First top down fire...I'm a believer

[SeanG]

Hi all,

I made my first top down fire in my new CW2900i yesterday. I was reading about how to make one and wanted to test it out: http://woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

It did take a little longer to set but I will always do this when I start from scratch now. Normally I have been babysitting the fire in the first few minutes to ensure a solid ignition but with the newspaper knots and the kindling on top I was able to close the door within 30 seconds and then just watch the show. I only put three big maple/cherry splits in the bottom E/W, a big chunk of cedar N/S on top of them, a few pieces of smaller pine N/S on the sides of the cedar block and some small cedar kindling at the very top under the paper. Oh and two small sticks of fat wood with the kindling.

What a great system! It burned strong for about five hours then I reloaded at 11:30 and woke up at 6:30 to a big pile of coals and a 300 degree stove. Temps started around 39 and fell to 28 by daybreak.

All this on a exterior chimney and no block off plate. Still haven't found the time to fiddle with the block off plate. It's proving to be a real pain in the a$$ due to the angles and cramped space.

Just wanted to share my experience and spread the word about how nicely the top down fire performed.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[FionaD]

Yep, top downs are the way to go aren't they?

The only times I don't light up that way are when I feel like playing with the fire and throwing ever bigger sticks in and enjoying watching the fire take that way.... or when I can't be bothered looking out various thicknesses and lengths of splits for the various NS and EW layers below the kindling.

But top down is best becuase there's nothing better than lighting up and sitting back with a warm cup,of coffee, watching those flames work their way down and taking hold, knowing there's not even the tiniest billow of smoke coming out the flue either...

Welcome to the top down brigade!

 

[hamslam42]

I'm also a big fan of the top down method, which I first heard about on these forums last year. I had a cold start today (40 degrees outside today) and loaded it with ash splits and ash kindling, and two pieces of fatwood. Before I light the fatwood, I light newspaper and stick it up by the flue to heat it as much as possible and make sure I have a good draft. Lit the fatwood and I was able to close the door in about a minute, and my fan came on in 22 minutes (stovetop temp was about 425). I'm on 4 1/2 hours and besides a few air adjustments here and there I haven't touched it. I will need to reload in about 30 - 45 minutes...just about when I will be done with this Jubelale "festive winter ale" I'm drinking from Deschutes Brewery. I sometimes find that the winter/Christmas ales have too much spices in them, and I like this one cause it doesn't have that problem. Check it out if you like a low-spiced Christmas ale!

 

[Tedbo68]

I'm also a big fan of the top down method, which I first heard about on these forums last year. I had a cold start today (40 degrees outside today) and loaded it with ash splits and ash kindling, and two pieces of fatwood. Before I light the fatwood, I light newspaper and stick it up by the flue to heat it as much as possible and make sure I have a good draft. Lit the fatwood and I was able to close the door in about a minute, and my fan came on in 22 minutes (stovetop temp was about 425). I'm on 4 1/2 hours and besides a few air adjustments here and there I haven't touched it. I will need to reload in about 30 - 45 minutes...just about when I will be done with this Jubelale "festive winter ale" I'm drinking from Deschutes Brewery. I sometimes find that the winter/Christmas ales have too much spices in them, and I like this one cause it doesn't have that problem. Check it out if you like a low-spiced Christmas ale!

I tried the top down method today for the first time since joining this forum. It really is the way to go. I used pieces of pallet as kindling and fat wood towards the top. Pallet took off and we haven't looked back.

 

[Wood Collector]

I tried the conventional bottom up method for my first fire/break-in fire in September and struggled mightily with it. Came here looked around read about the top down method. I gave it a try for the second break-in fire a week later. Worked perfect, top down is the only method I've used since! I've had(forced) approx. 10 fires so far... love the method works perfect every time. I use cut up pallets then split the cuts down to 1/4" to 1/2" wide pieces with a hatchet. I put a dozen of these strips on top of (4) small splits that are top of (3) larger splits (4) paper bows on top of the strips. All the layers are in a different direction for air movement. Hasn't failed me yet.

 

[Bigsby]

I will need to reload in about 30 - 45 minutes...just about when I will be done with this Jubelale "festive winter ale" I'm drinking from Deschutes Brewery.

One of my favorite combos...a top down and a bottoms up.