Old Dog, New Trick

[Battenkiller]

OK...

In the interest of being open minded, I finally gave the top-down method a try. Not in the stove, but outside in our chiminea. I put two fair size cherry splits on the bottom, then put several small 2 year-old white oak splits (about 1 1/2") in between them. I topped it with two layers of white oak kindling that had been out in the rain uncovered for a day. Then I put just three newspaper bows on top and fired her up. In other words, I didn't do anything special to make it work, even used damp kindling. If it was gonna make a believer out of me, I wanted it to earn that right.

After about three minutes, Lady BK started to gather up a handful of smaller kindling and I got ready to pull the thing apart and start over again. But wait... one of the smaller kindling pieces was starting to catch. It stayed lit for about a couple more minutes, then another one ignited. Then a few more, and in about five more minutes the whole top was in flames. Clean burning, too. No smoke at all, just waves of flame working its way down the wood stack. We got a nice coal bed real fast, with each new split we added popping into flames almost immediately. We were duly impressed. Did I mention how clean it burned? The oak even sizzled a bit, but the fire didn't seem to mind none.

The reason I tried it was because I finally got to watch that video with Vanessa and John Gulland. The way they explained it, it made sense so I thought I'd give it a try.

Not sure how this will change anything for me with the stove. I only have about half a dozen cold starts a year. But we really like the idea of loading the chiminea up ahead of time with dry wood and just lighting a match whenever we decide to start the fire. The newspaper worked fine, but I'll probably use SC-type fire starters for convenience and a 100% guarantee of one-match success. Thank you, Vanessa. ;-)

 

[BrotherBart]

The darn thing just works. In fact it works better with the newspaper bows than it does with a SC in the stove. The fast burning paper kick starts the draft like a champ. And instead of smoke going up and gluing itself to your chimney it burns passing through the fire on top of the pile.

 

[fossil]

I use some kindling/splitter scraps/whatever on top with ¼ of a Super Cedar. All my newspaper goes to recycle, after I've solved the Jumble, the Crossword, and the Sudoku. I don't miss handling it for starting fires. Oh, wait, I do still use it when I clean out the cats' litter box...but I don't tie that into bows. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

I use some kindling/splitter scraps/whatever on top with ¼ of a Super Cedar. All my newspaper goes to recycle, after I've solved the Jumble, the Crossword, and the Sudoku. I don't miss handling it for starting fires. Oh, wait, I do still use it when I clean out the cats' litter box...but I don't tie that into bows. Rick

I'll would tie 10,000 bows for fire starting before I would ever wipe out a litter box. Water hose and ten feet of separation for that job.

 

[fossil]

I use some kindling/splitter scraps/whatever on top with ¼ of a Super Cedar. All my newspaper goes to recycle, after I've solved the Jumble, the Crossword, and the Sudoku. I don't miss handling it for starting fires. Oh, wait, I do still use it when I clean out the cats' litter box...but I don't tie that into bows. Rick

I'll would tie 10,000 bows for fire starting before I would ever wipe out a litter box. Water hose and ten feet of separation for that job.

Me too. That's why all I'm talking about is using an industrial strength pooper scooper to get the chunks out and onto some newspaper a couple times a day...wrap up & discard. No way I'm talking about wiping the box clean with a piece of newspaper in my hand. OK, enough about cat scat...back to starting fires. Rick

 

[Adkjake]

I've had two cats that have learned to use the toilet. Didn't learn to flush, but small price to pay

 

[Battenkiller]

instead of smoke going up and gluing itself to your chimney it burns passing through the fire on top of the pile.

You're right, that seems to be exactly what happens. We were amazed at how clean the wood burns with this method. Just the opposite of what happens when you put a bunch of small, dry stuff on top of a coal bed. We can't wait to try it on an open campfire. It would be an excellent method to get a good coal bed for cooking with a minimum of wood. Might be tough in the wind, though. Might end up chasing flaming newspaper bows through the woods.

 

[PapaDave]

instead of smoke going up and gluing itself to your chimney it burns passing through the fire on top of the pile.

You're right, that seems to be exactly what happens. We were amazed at how clean the wood burns with this method. Just the opposite of what happens when you put a bunch of small, dry stuff on top of a coal bed. We can't wait to try it on an open campfire. It would be an excellent method to get a good coal bed for cooking with a minimum of wood. Might be tough in the wind, though. Might end up chasing flaming newspaper bows through the woods.

BK, just weight 'em down with some good sized splits. :cheese:

 

[Battenkiller]

instead of smoke going up and gluing itself to your chimney it burns passing through the fire on top of the pile.

You're right, that seems to be exactly what happens. We were amazed at how clean the wood burns with this method. Just the opposite of what happens when you put a bunch of small, dry stuff on top of a coal bed. We can't wait to try it on an open campfire. It would be an excellent method to get a good coal bed for cooking with a minimum of wood. Might be tough in the wind, though. Might end up chasing flaming newspaper bows through the woods.

BK, just weight 'em down with some good sized splits. :cheese:

There ya go. So let's see, first there was bottom-up, then along came top-down, and now.... both sides against the middle? ;-P