Tunnel of Love

I'll be damned, that works.

The 30 is the first stove I've had that I could try this. I put a load in at 7:30 am and I just decided to reload the stove (at 7:30 pm) as it was getting cool in the house (well, less warm, it was still 72 in the room with the 30). The stove top was at 100, 150 tops.

So I raked the coals forward into a big pile, pressed down in the center with the poker to create the tunnel, and loaded the stove. Splits behind the pile and splits on top of the pile. Closed the door, and the damn thing caught quickly. Usually when the stove top is that low in temps I usually crack the door to get the splits to catch. Didn't have to do that this time.

I might need more stoves that I can do this with.

Funny you bring this up, I just tried this myself over the weekend. I read about this method on this forum last week (can't remember where), and it did work pretty well!

Glad it worked for ya.

Oh that tunnel of love.

Seriously though, be green explained this to me last year, works great!

Never tryed the tunnel, but we still have enough hot coals 24 hrs after a start to get another one going.It's great.

Yeah, it was the first time I remembered about it when I went to load the stove. Usually I remember afterwards and think "next time..."

I always make the tunnel, somehow started doing it a couple of years ago restarts great. This will be my 4th winter burning and every year learn more. Can someone tell me why rake the coals forward? I have been leveling the coals and making the tunnell in the middle and loading on top. I just found this site and all the info is great! Thanks

I rake my coals forward for 2 reasons :
1. Sometimes when I want more heat, I rake them forward and open the air up to burn them down so that when I reload, they don't burn all of the new wood faster.

2. For overnight burns, raking the coals forward leaves a space at the rear of the stove on the bottom to put in a good sized round, then load the rest of the wood around it. The round will burn last and slower, extending burn times and heat output.

Funny.

ya, why to the front?

Well, more stoves is always a good thing. But, I'm running out of rooms to put them in. I guess I could add on?

It gets the coals up to the primary air inlet for a faster start, as well as gets some wood in the back with no coals underneath, for a longer burn.

Good reasons! I will try tonight. Thanks

Yeah, same here. I'm out of chimneys.

i need a good way to keep the coals inside of the stove when I rake them forward. Any suggestions?

Don't rake them so far forward?

Ask him if he wants a VC Intrepid...

I believe this is called the "Cigar Burn" when the coals are raked to the front and you load N-S so the splits burn front to back at a slower rate.

May have to add those 2 terms to this old thread...
http://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/...y-add-your-suggestions-here.76313/#post-76313

I'm a big fan of the tunnel of love. It's the best way to get air flow during an EW burn. I read about it years ago on hearth, but also think my manual suggested this method as well.

I tried to explain the tunnel of love technique to my wife last night.....she said told me she is worried I am going to leave her for the wood stove.