I'm giving up on top-down fires

[PapaDave]

I had a couple weeks of top down fires. I put the wood on top of the coals and it burns down. Rinse, lather and repeat. :coolsmirk:

I'm with BeGreen,
Put the lime in the......no wait, put the splits on top of the coals, a little extra air, and voila! We have fire. For a little while. Then we do it again, and again,...............
To actually START a fire, however, my stove and I are of the Lincoln log school of firestarting. Two splits n/s spread apart, 2-3 more e/w on top of that, a little newsprint. The DRY wood takes off in just a few seconds, and I can have a full blown inferno going in about 2 minutes. Stovetop @ 400-450 in 5, HOLY CRAP in 10, then I just black out from the stress.
Just funnin'.
When it hits 400, I damper down the air lever some. Make sure the fire stays alive, then damper some more, to find the sweet spot.
By then, it's time for a reload. Old stoves are fun, aren't they?

 

[Hogwildz]

Hell no, I won't bow.
Hell no, I won't bow.

Get back in there by the stove and finish that needlepoint. :lol:

Hell NO! I ain't gonna do it!
I'm a Neanderthal for gawdz sakes! We don't do bows!
I'd rather rub 2 sticks together.

 

[BrotherBart]

Hell no, I won't bow.
Hell no, I won't bow.

Get back in there by the stove and finish that needlepoint. :lol:

Hell NO! I ain't gonna do it!
I'm a Neanderthal for gawdz sakes! We don't do bows!
I'd rather rub 2 sticks together.

Just get busy needle-pointing that snow blower I sent you a pic of. :coolgrin:

 

[dave11]

I still don't get why some are so against the bows. Is it just cause it was a woman who made them in the vid? Seems to me if you're going to use newspaper at all, the bow is far better than any other option. Just crumpling it makes it fly away around the firebox, and rolling it tighter makes it too slow to burn. The bows work great for me. Everyone can laugh if they want to.

 

[BrotherBart]

I still don't get why some are so against the bows. Is it just cause it was a woman who made them in the vid? Seems to me if you're going to use newspaper at all, the bow is far better than any other option. Just crumpling it makes it fly away around the firebox, and rolling it tighter makes it too slow to burn. The bows work great for me. Everyone can laugh if they want to.

Ah, they are just a bunch of wussies. Since I got the Super Cedars I start fires bottom up now but the bows still go on top or on the sides because there ain't nothing on the planet that will kick start a draft like those suckers.

 

[Beetle-Kill]

Right on! I came into this late, so the 2 splits N/S, and 2-3 E/W on top work very well for a dormant fire start-up. Top down works fine for me , in the shoulder season. But for now, rake coals into a pile in center, place two splits N/S on either side, 2-3-4 splits E/W on top, and monitor for 30 min., 'cause my Pine can rocket off if not watched.

 

[Hogwildz]

Hell no, I won't bow.
Hell no, I won't bow.

Get back in there by the stove and finish that needlepoint. :lol:

Hell NO! I ain't gonna do it!
I'm a Neanderthal for gawdz sakes! We don't do bows!
I'd rather rub 2 sticks together.

Just get busy needle-pointing that snow blower I sent you a pic of. :coolgrin:

LMAO
I just saw it, I wonder if I can get a statue of that for my front yard.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I have tried the top down and had some success, the one time it was a real pain because it failed and I had all this wood in the box and had to do a bottom up with little room to work. I really have very little problem starting fires. I find my homemade starters are working even better than the super cedars (I am using dryer lint or saw dust in a egg carton piece , and a little wax, I made 30 of these in about 15 minutes and they light easier than the super cedars). I use no paper, a couple of pieces of bark and a few pieces of kindling. I leave the door cracked and once it takes off I add a couple of big splits and close the door. If I really want it to take off I use a section of pallet wood and it will be up to 700 degrees within 1/2 hour.

