How to build and maintain a campfire?

[airbiscuit]

Make a Swedish Candle!

 

[/pine]

Rich pine or "fat wood" makes great starter and the smoke smells like pine tar (a good thing)...

on a side note to camp fires and cooking over them...to cook a hotdog from the inside out...burn the paint off a straightened wire coat hanger...hold the end of the wire in the coals until it is cherry red hot...then slide the hotdog on...

 

[Stimw]

Old rim from heavy equipment/semi works great for pit.
Never burn pallet wood and cook on it or breath the fumes!
There could have been some nasty stuff shipped/spilled on it!

 

[oosik]

Well - around here, unless you have some ornamental hardwood tree that you want to donate to the campfire - its going to be pine. Usually just clear an area down to bare soil and build on that. Firebuilders only use local rocks once - ours contain moisture and will crack, split, explode if used to build a fire pit.

Start small with dry kindling - once its going throw on the bigger stuff and crack open a beer.

Besides - if I build some type of pit - it, more or less, means I will come back to that same area next time. I got 80 acres and have had bonfires in many areas all over the property.

 

[Jstpssng]

I use an old truck rim with a keyhole cut into it. I generate plenty of small wood over the course of a year so have plenty to choose from. Pine or cedar kindling, then well dried pieces of beech limbs 1-2" in diameter burn great once the fire is going. My beanhole is two truck rims welded together buried to the top with a flat rock for the base. For that I'm more picky what I use to cook with, i.e. there's a reason one species is called "Ash" rather than "coals".

 

[jaxs]

We use rings and stone circles,as available at the time. Start with 3 or 4 logs side by side on ground,topped with 1/2" to 1" sticks laid perpendicular to logs,third layer is leaves,twigs,paper or other kindling,forth layer is same 1/2"to 1" sticks as secound layer. Final prep is leaning a few of same logs as we started with around the pile then light kindling. We never use gas,diesel or other fuel to start the fire. WHY? Several years ago,a group was sitting around a huge bed of glowing coals when someone mentioned that fire needed more fuel and stoked up. Un-noticed,a kid retrived the gas can that had been used earlier and threw gasoline on the fire. Flame reached the can,kid dropped can,gas splashed on kid and two other people. The kid and his uncle required hospitalization,other victim was only blistered on one leg. One chair and beer cooler were ruined and it was a scramble to get a truck out of the way. We inspect wood for poison oak/ivy and don't burn any that has ivy on it. WHY? Because if one is sensitive,they will break out and if smoke is inhaled,lungs break out in rash. Smoke in an eye can result in permanent damage.

 

[wagne223]

I recommend a ring similar to what the forestry service uses in public campgrounds etc... available at most outdoor stores including T.S. etc...

a step up is a cowboy cook set...

The purpose of the ring is to simply keep the fire contained?

I have seen the rings advertised but did not know the exact purpose they serve.

 

[wagne223]

A perforated tub from a washing machine is a favorite, or as stated above, a forest service ring. Or just a ring of rocks.

An excellent poker is an old golf putter with a steel head. Almost can't be beat by any other design.

An easy way to get one going is with a piece of a waxy presto log. This will do the trick even in the rain. Favorite wood: cut up oak pallets. Big dry branches work well too where you can just keep dragging them in farther as the evening progresses. Another favorite is scrounging left behind wood from earlier campers. Remember, the smoke always blows toward you. Don't know why that is, but it seems to be true. :laughing:

Instead of matches or even an Aim-and-Flame propane match, a button start Mapp torch does the trick very efficicntly.

The washing machine tub sounds like it would work great!

 

[wagne223]

I must say I build a great camp fire. But I cheat, I use these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Diamond-Strike-A-Fire-48-Count-4878911025/207113544

Works every time.

At our camp, we just have a stone ring on gravel. Use what ever wood is lying around in the forest. Sticks first, and then logs when the fire is going.

Cut a few logs long and stand on end for seats.

Love the smell of a good camp fire.

Now those seem like they would work pretty good to get it started.

 

[dnw64]

Wood selection makes a very big difference.

Wet wood = smoke = eye irritation = unhappy campers. Soft wood like pine burns mightily for a short time then .... out.

I start my campfires with paper, kindling, and a piece or two of dry soft wood like pine or cedar. On top of that a few hardwood pieces. Once it is started-- hardwood only, dry.

Winner, Winner. Chicken Dinner.

I should say, that if you try to collect, it may be three-day old trout, last year's venison, or that bear I just couldn't sell about 5 (well, it may have been near 10) years ago.

Of course, if you're not hungry, it probably doesn't matter...