Still using the old VC Defiant 1910 for another week, before getting my WS Progress Hybrid installed. Learned about the top down fire starting technique on this forum, and you people taught this 62 yr old guy something new!
Started with two 4-5" splits on the bottom, worked my way up with layers of two splits set alternately slightly crossways, each layer progressively smaller, ended with half dozen pine 1/2" thick kindling splits at the top. Then two sheets of newspaper rolled from the corner, tied with a half knot on top of the kindling. Set the air control on max, lit it, and lo and behold that fire did indeed work its way down. Less draft than usual today because outside temps above freezing, but seemed like plenty of air, and an easy light.
I observed that my griddle temp got to 500 degrees much faster, but that's only because the flames were licking it right from the beginning. It took significantly longer for the fire to build some coals to the point I could flip the bypass lever and engage the catalyst. Just guessing, with the old method engaged the cat after 15 min, with this method after 1/2 hour. I'll try it again tomorrow.
But the slower start is not really a big deal, and actually quite useful for when I start my first fires in the new stove. I understand it's a good idea to "break in" the stove with slow easy starts, getting progressively hotter, and this method does that quite naturally. I also like the idea that there is less smoke, and thus should be less creosote during startup, as well as less air pollution. I also think it's easier and more stable to start with the heavy stuff on the bottom and get smaller as you go up, with paper at the top, rather than vice versa classic method.
Started with two 4-5" splits on the bottom, worked my way up with layers of two splits set alternately slightly crossways, each layer progressively smaller, ended with half dozen pine 1/2" thick kindling splits at the top. Then two sheets of newspaper rolled from the corner, tied with a half knot on top of the kindling. Set the air control on max, lit it, and lo and behold that fire did indeed work its way down. Less draft than usual today because outside temps above freezing, but seemed like plenty of air, and an easy light.
I observed that my griddle temp got to 500 degrees much faster, but that's only because the flames were licking it right from the beginning. It took significantly longer for the fire to build some coals to the point I could flip the bypass lever and engage the catalyst. Just guessing, with the old method engaged the cat after 15 min, with this method after 1/2 hour. I'll try it again tomorrow.
But the slower start is not really a big deal, and actually quite useful for when I start my first fires in the new stove. I understand it's a good idea to "break in" the stove with slow easy starts, getting progressively hotter, and this method does that quite naturally. I also like the idea that there is less smoke, and thus should be less creosote during startup, as well as less air pollution. I also think it's easier and more stable to start with the heavy stuff on the bottom and get smaller as you go up, with paper at the top, rather than vice versa classic method.
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