Starting a fire

[Bobbin]

OK, it's the time of year for regular fires. I'm usually the one who fires the household stove up in the late afternoon. I am the one who is fully in charge of the stove in my workroom (following a very unpleasant experience last year involving the good man and good intentions). I have a thing about starting the fire with as little newspaper and kindling as possible ( I know, I know). Every time I try to get things rolling with just a little bit less. It's a game. I watched the good man start a fire the other day and was aghast at the "wastefulness", but maintained a zipped lip.

How do you and your significant other firestarter differ in your preferred techniques?

 

[PapaDave]

Bobbin, my wife likes to think of the stove as a furnace that you have to put wood into. In other words, put the wood in at the last minute, leave the air wherever it happens to be, close the door and walk away! :ahhh: She's actually had some good successes with that approach...somehow.
I, however, prefer not having to clean the flue every day or two, so I tend to pay more attention to how the stove is run. I do look at it as an appliance, just not as if it's a toaster.
I've been using too much kindling and paper trying to get the flue warmed up for a good draft, and really hope the colder weather will allow that to change.
With all that said, I'm the fire starter and fire maintenance guy and everything else unless I happen to be out for the day. After getting the old stove repaired and changing gaskets, I still have what seems to be a small leak in the door gasket. Stove is easier to control, but still wants to run on the wild side. Changing the gasket in a day or so.
ALWAYS trying to run the stove a little more efficiently. Must come from working with the Japanese, or I'm just competitive by nature. Kaisan, or continual improvement, is their mantra, although I used to call it constant pain.
Just get good and efficient at something and they wanted to change it again. I do it anyway.
Long winded reply, maybe Jake and I are related? %-P

 

[johnstra]

I've adopted the top-down approach and I'm having great success with it. I use very little paper, but I do use a fair amount of kindling (very small splits and shavings). I'm able to light it with the side door cracked and walk away for 15 minutes. Then I close the door and let it burn to coals. That establishes a strong draft, gets the stove up to about 350*, and gives me a great bed of coals. At that point, I'm ready for a full cycle.

The best thing, though, is that I don't have to start from scratch very often... usually I just load splits on top of coals and let it spring back to life.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I recall that experience you had last year Bobbin. lol

For many, many moons we just used newspapers and kindling. My wife then latched onto fatwood. She likes it; I'm not particularly thrilled with it but it works. This year, we are using Super Cedars and have had nothing but excellent results. Here is my method, which the wife follows....somewhat. Naturally it starts with draft full open.

1. I lay a couple small splits in the bottom of the stove, usually forming a small vee in the center.
2. Lay 1/4 Super Cedar in the center of the vee.
3. Light super cedar.
4. Lay kindling (not particularly small but about 1" x 1") on top of kindling in a sort of crisscross method; usually 3 layers.
5. Lay anywhere from 1 to 3 splits on top.
6. Close fire door.
7. Relax while fire gets going.

It works well for us.

 

[Gunks]

I recently adopted the top down method. A couple of splits at the bottom, then a few kindling and then 1/6 of a Super Cedar. Keep the stove door ajar just a little for about 15 mins. Great looking fire in about 1/2 hour.

 

[thewoodlands]

OK, it's the time of year for regular fires. I'm usually the one who fires the household stove up in the late afternoon. I am the one who is fully in charge of the stove in my workroom (following a very unpleasant experience last year involving the good man and good intentions). I have a thing about starting the fire with as little newspaper and kindling as possible ( I know, I know). Every time I try to get things rolling with just a little bit less. It's a game. I watched the good man start a fire the other day and was aghast at the "wastefulness", but maintained a zipped lip.

How do you and your significant other firestarter differ in your preferred techniques?

I came home the other day and the house was 73, not sure how she started it but she had it rockin.


zap

We have a basement install (Lopi Liberty) 73 was the main floor

 

[tlingit]

We have started doing top down fires, and really like them. Even my hard headed husband converted and is showing his friends how to do it now. Our hearthstone gets up to stove top temps of 400-500 pretty quick, and I don't have to do more than leave the air control open. Here's a link to a photo essay. http://www.woodheat.org/tips/topdownsteps.htm

Hope it works for you. It's been so easy for us, that I'm teaching the 17 year old how to do it, in case she's alone and cold. So far, she has built the fire three nights running and it's started really well. She's getting better each time. (So's my husband, but don't tell him I thought his technique could use any improvement at all, no, none at all).