 

[jadm]

I gave up on top downs too. Tried it one more time a couple of weeks ago and it took ages before anything heated up.

With my bottom up fires I have smoke for a little time only. Good heat pouring out in less than 1/2 hour.

I also like the front to back building method. Works better in my insert if I have hot coals rather than starting cold.

I am always glad to read alternative methods of wood burning here and am glad many people share what works for them. Gives me things to try out.

 

[Battenkiller]

OK.... I did a search and found nothing. Can anyone point the way to a link that describes the "top-down" technique? I don't have glass on my stove, but it's always fun to play with new methods.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

OK.... I did a search and found nothing. Can anyone point the way to a link that describes the "top-down" technique? I don't have glass on my stove, but it's always fun to play with new methods.

Watch the third video (broken link removed to http://www.woodheat.org/videos.htm)

 

[Rich L]

In the Blaze king king I stack the left 2/3 rds of the stove full of splits and put the kindling with paper to the right.Light it up leaving the door cracked until the kindling catches close the door and everything takes off until I damp it down.Very simple.

I've heard of BK owners using whole end tables for kindling ;-P


pen

Ya,you can put pretty good size lengths in the King.

 

[highmark800]

I tried the top down method several times too and it is neat and all that stuff but what my main tool is a little propane torch that goes on a coleman fuel bottle and starts with a push of a button. Gets that wood started like right now. No matches, no paper, no other junk.

 

[diskjockey]

i tried the top down method only really had 3 or 4 good starts then had to keep feeding paper to really get it going. Bottom up is really the way to go for me not really to much smoke but im just a noobie since this is my first year for heating my home this year with wood. Cant believe i didnt do this early although im only 26 lol.

 

[westkywood]

Tried the top down method once and never looked back. I love it. I can light it, close the door and walk away for an hour or so. I dont do the bow thing with the newspaper. I just twist it tight. I like the fact that the wood doesnt collapse on itself. Never had one that I had to re-light. It heats the flu up faster too.... Yep, love the top down....

 

[greythorn3]

In the Blaze king king I stack the left 2/3 rds of the stove full of splits and put the kindling with paper to the right.Light it up leaving the door cracked until the kindling catches close the door and everything takes off until I damp it down.Very simple.

I've heard of BK owners using whole end tables for kindling ;-P


pen

HAHAH!! I must admit i use allot of things i built to burn in the woodstove! but its nothing stained or painted.

 

[Valhalla]

Top down is ok. Campfire method works too. It depends on your preference.
I burn 24/7, so neither is necessary, unless we are out for a long time.

The newspaper knots keep it from going up the flue, if you use it.

I build cold starts with natural kindling and a piece of
white birch bark. It is better than any firestarter!

 

[oconnor]

I see the pure top down method as training wheels on a bike for a new learner - great way to see just how well the fire can start and stove can work, but once you take those wheels off, you can do wheelies

Don't knock the training wheels, lots of folks need them, but we all eventually grow out of them - the principles are still there.

Besides, my 5 year old son likes the "arts and crafts" part of tying bows. Me, I prefer birch bark - works better than a bacon fat soaked rag!

 

[roddy]

hi guys,full time lurker here gone legit....top down never fails to amaze......

 

[firefighterjake]

Last year I tried a few top down fires and was less than pleased with the results (fire didn't stay lit) . . . so I stayed with what worked for me. And Firefighterjake looked at what he had wrought and was pleased.

This year I tried a few of the traditional fires and was less than plesed with the results (fire didn't stay lit, lots of smoke) . . . so on a lark I started doing a modified top down fire. And Firefighterjake looked at what he had wrought and was pleased . . . and so now I pretty much stick with Jakeifed Top Down Method.

However, my own opinion . . . go with whatever method works for you. Top down. Bottoms up. Right straight sideways. Put your right leg in-put your right leg out-shake it all about . . . the end result is what matters . . . and if you can generate a fire that warms you and your loved ones . . . without burning down the place . . . then go for it.