I use the top down method . . . the reason being it works for me . . . basically I load the stove up with the wood and kindling on top (I don't do the bow ties . . . just crumple up some newspaper . . . maybe stick a piece of cardboard on top for good measure), light it up and viola . . . fire . . . I like not having to fuss with the fire for several hours once the fire is established . . . no reaching in to add more wood and worrying about the whole kit and caboodle crashing down and suffocating the fire.
That said . . . I say . . . experiment and see what works for you. TeePee Method, GottaPee Method, Log Cabin Design, UpTaCamp Design, Top Down Method or Just Right Sideways Method . . . as long as you end up with a decent fire and don't burn the house down . . . then go with what works for you.
As for starting a fire . . . I am cheap . . . I'll admit it . . . never did find my two free SuperCedars to try, burned some left over starter logs but wasn't all that impressed with them . . . these days I just use kindling or scrap wood . . . heck, my wife who is infinitely more patient than me often just tosses a few small splits on the coals in the morning and waits for them to catch . . . as I said . . . I'm a guy and have no patience to wait much longer than 5 minutes so I tend to stick with my kindling which I split up from some softwood, slabs or cedar. Again . . . go with what works for you . . . I don't judge . . . if you want to go all old school and use two sticks or flint and steel and only all natural kindling . . . or if you want to stick a blow torch into your stove to get it going and use high tech fire starters . . . as long as you get a fire and don't burn the house down in the process it's all good.
That said . . . I say . . . experiment and see what works for you. TeePee Method, GottaPee Method, Log Cabin Design, UpTaCamp Design, Top Down Method or Just Right Sideways Method . . . as long as you end up with a decent fire and don't burn the house down . . . then go with what works for you.
As for starting a fire . . . I am cheap . . . I'll admit it . . . never did find my two free SuperCedars to try, burned some left over starter logs but wasn't all that impressed with them . . . these days I just use kindling or scrap wood . . . heck, my wife who is infinitely more patient than me often just tosses a few small splits on the coals in the morning and waits for them to catch . . . as I said . . . I'm a guy and have no patience to wait much longer than 5 minutes so I tend to stick with my kindling which I split up from some softwood, slabs or cedar. Again . . . go with what works for you . . . I don't judge . . . if you want to go all old school and use two sticks or flint and steel and only all natural kindling . . . or if you want to stick a blow torch into your stove to get it going and use high tech fire starters . . . as long as you get a fire and don't burn the house down in the process it's all good.