 

[BrotherBart]

Me and the little brown haired girl do it the same way since I am the one that taught her how to start the 30. Lay two splits N/S with an inch or two of space and a quarter of a Super Cedar between them. Lay two splits E/W on top of them with an inch or so of space between them right over the piece of Super Cedar and light the SC with a long nosed BBQ lighter. Leave the door cracked a few minutes until the flames between the E/W splits are rockin. Close door. Start the air close down drill as the flame and stove temp dictate.

What is paper and kindling? I think I remember that stuff.

 

[tickbitty]

He starts it more often than I do. Not sure exactly what he does except he usually cleans out the ash more than I do. He also strategically lays splits with good air flow and puts other ones on top of those two.

I try to start from coals whenever possible. (even if it's 7pm and the last wood was loaded at 10pm last night) I am less strategic with the placement, just try to get some coals and a little air under the split somewhere and put another one on top to catch the flame when it happens. I just try to get the coals out in the open and lay something on them and give it some air and hope for the best. Sometimes it works right away, sometimes it takes a bit. If the coals aren't live enough to
"go" and I am in a hurry for the heat I might add a 1/4 super cedar. He has been known to get impatient with my method and rearrange. I don't care, as long as there's fire.

The supercedars help a LOT to make the "whatever" method work. No paper anymore! Our wood this year is really dry so far though. If we get any that's a bit less seasoned the methods may have to be adjusted a little.

 

[firefighterjake]

Bobbin, my wife likes to think of the stove as a furnace that you have to put wood into. In other words, put the wood in at the last minute, leave the air wherever it happens to be, close the door and walk away! :ahhh: She's actually had some good successes with that approach...somehow.
I, however, prefer not having to clean the flue every day or two, so I tend to pay more attention to how the stove is run. I do look at it as an appliance, just not as if it's a toaster.
I've been using too much kindling and paper trying to get the flue warmed up for a good draft, and really hope the colder weather will allow that to change.
With all that said, I'm the fire starter and fire maintenance guy and everything else unless I happen to be out for the day. After getting the old stove repaired and changing gaskets, I still have what seems to be a small leak in the door gasket. Stove is easier to control, but still wants to run on the wild side. Changing the gasket in a day or so.
ALWAYS trying to run the stove a little more efficiently. Must come from working with the Japanese, or I'm just competitive by nature. Kaisan, or continual improvement, is their mantra, although I used to call it constant pain.
Just get good and efficient at something and they wanted to change it again. I do it anyway.
Long winded reply, maybe Jake and I are related? %-P

We're not long-winded . . . we just happen to have a lot to say.

 

[firefighterjake]

My wife and I are like Yin and Yang . . . we truly compliment each other with our strengths and weaknesses . . . we are different and yet we are the same . . . and for this reason we pretty much run the stove the same way, start fires in the same way, etc.

There are a few differences . . . my wife tends to want to position the fan blowing towards the stove so that it is pointing towards the top of the stove whereas I tend to point the fan so that it is blowing at the bottom part of the stove . . . honestly . . . I don't notice much of a difference since the fan is away from the stove enough so that it establishes an air flow regardless of how it is pointed . . . and so I don't worry about it.

My wife is also infinitely more patient than me . . . in the mornings she will put several small splits on the coals to get the fire going whereas I get impatient and go for the kindling supply to get the instant gratification . . . she also tends to wait longer than me to reload the stove which to tell the truth is usually a good thing as I again get impatient and tend to want to reload the stove when the coals are still relatively large.

 

[Bobbin]

I've had a couple of really good chuckles reading PapaDave's reply, as well as Zap's.

I catch a lot of grief for my enjoyment of this site; "why are you doing that?"; "I dunno, hon., I wouldn't do it that way...". Umm, yeah, I know that, love chop. Lol. But it does interest me that since joining this site I've tried a lot of different things with respect to burning that I'd never have even considered before.

I think about fires differently now and I honestly think I'm more "in tune" with how to use the firewood resource we have available and the ability of our stoves to turn it into a clean, efficient source of warmth. I find I'm quite miserly about newspaper and kindling and I'm more patient (like Jake's wife) about waiting to add more splits to the stove as it begins to drop in temperature. Just because the stove is "cooling down" doesn't mean I have to put more fuel into it... I wait until the ambiant temperature of the room or a dropping temperature outdoors tells me I ought to. I've really refined my ability to "manage" the comfortable temperature we like in our home while not wasting firewood.

My goal for the coming season? Keep the good man busy with the "Honey do" list and right the hell away from the stoves. Lol. How's that for a twist, boys? :shut:

 

[PapaDave]

Bobbin, my wife likes to think of the stove as a furnace that you have to put wood into. In other words, put the wood in at the last minute, leave the air wherever it happens to be, close the door and walk away! :ahhh: She's actually had some good successes with that approach...somehow.
I, however, prefer not having to clean the flue every day or two, so I tend to pay more attention to how the stove is run. I do look at it as an appliance, just not as if it's a toaster.
I've been using too much kindling and paper trying to get the flue warmed up for a good draft, and really hope the colder weather will allow that to change.
With all that said, I'm the fire starter and fire maintenance guy and everything else unless I happen to be out for the day. After getting the old stove repaired and changing gaskets, I still have what seems to be a small leak in the door gasket. Stove is easier to control, but still wants to run on the wild side. Changing the gasket in a day or so.
ALWAYS trying to run the stove a little more efficiently. Must come from working with the Japanese, or I'm just competitive by nature. Kaisan, or continual improvement, is their mantra, although I used to call it constant pain.
Just get good and efficient at something and they wanted to change it again. I do it anyway.
Long winded reply, maybe Jake and I are related? %-P

We're not long-winded . . . we just happen to have a lot to say.

Jake, glad you're able to take a ribbing,...good deal.
The bold reminds me of a beatles song...
" I imagine she's a pretty nice girl,
but, she doesn't have a lot to say"
For us, it would be...
" I imagine he's a pretty nice guy,
but he suure has a lot to say"

 

[Later]

My wife starts the fire by saying "I'm cold hon". On the other-hand I use the top down method with 4-5 knots, some split shakes as kindling all on top of some splits. Light the match and close the door, and say "yes dear".

 

[Kenster]

We have started doing top down fires, and really like them. Even my hard headed husband converted and is showing his friends how to do it now. Our hearthstone gets up to stove top temps of 400-500 pretty quick, and I don't have to do more than leave the air control open. Here's a link to a photo essay. http://www.woodheat.org/tips/topdownsteps.htm

Hope it works for you. It's been so easy for us, that I'm teaching the 17 year old how to do it, in case she's alone and cold. So far, she has built the fire three nights running and it's started really well. She's getting better each time. (So's my husband, but don't tell him I thought his technique could use any improvement at all, no, none at all).

Thanks for posting the link to that tutorial. I'm a visual learner so the pics helped a lot in picturing the process as well as understanding why it works. I'll have to give it a shot.

 

[guest5234]

OK, it's the time of year for regular fires. I'm usually the one who fires the household stove up in the late afternoon. I am the one who is fully in charge of the stove in my workroom (following a very unpleasant experience last year involving the good man and good intentions). I have a thing about starting the fire with as little newspaper and kindling as possible ( I know, I know). Every time I try to get things rolling with just a little bit less. It's a game. I watched the good man start a fire the other day and was aghast at the "wastefulness", but maintained a zipped lip.

How do you and your significant other firestarter differ in your preferred techniques?

Wow, what a lady, if you ever decide to leave that no good useless husband of yours I have a stove in little old England that needs tending.

 

[ansehnlich1]

cereal boxes.

I just love 'em

I've torn 'em, rolled 'em, scrunched 'em

thinking about rolling up a piece of paper and stuffin' it in one, then laying kindling on top, and watch it go!

 

[PapaDave]

cereal boxes.

I just love 'em

I've torn 'em, rolled 'em, scrunched 'em

thinking about rolling up a piece of paper and stuffin' it in one, then laying kindling on top, and watch it go!

One word, toilet paper rolls. Wait, that's ......3 words.

