Starting a Stove Fire

[4570Man]

I wouldn't use diesel because of the smell. I use a propane torch instead. I burn about 2 canisters a year and they're $3 each so that cost isn't worth noting.

 

[Deere Dude]

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. r.

Ear wax and belly button lint burn nice and slow. Great for starting fires. Just start saving up while watching TV at night.

 

[s219]

I have quite a bit of fat wood available from old pine stumps on my property, and it works great. But I usually just take a wad of newspaper or brown packing paper (get a lot with Amazon deliveries), some twigs or kindling, and 1-2 smaller firewood pieces. Never really have problems with that lighting up. I tend to accumulate a lot of softwood scraps from siding and woodworking projects, but when that runs low I just go collect blown-down twigs on my property. That seems like an endless supply, and my toddler daughter is happy to help me collect them. We can fill the tractor bucket in 30 minutes and it will last for weeks.

Funny thing, when we go skiing and rent a condo, I do bring some fat wood as the wood they supply for the condos is very green. They obviously do not season it as long as I do, or maybe they don't season it at all. My wood is seasoned at least 1.5-2 years before burned, and I think that makes quite a difference. The greener stuff at the condos absolutely needs some sort of accelerant to catch and will sizzle the whole time.

 

[jk96]

If your paper is on the bottom your doing it wrong. Use a top down approach for starting your fires. If you have dry wood there is no reason to need any type of fire starters. Base layer of larger splits across the bottom with 2" gaps between. Second layer of medium splits perpendicular to the base layer. 3rd layer of small splits perpendicular to the 2nd layer. Kindling & newspaper on top. The kindling will start quickly and heat the flue creating your draft. Small splits will burn easily from kindling and the coals and fire will quickly work their way down each layer. No more continually stuffing paper into the bottom of your stack. Just light and done.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

If your paper is on the bottom your doing it wrong. Use a top down approach for starting your fires. If you have dry wood there is no reason to need any type of fire starters. Base layer of larger splits across the bottom with 2" gaps between. Second layer of medium splits perpendicular to the base layer. 3rd layer of small splits perpendicular to the 2nd layer. Kindling & newspaper on top. The kindling will start quickly and heat the flue creating your draft. Small splits will burn easily from kindling and the coals and fire will quickly work their way down each layer. No more continually stuffing paper into the bottom of your stack. Just light and done.

Yep.

"But it's been seasoning for 6 months and it's checked on the ends, so it's dry, right?"

No, not right.


Top down fires are better at lasting through the night, too.

 

[2458n]

I have one of those diesel sniffers living in my house. At work at the end of the day you always refilled your equipment. Diesel fuel smells like money to me. The work Carharts Live in the garage.

 

[kco]

I season my wood at least two years but still use birch bark for fire starter. Before bucking it up I run the chain saw the full length of the tree to score the bark. A few months later the bark has mostly peeled itself off and I put it in large bags or pails.

We heat with a wood furnace. Like others, I put down two small parallel pieces of wood. Then I light a piece of birch bark outside the furnace, drop it between the sticks once it is burning steadily and set other pieces of wood over it. I like the birch bark because it lights as easy as paper and it burns very hot once it gets going.

 

[Redneck in training]

When I was enlisted soldier guys used to steal Semtex (google it) during war games and other occasions. It was great for starting fire. You put crumpled newspaper in the bottom of a stove, threw few pieces of Semtex on in then threw a bucket or two of coal on the top and lighted it up. It always started fire.
The officers used to look for it at least once a week but never found it. The military beds were made from U profiles assembled in a ladder fashion. The explosive was pressed in the U and smoothed to be virtually invisible.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

When I was enlisted soldier guys used to steal Semtex (google it) during war games and other occasions. It was great for starting fire. You put crumpled newspaper in the bottom of a stove, threw few pieces of Semtex on in then threw a bucket or two of coal on the top and lighted it up. It always started fire.
The officers used to look for it at least once a week but never found it. The military beds were made from U profiles assembled in a ladder fashion. The explosive was pressed in the U and smoothed to be virtually invisible.

Dynamite is great for starting fires too. It burns with a bright blue flame about as bright as a magnesium flare.

You can also make your own Semtex.

Full text of "Semtex, How to make"

 

[Clay45]

Railroad fuse flares are also great if you can find them. Strike the end and toss in a loaded stove. Nothing but white ash later.

But I'd use wood chips and dust soaked in paraffin.