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Posted by: seanery Dec 3 2003, 07:05 PM

I'm trying to figure out how to build a good fire quickly. I just switched from wood tee pee newspaper under to wood tee pee newspaper ON the grate. It worked great!

Posted by: Aaron Cox Dec 3 2003, 07:07 PM

you forgot...brake cleaner and wood

Posted by: sj914 Dec 3 2003, 07:07 PM

i just press a little button on a remote and up goes the fire.

Posted by: robby750 Dec 3 2003, 07:20 PM

Go buy a box of fire starter logs. Made out of sawdust and some kind of flammable goo. Place one on the rack, light each end, stack a few real logs and your done.

Posted by: redshift Dec 3 2003, 07:24 PM

Three wood components.

Cured split hardwood logs, "squaw wood", and kindling, backwards order.

Pine stumps yield highly explosive fat lighter.


M

Posted by: GWN7 Dec 3 2003, 07:36 PM

Stack your wood and use a propane torch to get it going. Works on damp wood too (camping).

Posted by: URY914 Dec 3 2003, 07:46 PM

Why would you want to start a fire?

Posted by: Mark Henry Dec 3 2003, 07:46 PM

damn! the torch must be a Canadian thing, I use one as well.

You can also use a box fire (no I'm not talking about setting your ex-wife's beaver a flame)...

stack your kindling in a box fashion and put your paper inside the box.

Many ways to skin a beaver,er...cat.

Posted by: ! Dec 3 2003, 07:50 PM

I have been banned from starting fires in in the fireplace.....something about too much Christmas wrapping and smoking out the house and turning the brick black......

Now we have fake logs and gas....ain't the same.....I love the sound of sappy pine popping and throwing sparks. Reminds me of SmelLA during the riots.....

Posted by: nebreitling Dec 3 2003, 07:50 PM

don't change your fuel lines.

i hear it works really well.

Posted by: Qarl Dec 3 2003, 07:52 PM

Newspaper crumpled, with split pine kindling, then thinner oak, and then dried oak with split side down.

Or cut off a small piece of Duraflame and use as a starter

Or use some sapwood starter sticks

or a Flame thrower

Posted by: redshift Dec 3 2003, 08:15 PM

Here is a link to the splitter I use:

http://client.forestindustry.com/powersplit/splitter.html

Mine is just like that, but I modified the vertical feeder by adding 18 degrees to the tilt, and built a fairing that mates to the back of my fireplace, so it's a direct-feed now.

I can burn 880 board feet per minute.

Here is a shot of the timber yard behind my house:


M


Attached image(s)

Posted by: Aaron Cox Dec 3 2003, 08:22 PM

LOL....

Posted by: GWN7 Dec 3 2003, 08:24 PM

Miles,

Try putting insulation in your walls & roof. It might cut down on the amount of wood you need to burn.

Nice logsplitter

Posted by: redshift Dec 3 2003, 08:24 PM

coffee+keyboard=delusional psychoid

it's gettin hot in herre

m

Posted by: Doug Leggins Dec 3 2003, 08:28 PM

This old house was built in 1935 - very little insulation. I build fires frequently to help stay warm.

Crumpled newspaper on the grate. Good, dry kindlin is the key! With the everlasting home remodel project, I always have kiln dried lumber that I can split and use - works great. Small split oak on top of the kindling, larger logs on top of that, a match and it always produces a quick warming fire.

If no kiln dried lumber is around, dry sticks or really small, really dry split wood is needed for a no fuss, quick fire.

Sassafrass is a great wood to use to get a fire started. Catches on fire really quick and provides a great crackling sound. Just be prepared to contain the popping embers.

Posted by: Gint Dec 3 2003, 08:28 PM

Dood....

Charcoal lighter fluid works GREAT!

Posted by: Mark Henry Dec 3 2003, 08:59 PM

The most wacked thing I've ever seen was once camping, a city dood emptyed a whole can of lighter fluid on a big fucking unsplit log trying to light it.

I took out a piece of cedar, split it with my hachet, made my tee-pee and poof, nice little fire.

The dood just stood there with his mouth open, then he went and got another can of lighter fluid.

Posted by: Gint Dec 3 2003, 09:02 PM

You don't have to be a moron about it. Some lighter fluid on a couple of logs, let it soak a few minutes, a little bit of paper to light it, and you have a nice fire in NO time.

Posted by: Bruce Allert Dec 3 2003, 09:16 PM

Mike, were you in Rampart during Watts?

........b

Posted by: redshift Dec 3 2003, 09:24 PM

I already have the infrastructure, why would I insulate? That sounds expensive, plus add in all the money for building walls, and a roof. I don't think so.

If I could think of something to do with all the equipment, and the excess 78,392,000 b/f of exotic hardwood timbers every year..



Nope..


M

Posted by: GWN7 Dec 3 2003, 09:54 PM

Well I live in an igloo. 2 ft. thick walls. I can (and do) heat this place with a couple candles and the waste heat from the CPU's. Have to be careful when cooking or I'd melt the roof off and a polar bear could get me.

