I've read some online articles from guys swearing that lighting a fire from the top and letting burn downward is the way to go. I've tried it a few times and it didn't go so well. Is anyone doing this?
The few times I tried did not work so well for me either compared to my usual bottom-up. However, Supercedars are supposed to help a lot: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/super-cedar-free-samples-discount-code.113830/
Welcome to the forum mass_burner.
Yes, there are folks who like it and there is a popular video about it. Still, many of us just go back to our old ways as we find it works best.
I don't emit enough smoke to get caught on no burn days, reloads, lots of smoke, and I have just built a small fire on top of reload splits to help burn the smoke. Top down is the way to go for cold start and not emitting smoke, small kindling on top with progressively larger splits 2-3 layers below. It is the heat and embers from the top dropping down that get it going,. not the flames, which are on top, helping to burn off smoke. It does take a bit longer to start, so it seems. Once I light a top down, I just come back in 10-20 minutes to close the air a bit, the same time I would be there building a bottom up on a cold start-without supercedars, of course. I don't need supercedars with a top down. We having roving patrols of air quality management people writing citation left and right.Basically, if your using good dry wood, and once the firebox gets to temp, most stoves are truly burning from the top down anyways due to the secondaries.
IMO your going to get smoke from fire starts & reloads regardless of how you start the fire. Your burning the wood either way, and until the box gets up to temp, its going to smoke.
No burn days? I never knew. Only in Cali. How often are there no burn days. Is this for air quality, or forest fires? What if you get cold on a no burn day? (And you don't want to burn anyway)
Welcome to the forum mass_burner.
Yes, there are folks who like it and there is a popular video about it. Still, many of us just go back to our old ways as we find it works best.
Never enough room in my packed firebox with a 1/4 SC at bottom to try.
I would to see the video.
Then you are packing it way too tight. Fire needs a bit of room too.
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