I tried it once with paper but the mistake I made was to simply flip everything upside down from how I do the bottom up fires. I gave it another go when I got my Super Cedar samples, with half of one on top surrounded by small kin'lin. Better than my first failure but still no sense of euphoria that others describe. Sure, there was less smoke and I could close the door but it took forever to get going.
I've given up on bottom-up starts too. Sure, they are the fastest to get going but with all the smoke I have to fiddle with the door slightly ajar, not too much to snuff out the fragile flame and not too little to smother it in smoke. Close the door too soon and drops of moisture form on the glass that black soot collects on.
Well, after five more starts with quarters of Super Cedar, I've settled on a front-back variation. I put big splits in the back with smaller irregular shaped splits in front of them that get gradually smaller as I near the front. I tuck a quarter Super Cedar next to some small stuff near the doghouse and pile some more small stuff between it and the andirons by the glass. Drop in a match, close the door, set the air to a normal high burn, and walk away only to return when it's time to reload.
Can't get much easier than that. :coolsmile: Oh, and the glass stays nice and clean. :kiss:
I've given up on bottom-up starts too. Sure, they are the fastest to get going but with all the smoke I have to fiddle with the door slightly ajar, not too much to snuff out the fragile flame and not too little to smother it in smoke. Close the door too soon and drops of moisture form on the glass that black soot collects on.
Well, after five more starts with quarters of Super Cedar, I've settled on a front-back variation. I put big splits in the back with smaller irregular shaped splits in front of them that get gradually smaller as I near the front. I tuck a quarter Super Cedar next to some small stuff near the doghouse and pile some more small stuff between it and the andirons by the glass. Drop in a match, close the door, set the air to a normal high burn, and walk away only to return when it's time to reload.
Can't get much easier than that. :coolsmile: Oh, and the glass stays nice and clean. :kiss: