I am out of the top-down fire starters club, and not by my doing.

[fishingpol]

I have been reading Soupy's post about the top-down method. I started a few fires in the new to me F3 in the past few days and they were a bit sluggish, not s high temp and smoke spill-out at re-loading. I figured it was still not cold enough or wood not dry enough. I split all pieces before adding them and they were at 12 - 18% MC. Last night I started from bottom-up with a piece of Supercedar, pine kindling and 2 - 3 splits. I am glad to say that it took right off and went strong with no spill-out on re-loading.

The F3 has a start-up lever on the bottom of the door for introducing air when lighting. I remember a post mentioning that the F3 is a baseburner, and it makes sense that it needs air at the base of the fire to get it rolling. Unfortunately, the top-down is not in the cards with this stove, but it runs great bottom-up. It seems that by the design of the stove, this is just how it needs to be. I am wondering if this applies to other models out there.

 

[pen]

My old fisher wouldn't light top-down for me either.

When I picked up the 30 I tried using my traditional fire starting methods that worked in the fisher, and the stove laughed at me. Well actually, coughed smoke at me. I run 4 other wood stoves quite regularly and find that each stove lights differently. In fact, one is such a PIA that I'll only light it after I have coals built up in the other stove that I can transfer over.

If it works, great, if it doesn't, try something new.

pen

 

[Slow1]

I agree with Pen - do what works best for you and your stove. I love top down fires in general. I've taken to using a modified top-down method on my FV but it isn't anything like what is described in the famous videos folks refer everyone to. I don't do paper at all and I don't do much small kindling - I like to use super cedars and smallish splits on top and the SC will light the smaller splits from the sides and then the fire works its way down the pile. I don't think any one method will work for everyone and I adjust my method depending on what splits I have available and what sort of fire I want to burn (size etc). I'm generally lazy though so I like to set and forget for the most part - I simply don't want to have to mess with the fire once it is lit until time for a reload. I like poking a campfire with a stick to make sparks while telling tall tales, but forget it with the stove. I also have no interest in tying bows or making massive piles of tinder and/or kindling to start fires.

Now for campfires I do build a top down fire every time - put big pieces on bottom, build my way up and then put a teepee of moderate size kindling on top with the SC in the middle and light it off from there. I love doing this as folks look at me like I'm crazy. Then after I walk away from it to get rest of the meal prepared (pancakes mixed up, bacon prepped for the pan etc, or dinner more likely if anyone is watching) with very little smoke as the fire burns down to a nice cooking bed some become believers. No messing with the fire once lit, it just works. (Of course it doesn't hurt to have well dried wood in the mix too).

 

[BrotherBart]

I have moved from doing all top down for years to Super Cedars just because I am sick of splitting kindling. But I am here to tell ya I can have that F3 CB of mine rocking and rolling in no time flat with top down. And also need to warn ya that if you use that "starter" on the door the day will come when you forget to close it.

People that say they can't get top down to work invariably say "I did it just that way except I..."

 

[tsc003]

I like to do a modified top-side-bottom method. I put a 4" split running North/South on the East side of the stove and a 2" split on the West side followed by a 5.5" on the far East side (next to the 4" piece. I put smaller twigs on top, East/West of course, with one small piece of a Japanese Maple that has grown on the East side of a slope on top of that. Then I split a super cedar into quarters and place 2.25 super cedars on top of that. Below and to the North I put a piece of fatwood with a dryer lint/egg carton thingy just South. Just light the .25 piece of super cedar, the fire will travel West before lighting the bottom, then travel East towards the largest split. Very easy to do and it's "light it and forget it." Or another way is to just light the dang thing! It's not rocket science. Trying to reinvent the wheel? I wonder if cavemen had these issues?

 

[BrotherBart]

Doesn't sound like the cavemen are the ones with issues. ;-)

 

[fishingpol]

It was just not starting for crap lately using top-down after a few good attempts. When I moved up from the F-100, I was expecting great things from the F3. The past few start-ups were dissappointing with enough smoke not being pulled up to make me re-read some older posts from F3 owners. MC was a non-issue, 25 ft interior chimney with insul flex liner pulls great, except we have damp low pressure over us right now. Bottom up is working, am I'm glad the stove met up to my expectations. I have 2 barrels of kindling that I would rather have a large power tool occupying its' place in the basement.

I can see that start-up lever being left open by accident, so far so good. I read the posts on letting the ashpan fill up to avoid overfire from ashpan door leaks, or leaving it cracked open. It is just a different little monster than the F-100. Hence the learning curve begins.

edit: I think I ended up on the Mass Pike after reading that post. :lol:

 

[BrotherBart]

Both great stoves. I love the F100 and the view of the fire in that little sucker and the way it burns. Just really short burn times with the small firebox. Which wasn't a problem heating my office since I was there most of the time anyway and the radiation from that glass aimed right at my desk got me warm before the rest of the room. But I finally moved the F3 in for longer burns too.

Still don't like it as well as the F100 though.

 

[fishingpol]

Agreed on the burn time. I asked the wife after 2 hours if the F3 was still going. She said it was, didn't have to get up and futz with it. Looking forward to not getting up so much to feed the F3. I can't wait to run a full load of something sweet from the pile when the cold hits. I'll be a little nervous then, when the primary was closed all the way down tonight, 500* was no problem with burning uglies and shorts.

 

[SKIN052]

I tried a top down start again last night and I cannot get it to work as well as bottom up. My go to method is, 2 x good size half rounds on the bottom and then log cabin style with smaller and smaller kindling. Fill the middle with birch bark, (I have tons of it) spark it up, leave the door open for a minute and away see goes. I do tend to baby sit for 10-15 minutes to make sure it is establish enough that I can turn the air control down past half. I will not walk away from the stove if the air control is at least two thirds closed. Sucks when I am in a rush but, better that the alternative. Soon enough it will be 24/7 burn times so no worries.

 

[rottiman]

I like to do a modified top-side-bottom method. I put a 4" split running North/South on the East side of the stove and a 2" split on the West side followed by a 5.5" on the far East side (next to the 4" piece. I put smaller twigs on top, East/West of course, with one small piece of a Japanese Maple that has grown on the East side of a slope on top of that. Then I split a super cedar into quarters and place 2.25 super cedars on top of that. Below and to the North I put a piece of fatwood with a dryer lint/egg carton thingy just South. Just light the .25 piece of super cedar, the fire will travel West before lighting the bottom, then travel East towards the largest split. Very easy to do and it's "light it and forget it." Or another way is to just light the dang thing! It's not rocket science. Trying to reinvent the wheel? I wonder if cavemen had these issues?

It will travel alittle quicker if you use some navel lint between the 3rd and 4th splint. Just sayin............

 

[James02]

What's up with doing a modified top down AND bottom up fire....

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

After all that talk a few weeks ago about top down starts I made a point to revisit this. Since then I have made 3 top down starts with better success each time, I modified each startup a little better than the one before from what I was seeing. My wife even commented on her walk by the stove, I had the door open and she says "going to try the top down again huh?". I have to say the setup take a bit longer (knoting bows of paper) but once it's started I just let it go. FYI on the kindling, just as I prepare a seasons worth of splits I do the same with kindling. I have a section under my porch where the cut and split kindling goes. Mostly job site offcuts, pine, spruce and fir.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My way of starting the fire has worked for a long time. I lay two splits on the bottom and try to form a very slight V with them. I then lay 1/4 of a super cedar in the center and light it. Then I lay maybe a half dozen pieces of soft maple kindling. On top of the kindling I lay another split or splits. Close the door and all is well.

 

[Flatbedford]

I like to do a modified top-side-bottom method. I put a 4" split running North/South on the East side of the stove and a 2" split on the West side followed by a 5.5" on the far East side (next to the 4" piece. I put smaller twigs on top, East/West of course, with one small piece of a Japanese Maple that has grown on the East side of a slope on top of that. Then I split a super cedar into quarters and place 2.25 super cedars on top of that. Below and to the North I put a piece of fatwood with a dryer lint/egg carton thingy just South. Just light the .25 piece of super cedar, the fire will travel West before lighting the bottom, then travel East towards the largest split. Very easy to do and it's "light it and forget it." Or another way is to just light the dang thing! It's not rocket science. Trying to reinvent the wheel? I wonder if cavemen had these issues?

It will travel alittle quicker if you use some navel lint between the 3rd and 4th splint. Just sayin............

Some gasoline out of a plastic container would help to. It is important that you add the gasoline after Eastward travel has begun.

 

[Biff_CT2]

Hell...

...and to think, I thought all this time that this whole 'top down starting' thing was just burner code promoting the missionary position.

Silly me.