Let's see your tinder bundle.

[Slacker]

Tonight's low is 55 but tomorrow's low will be in the 20's so I was preparing the stove for duty. I've seen a few complex ways to start a fire but I've always kept it simple. A few pieces of wadded up newspaper with some twigs on top of that, then 3 or 4 pieces of kindling.

 

[jetsam]

It is going down to 35 here tonight, so the stove's already burning.

 

[firefighterjake]

Load the stove up with firewood. Put in 2-3 pieces of kindling on top (some folks skip this step). Add a quarter of a Super Cedar. Light. Sit back . . . and enjoy the show . . . no messing with adding wood on top of kindling. About the only thing you have to do is adjust the air control.

 

[FionaD]

Tonight's low is 55 but tomorrow's low will be in the 20's so I was preparing the stove for duty. I've seen a few complex ways to start a fire but I've always kept it simple. A few pieces of wadded up newspaper with some twigs on top of that, then 3 or 4 pieces of kindling.

I usually light top down... But on the odd occasion I don't I probably use around 15 pieces of kindling... So, Wow... Looking at your pic, it seems I use way more kindling than I need..! What's your next stage, adding some small splits? How many before you get to 'proper' split size?

 

[Zkx14]

Sorry, no pic - I tried top down light for the first time recently. I think I will be doing that from now on. Less smoke and nice to start with some bigger splits in the bottom.
Starting the fire in the bottom, you either have to add pieces as it starts or let it crash down as the kindling collapses. Sometimes nearly smothering itself.
For my first try, I used progressively smaller pieces to start top down. Probably more pieces, but less wood than the other way. Wife usually gets the stove started in afternoon while I am at work during the week. I will probably do another top light Saturday.
I do usually light with a torch. Mine is mapp gas, so Its almost instant light. Dont need paper, or even really small kindling.

 

[Woody Stover]

seen a few complex ways to start a fire but I've always kept it simple.

tried top down light for the first time recently.

It doesn't get any simpler. Load it (short load this time,) Coupla SuperCedar chunks, coupla kindling....done!

 

[Slacker]

This is the first I've heard of the supercedar. After looking it up I see it's made with wax. My stoves manual states to NOT use any wax products. I would love to try this product but not if it will hurt my stove, a Drolet HT2000. What would the wax do?? I scoop the ashes out so it wouldn't effect my ash pan.

 

[Woody Stover]

My stoves manual states to NOT use any wax products.

Not sure but maybe they are talking about the wax logs, which I imagine could over-fire a stove.
These have got wax in 'em, too...

 

[rippinryno]

^^^i use those everytime to get mine going, they're a couple bucks a box and you get 24 lights out of one box!

 

[Woody Stover]

^^^i use those everytime to get mine going, they're a couple bucks a box and you get 24 lights out of one box!

I (carefully) cut those squares in half, so I have two squares the same size as the original, but half as thick. Then I can fold those in half, like a pup tent, and they burn really well.

 

[jetsam]

Has anyone ever tried using a little pile of pellet stove pellets for firestarter? I'm not sure how those things burn, but they're $5 for a bag that would last ten years. (Moot point for me, since sticks are free, and free trumps $5. )

 

[Squisher]

I light top down always now with just newspaper and kindling on top, no fire starters involved. I lay my two bigs on the bottom two smaller crossways, then I stuff a bunch of newspaper all in and about then about 9 pieces of kindling in three rows of three crossing. Light er up and you're off to the races.

I used to always use kindling, then small splits, then finally normal splits. Opening the door many times and losing heat each time. Never again.

 

[FionaD]

We don't have SuperCedar over here, but we have these, made of wood-wool and a small amount of wax. One will burn easily for ten minutes... Never fails. Love 'em!

 

[peakbagger]

When clearing out my parents house I ended up with box of candles and canning wax. I was going to make fire starters but with my boiler I use three sheets of rolled up newspaper, three pieces of cardboard on the grate and three birch splits under a few rounds and it lights off. Since its a bottom grate boiler with storage, I have no coals so I get to light it up every time I want to reheat the storage.

 

[Poindexter]

I usually only have to light my stove a couple times a year, so I am kinda rusty, but usually I bust up a 2x4 scrap that was about 10-12 inches long into pretty small 12 inch long pieces.

Lay a couple splits on the floor of the stove maybe 2 inches apart. Little bit of wadded up newspaper in the valley, then the busted up up 2x4 pieces, log cabin 4 or 6 more splits on top of that.

Light it up and let 'er rip. After 30 minutes or so spread the coals out on the floor of the stove, fill it up with wood close the door, remain on hot reload cycle until much later.

