Top down burn

[Carl]

Finally watched the video from about the top down burn. Cool evenings here so I have tried this for the last few starts. It works very well with my stove but don't think it would work well in a firepit since the heat wouldn't be reflected around like in these new airtight stoves.

Cool this morning so I started another small fire for the morning. I am using one 18 inch x 5 inch round cut in half, then split into a few smaller pieces and stacked in the stove with a small amount of kindling on top. Lights quickly, burns with less smoke, and does the job.


Starting up:

A little after startup:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Carl, we have the stove cooking this morning too. In fact, I just added a couple more splits. As for lighting the fire, I guess by habit I still put a little paper in, some kindling and a couple splits. It's worked for many, many moons and still seems to work okay.

You are probably right in that the top down won't work too great in anything but a good stove. Bottom; something that lights quickly. Then a little kindling and then the real McCoy on top.

 

[northwinds]

I've been burning top down ever since I found some a good source for lumber scraps. I load up
2 or 3 large splits for the bottom and then lay some of the scraps on top. Add a small chunk of fire-
starter under the scraps. Light up and close the doors. After that, I have some air adjustments
to make but don't have to open the doors until it's time for a reload. Works like a charm.

 

[jebatty]

My logic tells me top down should work just as well in the fire pit. The difficulty I see is the quantity of wind. The paper seems to burn best with little to medium draft. The logic is that the hottest part of the flame is just around the dark center. The higher, dancing flame is cooler than the outside portion of the flame at the bottom of the top down burn. That's why it works so well. I use top down to start my gasifier, which produces a pretty good forced draft across the top of the flame, and it starts just fine.