove id different,I have never seen the supercedar around here or I would try it.Once I figured out to leave the firestarter near the front of the firebox it takes about 10 seconds to get it out so it doesnt seem to be a big problem.What makes the supercedar work so well,is it just wood or is something added to it?

Can't get them in stores, as far as I know. They sell them on line and will send any Hearth.com member a free sample to try if you email them.

 

[Creature]

Yes that could be, every stove id different,I have never seen the supercedar around here or I would try it.Once I figured out to leave the firestarter near the front of the firebox it takes about 10 seconds to get it out so it doesn't seem to be a big problem.What makes the supercedar work so well,is it just wood or is something added to it?

They'll mail you a couple for free, but the shipping to Canada for regular orders is expensive. I'm not sure if Thomas (owner) has distribution in Canada yet. Fortunately for me, they're just outside of Seattle and I can pick some up when I travel that way (usually at least once a year). I believe the formula is simply paraffin and cedar sawdust/chips.

It's neat to see the "factory" in operation ... it smells really good

 

[smokeater]

Thanks for the info guys,we have some hunters that come up bird hunting every fall maybe they can bring me some and I will give them a try.

 

[Lynch]

well after just using one of the freebies super cedars sent me I must say to EASY!
broke it in half put the lighter to it and flames a blazing.
i dont know about other cedar users but i doing think i would even need kindling
just using full splits and i think it would have started. ill try that next time

ill have to buy a big box soon

 

[gyrfalcon]

well after just using one of the freebies super cedars sent me I must say to EASY!
broke it in half put the lighter to it and flames a blazing.
i dont know about other cedar users but i doing think i would even need kindling
just using full splits and i think it would have started. ill try that next time

ill have to buy a big box soon

You're right, no kindling needed with those little hockey pucks. With really dry wood, you can even get away with just a quarter puck.

 

[bboulier]

Just a reminder. Super Cedars are great for starting a charcoal fire. I use 1/4 SC in a charcoal chimney. Much cleaner, more reliable, and much safer than newspaper. You don't have to worry about swirling ashes that might catch nearby wood chips, brush, etc. on fire.

 

[dondude]

I haven't had to start a fire in so long I might need a supercedar? Haven't let fire go out since before thanksgiving. Finally getting a break from cold weather. Of course wife complaining about being cold. Lol

 

[gyrfalcon]

Just a reminder. Super Cedars are great for starting a charcoal fire. I use 1/4 SC in a charcoal chimney. Much cleaner, more reliable, and much safer than newspaper. You don't have to worry about swirling ashes that might catch nearby wood chips, brush, etc. on fire.

Thanks for the reminder! I pretty much gave up on charcoal barbecueing because of just that. I've got almost constant wind or breeze here, and the bits of burning newspaper flying around gave me the heebee-jeebees. I'll definitely try with the Super Cedars this summer.