Posted by: campbellcj Dec 3 2003, 10:12 PM

The newer construction out in these parts can't have woodburning fireplaces But we have two of those gas-burning ones and they work surprisingly well and actually look pretty nice too. Cleaner, cheap and easy to light...just not quite the same as the "real thing" with the aromas and crackles, but what can ya do

Posted by: seanery Dec 3 2003, 10:16 PM

Chris,
whatayamean? (about the newer construction)

Posted by: Aaron Cox Dec 3 2003, 10:17 PM

my house was built w/ gas. we burn wood. a chimney is a chimney correct?

Posted by: campbellcj Dec 3 2003, 10:27 PM

I could be wrong, but I recall being told it is "illegal" to build new fireplaces out here that burn wood, or to burn wood in a fireplace that was not grandfathered-in i.e. an older home. We are in a severe fire hazard zone and also in LA County i.e. "smell-A" as Zois calls it, so the smog rules are tighter than most.

I don't know any reason the gas-log fireplaces physically "couldn't" burn wood, though. The chimney, flue etc. is same as usual, as far as I can tell.

Posted by: seanery Dec 3 2003, 10:51 PM

i gotcha on that one chris, embers possible floating out of the chimney sparking in the brush.

I thought it was that the houses weren't able to deal with it. I forgot about that damn desert you guys live in! LOL

Posted by: campbellcj Dec 4 2003, 12:15 AM

There is about 8 miles of "nothing" (brush and trees - state parkland) between here and the ocean. It hasn't burned seriously in around 50 years, and I ain't about to help it along. Every day I still see the aftermath of the big 1994 Malibu fires while driving to work; some of the people never rebuilt and there are bare foundations and chimneys sticking out of the multi-million dollar an acre vacant lots off PCH. Scary crap.

I might research the exact building/fire codes a little more just out of curiousity. I know the earthquake vs. chimney syndrome is another major concern in SoCal. Apparently after the Northridge quake, a lot of chimneys got "sub par" repairs or didn't get fixed and then were leaky/unstable. So I think the building codes since then have tightend up a bit.

Posted by: ! Dec 4 2003, 12:19 AM

Fire issues and the smoke from fire places cause new developers to install non wood burning fireplaces as part of the permit process to build.....it's not illegal YET to retrofit one in you want to....but it will be. Bad smog areas like Mammoth Lakes have no fireplace burning days and smog weenies that go around and cite people....

Posted by: GWN7 Dec 4 2003, 01:46 AM

You can check with your local Fire Department for upto date regulations for fireplaces in your area. They will know what you can and can't do.

Spark arrestors in the chimney cap usually take care of any embers that might go up the pipe, but they also slow the escape of smoke which can cause creosote build up in the chimney.

Posted by: Bruce Allert Dec 4 2003, 08:02 AM

I was brought up using no grate. Grates weren't "fashionable" amoungst the mountain folk! Just a big ass fire place or wood stove, wad up the paper, throw the wood on & lite it.... WHOOSH and away we go-o-o-o. That was one biggassed house with no other heat source but a fireplace way up in the hills in a canyon of Southern California wa-a-a-a-y back when.......


..........b

Posted by: Lawrence Dec 4 2003, 08:09 AM

Newspaper? We don't need no stinkin newspaper!

Get a paper cup (not styrofoam) or paper bowl. Crumple some paper towels into the bottom, to be used as wicking. Pour several ounces of cooking oil, and place below your rack of logs in the fireplace (or strategically stacked campfire).

Start your fire. There is very little mess left in the fireplace.

Guaranteed to work EVERY time, as long as your wood is reasonably dry.

-Rusty
missing his old apartment with the fireplace.

Posted by: ! Dec 4 2003, 08:27 AM

Creosote?????

WYF, you burning RAILROAD ties again....no wonder you hang here...that stuff will kill ya.

Posted by: Joe Ricard Dec 4 2003, 09:31 AM

Yup gas in a teener + hot water heater = hotter than hell.

Added benefit I get to practice rewiring house, replacing burnt framing, and then there is drywall and painting.

Then I am learning how to completely take apart a 914.

Posted by: Racer Dec 4 2003, 10:25 AM

I just back my Pinto up into a tree.. crude but effective

Posted by: GWN7 Dec 4 2003, 01:18 PM

Creosote is the product of incompleat combustion. It's caused by the sap in the wood mixing with the water in green wood. The water turns to steam taking the sap and other stuff up the chimney where it cools against the sides of the pipes and solidifys. If allowed to build up over time it can cause a chimney fire, which can cause a house fire or wildlands fire. It can be cleaned by either building a hot fire everyonce in awhile or running a ball and chain with wire brushes attached up and down your chimney scraping it out.

I'm planning on building a Cordwood house up at the farm. The experts in this say that winter is the time to cut your wood (after the leaves fall) The sap/moisture is the lowest in the winter. Then stack it in lengths (protected) and strip the bark off in the spring. Any sap/moisture in the logs help with the removal of the bark. Then restack for 2-3 years to let the logs dry out before cutting to building lengths. This lets the wood get down to about 10% moisture content and prevents checking and cracking of the logs.