Starting a Stove Fire

[Industrial Toys]

The scoop idea is a good one. I will have to try that. I have owned all manner of cats but have not to this day seen a metal cat litter scoop. Everything is the worst plastic garbage! I used a metal spoon with slits used for removing boiled vegies.

 

[MossRoad]

The scoop idea is a good one. I will have to try that. I have owned all manner of cats but have not to this day seen a metal cat litter scoop. Everything is the worst plastic garbage! I used a metal spoon with slits used for removing boiled vegies.

I bought one of these for $5 and drilled holes. Works well..


I see this one for $15.00, but the grate looks too big and the fine embers will slip through, I'd think.
Koal Keeper Ember Recovery Tool, Hearth Accessories - Lehman's

 

[BoylermanCT]

I use these, strike like a match on the side of the box, lay it in the stove, add some kindling, then your firewood. These burn for 12 minutes, so it easily gets the kindling going.

$8.40 for 48 starters

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Diamond-Strike-A-Fire-Firestarter-48ct/32468956

Ditto here on the Diamond Strike-A-Fire fire starters. I put 3-4 dry logs on and 1 fire starter. Starts every time.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I was going to say, now your talking. But clicked on the link at it says $50.00 bucks at Amazon!!!

I will look into it.

Thanks

 

[Deere Dude]

I really don't want the smell of diesel in the house, but might try kerosene. Curious, if particle board would swell and soak up kerosene like it does water. Because, normally it doesn't burn well.

There is no liquid diesel in the house. There is a small handful of wood with a sheen of diesel on them. They don't soak in hardly at all. There only has to be enough to get them started.

The bucket of chips is outside the door so once I use tongs to get maybe three or four small pieces in the piece of newspaper I fold it over to prevent any drippage and then I put it right in the fireplace. Because the chips are dry wood they will burn and once a handful starts burning the wrist sized dry logs will start. There is not enough time or quantity to be able to smell it, unless you are a bloodhound.

I never had any construction wood swell up because it only generally is only is in the bucket less than a couple weeks and much of the chips only had diesel pass over them, which is enough to start dry chips.

The nice thing about this is everyone here has diesel laying around and is cheap. Cheaper than any commercial firestarter anyway. I wouldn't waste my money on kerosene because of cost and diesel works so well.

Just this morning I paid extra attention because of this forum went from walking out on the porch, grabbing a piece of newspaper and throwing in a few chips to putting in the cold fireplace then putting on a couple small logs and firing it up took no more than 1.5-2 minutes. Then I sat down on my recliner and got on TBN and watched the fire roll. I can understand being apprehensive about any new way of doing things bit this is easy to road test. I am done.

But, I to am always open for an easier faster and cheaper way to achieve the mundane task of starting my fireplaces.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I tried the wax and dryer lint thing once and it burned way to fast. The next time I tried wax I mixed sawdust in it instead. That works a lot better. A one inch cube of wax and sawdust burns for about 15-20 minutes. You can keep it in the house as it doesn't smell. I do like the idea of soaking in diesel though. It's a lot easier and faster.

 

[Snobdds]

I have used Kerosene and wood chips for 20 years. Never have I said to my self, boy this stinks up the house like kerosene.

Kerosene has a very high flash point and it more than safe to use to start a fire.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Nature's best fire starter is what is known as "fat lighter" or some variation of that. It comes from a dead pine tree where the sap as settled. Usually it's just the stump maybe a couple of feet above the ground but it can be many feet in the tree as well. The stuff doesn't rot, is very easy to light, and produces a large, hot flame. I use that when starting any fire. Split that up into kindling and combine that with some split pieces and there shouldn't be much trouble getting the fire going.

If you don't have a rack in the stove, get one. When lighting, and especially re-lighting, you have the wood on the rack and room under the rack for kindling.

Keep those small pieces you get when splitting and any bark that falls off separate to aid in starting the fire. Always use split pieces when starting instead of rounds.

 

[CADplans]

I do like the idea of soaking in diesel though. It's a lot easier and faster.

I splashed a little diesel on my pants last week while tinkering with a tractor.
When I got back to the house,, the wife would not let me in the house with the pants,,
too much diesel smell,, I had to change pants on the porch.

Those pants are STILL outside airing out,,,

NO diesel is coming in our house,,, :confused2:

 

[Snobdds]

I splashed a little diesel on my pants last week while tinkering with a tractor.
When I got back to the house,, the wife would not let me in the house with the pants,,
too much diesel smell,, I had to change pants on the porch.

Those pants are STILL outside airing out,,,

NO diesel is coming in our house,,, :confused2:

Don't spill it and everything is fine.