Q&A HOME MADE FIRESTARTERS

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QandA

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Staff member
Nov 27, 2012
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Question:

AFTER READING YOUR INFORMATIVE ARTICLE "TENDING A FIRE - HOW TO MASTER THE ELEMENT OF FIRE" I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. IF NOT, PERHAPS YOU CAN REFER ME TO SOMEONE WHO MIGHT KNOW THE ANSWERS. ALL THE HELP I CAN GET WITH MY WOOD BURNING STOVE WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. 1) DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION OR RECIPES FOR HOMEMADE FIRESTARTERS THAT WILL BE EQUAL TO A DURAFLAME STARTER OR FAT STICKS? I REMEMBER SOMEONE TELLING ME ABOUT A COMBINATION OF PARAFIN WAX MIXED WITH WOOD CHIPS. WOULD THIS BE ENOUGH OR SHOULD I ADD SOMETHING ELSE TO THE MIXTURE?
2) ANOTHER QUESTION IS RELATED TO LOADING THE LOGS IN MY WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE. I RECENTLY PURCHASED A COUNTRY STOVE, MODEL C-310. I BEGAN TO LOAD THE LOGS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THE FIRE WOULD LAST LONGER WITH THE LOGS LOADED FROM FRONT TO REAR. WHICH IS BETTER? ANY OTHER TIPS?



Answer:

1) There are some companies that made firestarters like this. I would be hesitant to give you advice on making them due to the flammable nature of parafin. Also, I never personally made them!

try http://www.supercedar.com//

I use newspaper and small kindlin...like cedar scraps, etc. This does real well, although starters make it even easier.

2)Depends on where the air enters the stove and the layout of the firebox. Assuming a square firebox and air entering at the front, you may get a longer burn (and less heat) by putting the logs front to back. This makes the wood burn end to end, as opposed to a sideways fire where more surface area of the wood may be engulfed. This also depends on stove design, how you rake the embers, wood species and draft. Experiment with it and you'll find the best way for you.

Link: Fire Starters
 
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