Any tips for a top down fire in a small BK?

[BC_Josh]

I tried doing a top down fire in my small BK (Sirroco 20) and I've done it before and I think it worked pretty good, but this time, I had it too crammed full and I stuffed the newspaper on the top, so there were burnt chunks of black paper coughing out the chimney! Also, it smelled bad after it got hotter, like burnt paper and newspaper ink, like the newspaper struggled to actually burn through. Anyway, the box of my Sirroco is pretty darn small, and it had a few chunks of unburnt, charred wood from the last fire in it. So, not much space.

Seems like there's as much art as their is science to lighting a good fire in these stoves. I like the top down for less smoke buildup... Any tips? I've read some threads in here that suggest using a hollow middle section of the wood stack to light a sort-of-top-down, more like a "middle out" kind of fire. What are your thoughts, please and thanks.

 

[moresnow]

That method seems way more important to the tube stove users (full baffle and tubes to catch the top start heat directly).
Never noticed a significant time difference in starting location on a (cold) start in a BK 20 box. Or any other BK for that matter. Gaping open bypass lets most top start heat directly out the pipe. Dunno!
Considering that most/many BK users burn 24/7 and reload on coals anyway it's a non-issue to many.
Biggest advantage that I have learned on the 20 is to keep it mostly cleaned out of ash. Leave a bit. Rather imperative to be able to completely load it. Key.
Surely my opinion will fire up the top down crowd and the "leave a thick layer of ash crowd"!

 

[Montanalocal]

I have got a small Vermont Iron Stove Works pie plate stove in a far cold corner of my house that I only need to use occasionally when we get well under 0. I have found that on cold starting, what seems to work the best is to start a small fire first. I just put paper, kindling, and some small stick-like splits in, only filling it half way. This catches readily, and forms a layer of coals in the bottom of the stove.
This then can be loaded with a full load of regular splits like it is a hot start, and they catch well.

 

[Warm Floor]

I have a King stove and I do a modified top down that uses gloves. I'll load up the stove from edge to edge in a north/south orientation but leave a gap or V down the middle that's large enough for me to stuff one more log in. I'll put a fire starter in the bottom of that V and then put 2 or 3 pieces of kindling on top of that and light it off with a propane torch for a few seconds. Depending on how well it catches I may throw on a piece or 2 of larger kindling. Once it's fully engulfed, I'll throw in a larger log to make up for the area in the top of the V. The gloves are so I can position the log where I want it without burning my fingers. Seems to work well for me. I gave up on newspaper early on for the stove lighters. I personally like the convenience for what little it cost. Besides, when things get cold enough I don't generally need to do colds starts. And my draft has almost alway's been good.

 

[Highbeam]

Never had any luck with top down on the BK. Use dry wood, enough kindling, and your trusty propane torch and the dang thing starts right up.

 

[BC_Josh]

Biggest advantage that I have learned on the 20 is to keep it mostly cleaned out of ash. Leave a bit. Rather imperative to be able to completely load it. Key.

Yes, indeed! Seems important since the firebox is small.

I have found that on cold starting, what seems to work the best is to start a small fire first.

I too, have found this. I hate it when my chimney belches out smoke into the neighbour's yard. He described it as "crazy" this morning. We were shoveling snow and I pointed out that I had loaded a huge piece of wood on the fire, and would try to build better fires than I did this morning!

leave a gap or V down the middle that's large enough for me to stuff one more log in. I'll put a fire starter in the bottom of that V and then put 2 or 3 pieces of kindling on top of that and light it off with a propane torch for a few seconds. Depending on how well it catches I may throw on a piece or 2 of larger kindling. Once it's fully engulfed, I'll throw in a larger log to make up for the area in the top of the V.

Sounds like a good strategy.

Thanks everyone for the input! Happy woodburning!

 

[tabner]

In my BK 20 box, when i have to do a cold start (which isn't often because i can run it 24/7) i have not found the Top Down method to be great. I do the "small starter fire" approach. Bunch of crumpled newspaper and a handful of kindling or scrap wood cutoffs, etc. Just let that rip for about 15 mins, it'll be down to mostly coals and the Catalyst up to active temp, come back and do a full reload of normal sized wood, let that load catch for 5 or 10 mins, adjust thermostat and walk away for 12 hours.