 

[firefighterjake]

This is the first I've heard of the supercedar. After looking it up I see it's made with wax. My stoves manual states to NOT use any wax products. I would love to try this product but not if it will hurt my stove, a Drolet HT2000. What would the wax do?? I scoop the ashes out so it wouldn't effect my ash pan.

I suspect the warning is more for the large pressed wax logs that some folks use in fireplaces . . . the small amount of highly refined parrafin used in the SuperCedars should not be a concern for any stove. Way back when some folks with cat stoves were concerned about the effect on the combustors, but if I remember correctly (and I could be wrong) one of the big cat stove players was including Super Cedar samples with their stoves. I am pretty leery of what I burn and don't burn . . . I would have no concerns with using a Super Cedar or similar product in my stove.

 

[St. Coemgen]

[QUOTE="A few pieces of wadded up newspaper with some twigs on top of that, then 3 or 4 pieces of kindling.[/QUOTE]

Top down is the best. A photo essay of the steps: http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

 

[jetsam]

Top down is the best. A photo essay of the steps: http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

I will have to give top-down another spin sometime.

From the article: "...the reward is ... up to two hours of heating without having to reload."

I'm not trading stoves with that guy!

 

[rippinryno]

[QUOTE="A few pieces of wadded up newspaper with some twigs on top of that, then 3 or 4 pieces of kindling.

Top down is the best. A photo essay of the steps: http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html[/QUOTE]

i can tell you right now that method wouldn't work a bit in my wood stove. You light the paper on top, it burns....it's gone...wood is left, unlit.

the easiest method i've found is to not use any paper. Take one of the little firestarters that have been shared in this thread. light it. wait a couple minutes, stack 2 medium logs on each side of the fire starter. THen put some kindling across your 2 medium logs, then cross your kindling with some more medium logs, then it's ripping. Very easy, no paper, and quick to light. The little starter squares go for about 10 minutes and they'll light anything.

 

[St. Coemgen]

Top down is the best. A photo essay of the steps: http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

i can tell you right now that method wouldn't work a bit in my wood stove. You light the paper on top, it burns....it's gone...wood is left, unlit.[/QUOTE]

Then simply place some kindling on top of the paper. Always works for me. My mod: https://stcoemgen.com/2015/02/01/start-at-the-top-or-how-to-build-the-perfect-winter-fire/

Fire starters mean more $. Paper from junk mail is free.

 

[jetsam]

Before I started using the torch but after I quit using paper, I took a dry, smallish round and 'split' it sideways with the chainsaw, laying it on its side and cutting with the grain. If your blade is sharp, this peels off long curly wood shavings really fast. Split one round this way and you will have a whole boxful of long curly wood shavings that are rather good to get your kindling going.

(Only did this once and I still have half the box left- I personally find it easier just to break up a boxful of tiny dry twigs when I am out cutting wood- but the shavings do work great.)

 

[rippinryno]

i used to use paper with kindling on top, then i found out how easy and clean and effective the little 10 cent squares are, worth every penny. hell your newspaper page probably cost more than the starters do. I save my kindling from the splitter. whenever im' done splitting or moving the splitter, i rake up all the small debris under the splitter, even if wet it makes great kindling.

 

[St. Coemgen]

little 10 cent squares are, worth every penny.

As an American Exapt living in Hungary, to me in fact as well in theory, spending a few pennies to reduce a work load of course may make sense.

But here in my locale the monthly income is only about $300 a month. And most people here have mass heaters which require two hot firings a day (morning and evenings). So that amounts to about $6 a month, in local absolute cost, just to start their fires. But absolute costs are not important, what is important is relative costs. At $300 a month income, if one uses a "median" American income of $36,000 as a relative equivalent, it would cost about $60 a month just to start fires here using such fire starting squares. As a relative comparison, I doubt a $60 monthly expense is worth it, even in the states, when junk mail paper is free.

Just something to think about.

 

[nikolays]

Here is my way of starting, split 2x6 in 4pcs no paper needed.

 

[rippinryno]

As an American Exapt living in Hungary, to me in fact as well in theory, spending a few pennies to reduce a work load of course may make sense.

But here in my locale the monthly income is only about $300 a month. And most people here have mass heaters which require two hot firings a day (morning and evenings). So that amounts to about $6 a month, in local absolute cost, just to start their fires. But absolute costs are not important, what is important is relative costs. At $300 a month income, if one uses a "median" American income of $36,000 as a relative equivalent, it would cost about $60 a month just to start fires here using such fire starting squares. As a relative comparison, I doubt a $60 monthly expense is worth it, even in the states, when junk mail paper is free.

Just something to think about.

That is not a problem for me. It costs me .10 a square.....I think this winter i'll have $10 total in firestarters. I am ok with that. If i was in a poor country and could not afford $3 a month for starters, i would use paper or free stuff.