 

[woodjack]

Bobbin, my wife likes to think of the stove as a furnace that you have to put wood into. In other words, put the wood in at the last minute, leave the air wherever it happens to be, close the door and walk away! :ahhh: She's actually had some good successes with that approach...somehow.
I, however, prefer not having to clean the flue every day or two, so I tend to pay more attention to how the stove is run. I do look at it as an appliance, just not as if it's a toaster.
I've been using too much kindling and paper trying to get the flue warmed up for a good draft, and really hope the colder weather will allow that to change.
With all that said, I'm the fire starter and fire maintenance guy and everything else unless I happen to be out for the day. After getting the old stove repaired and changing gaskets, I still have what seems to be a small leak in the door gasket. Stove is easier to control, but still wants to run on the wild side. Changing the gasket in a day or so.
ALWAYS trying to run the stove a little more efficiently. Must come from working with the Japanese, or I'm just competitive by nature. Kaisan, or continual improvement, is their mantra, although I used to call it constant pain.
Just get good and efficient at something and they wanted to change it again. I do it anyway.
Long winded reply, maybe Jake and I are related? %-P

We're not long-winded . . . we just happen to have a lot to say.

Other than starting and putting out fires, what I learn from Jake is how to be a nice guy. ;-)

 

[Battenkiller]

I'm a speed starter. I put off firing up the stove until Lady BK starts to cry and her tears begin to freeze to her face, and by then I had better move fast and get the joint warmed up. I quickly rake any leftover cold coals into a pile in front of the primary air inlet, place a tiny piece of SuperCedar (way less than 1/4) or similar starter on top of the coals, light 'er up and stick feed the fire with progressively larger sizes of bone-dry kindling/small splits, starting from pencil size on up to wrist size.

Sounds tedious, but it's fast as hell in real life. I only add another piece when the wood below it is fully in flame. After about three minutes, I shut the doors and wait for about a minute or so for the flame path to develop from the air intake, then I add some bigger pieces and close the doors again. After about ten minutes, I'm (hopefully) up to 450-500º on the flue and maybe 350-400º on the stove top. I open the doors and put on 3-4 medium splits and go up to have my coffee. After my coffee I come back down and check the stove. If the flue temp is up close to 600º and the stove top is about the same temp, I close the bypass and send the stove into downdraft mode.

Doing it this way saves me time, kindling and firestarters, and I never come back to check on the stove and find it's not going well.

 

[nate379]

I have almost forgotten how to start a fire. I have had a 24/7 fire in my stove since the first week of October.

 

[BigV]

I use to tear pallets apart to use for kindling. Pallets are a lots of work, but very effective.

Then I began using “Starterloggs”. They are $8.99 for a box of 24. Since my wood is well seasoned I break the starterlogg in half and then break the half piece in half. I put the two pieces (1/2 of a starterlogg) on the bottom of my stove and then stack 3 splits on top, light the starterlogg close the door. I open the vent all the way and within 15 minutes have a nice roaring fire.

I figure I use 3 boxes a year at a cost of around $27.00 and can make 144 fires at a coat of less than $ .19 a fire.

During the cold months I just start using existing coals. When I clean out the ash I leave a bed of hot coals to get the next fire going.

 

[woodjack]

I'm a kindling and newspaper guy. I feel like I'm cheating when I use factory made fire starters.

 

[Battenkiller]

I'm a kindling and newspaper guy. I feel like I'm cheating when I use factory made fire starters.

I feel like I'm cheating when I don't rub two sticks together. :cheese:

IMO newspaper is a firestarter, just not as good as a wax/sawdust one. I prefer birch bark above all, but I'm all out this year so I made several batches in cardboard egg cartons (homemade SuperCedar). One "egg" burns for a very long time, but not with the fury and intensity of birch bark.

 

[nelraq]

Like BigV, I also use Starterloogs. I'm much more stingy than BigV. I cut one 'log' into 5 pieces - makes for about a 1.5 X 2 inch piece.

I place it in the stove with a good size split on either side - and another split placed diagonally on top. Light the starterloog and away she goes!

This method has never failed--although this new box of starterloog seems much more difficult to light than last years' did. It sometimes takes a couple of matches to get the piece lit. Sure better than kindling and paper though!!