Reverting Back To Old Ways

[soupy1957]

My outdoor fires were always built THIS way, when starting them.......(with about 5 or 6 crumpled newspapers in the middle of the stackup):

Seems to work well in my indoor wood stove, too!! One piece of decent-sized "Split" wood, on the top.

-Soupy1957

 

[LLigetfa]

Are you talking about starting a fire or continuous burning? If you feel the need to criss-cross your wood like that for continuous burning, either your wood isn't dry enough, the draft is lousy, or your stove is way too small. You run the risk of over-firing the stove by criss-crossing.

Some people will lay all their wood N/S to give it more air for a hotter burn.

 

[LLigetfa]

I should have been able to infer startup from the "crumpled newspaper" reference. When I was using paper and starting fires bottom-up, I did a slight variation on that. My wood is bucked too long for N/S orientation so I would alternate them on the diagonal. It worked but it needed constant attention with the door slightly ajar to get it going and not foul up the glass.

Since switching to Super Cedar starters, I turn a top-down method on its side and do a front-back start. No more door ajar and no fouled up glass. Toss in a match, set the air, close the door, and walk away.

 

[woodgeek]

Soupy--I get this as a continue of the earlier thread. We are trying to tell you a few things at once:

1) If you are having a hard time starting up using the usual starters/kindling/paper approach, your wood is not dry enough.
(of course, you can burn it, but when you get better wood your current starting approaches will be a lot less important/obsolete. We've all been there, some of us still are.)
2) We recc filling the stove up with splits plus enough starter, and then light it off. If your wood is less dry, you will need to leave your door cracked a little longer.
3) Follow the three split rule. That is, you need to have a cavity somewhere that is surrounded by wood on three sides, to 'hold' the flame. One split in a stove will burn (if its dry), but less than optimally. Many folks add 2-3 splits at a time, packed close together for this reason. Try 2-3 splits on your kindling on a cold start.

 

[snowtime]

Everyone finds their favorite method of starting. If it works for you then great. Myself I use 2 -5" splits north south about 5" apart. Iput wood shavings [could substitute paper] in the center then stack kindling across the splits starting ew then ns etc. I light the shavings with 1 match make sure they are burning good then slowly close door. The system works for me.

 

[soupy1957]

Woodgeek: I was simply making conversation and continuing in a theme.........guess I've reached a point where it's time for me to practice the old saying: "Go discover the world on your own now, grasshopper."

-Soupy1957

 

[Pagey]

I criss cross for starting a cold stove, and my wood is plenty dry. It's just how I prefer to start, as it works out quickly and easily. To each his/her own, however.

 

[LLigetfa]

One split in a stove will burn (if its dry), but less than optimally. Many folks add 2-3 splits at a time, packed close together for this reason. Try 2-3 splits on your kindling on a cold start.

Also, with a bottom-up start, use progressively larger splits on each successive layer and it will give you a more substantive bed of coals. My front-to-back starts use progressively larger splits.

 

[woodgeek]

Woodgeek: I was simply making conversation and continuing in a theme.........guess I've reached a point where it's time for me to practice the old saying: "Go discover the world on your own now, grasshopper."

-Soupy1957

No offense intended--by all means, converse away. The electrons are free.

I am, of course, reacting to my own early struggles to light off less than ideal wood, and keep it going. If you're happy, that's good enough for me.

 

[firefighterjake]

If it works for you and you get heat . . . then it's good.

That said, I would experiment a little sometime when you have some spare time . . . try Top Down method or a variation . . . and don't be afraid to try it a few times . . . it took several failures or semi-failures before I hit on what works best for me.

As mentioned having a single split probably isn't the best from the efficiency standpoint.

And here's the pre-requisite "Here's-what-works-for-me" aka "This-is-how-I-do-it" response.

1. I place 2-3 small to medium sized splits 5-7 inches in diameter in the base of the firebox.
2. On top of this I place a couple of small splits, softwood slabs or pallet wood.
3. On top of this I place 3-6 pieces of kindling (cedar, split softwood slabs, old boards, etc.)
4. I crumple up 3-6 sheets of newspaper.
5. Occasionally I'll put in a cereal box or similar cardboard box on top of this whole affair.
6. With the air open and firebox door ajar, I light a match and touch off the newspaper.

7. After the flue temp has come up to a high and safe temp I will close the firebox door, but leave the air control alone.
8. Once the stove top temp and/or flue temp has come up more in temp, I will start shutting down the air control a quarter "turn" at a time.

 

[gpcollen1]

I think Top Down fire starting works even better outside and that fire gets raging twice as fast. That is where I was sold on the top down - or a hybrid of it anyway...