How to burn a fire in a woodstove?

Raeven · #21 11/15/11, 07:23 PM

No grate in mine, either.

GoldenCityMuse · #22 11/15/11, 08:54 PM

Heated for 16+ years w/ woodstove in NM. Had an airtight last 3.
All the advice above needs to be followed. Especially NO GRATE.

Willowynd · #23 11/16/11, 12:26 AM

OK...I thought we needed a grate. I took the one out of my fireplace to use until I could get a larger one. Will take it out and try it again. Thanks for the tips on firestarters. Our stove has 2 knobs in the front to adjust air. We have been keeping those open with door cracked and that gets it started- then 10 mins later- or pretty much soon as we shut the door....it goes out. We will try all the advice here- leaving the door open longer and opening windows. We do need dryer wood- I plan to pick up a load soon.. was using what we had for now and though some of it was from a willow that was blown over last week- had been dead for over a year and the rest was from a neighbor that had it sitting outside her house for several years unprotected. I knew it wasn't the best- but figured once it got going it would be fine. Thank you so much!

Willowynd · #24 11/16/11, 12:33 AM

One more question- where do you get kindling? I can grab some from around the tree lines, but I don't suppose that will last all winter. I see ads for firewood, but not kindling.

Otter · #25 11/16/11, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helena

You can go to a place like Tractor supply store, Agway or hardware store and ask for ...fire starters. They are small square pieces of "something" that you light and will stay lite for about 10 minutes. Enough time for small wood to ignite. Yes...it's "cheating" but who cares as long as you get the fire started. yes..it will take a few times to get yourself going...but you will do fine..

Birthday candles are cheaper.

You can split a piece of stovewood down into kindling. I knew a fellow once who would whittle at a decent sized piece of wood till it looked like it was covered in shavings, or like an open pine cone. That's all he used for kindling and it always worked well for him.

davel745 · #26 11/16/11, 01:02 AM

was using what we had for now and though some of it was from a willow that was blown over last week- had been dead for over a year and the rest was from a neighbor that had it sitting outside her house for several years unprotected. I knew it wasn't the best- but figured once it got going it would be fine.

Willow is the worst wood to try to burn you will have nothing but troubles burning willow especially if you are a beginner.

Red Oak, Ash are a few good woods to try to burn. Ash will burn Green or seasoned.

**Cabin Fever** · #27 11/16/11, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willowynd

One more question- where do you get kindling? I can grab some from around the tree lines, but I don't suppose that will last all winter. I see ads for firewood, but not kindling.

We use Rutland fire starters. They come 144 in a box and all it takes is one starter to get full size seasoned logs burning (no kindling is needed what so ever!). You can find them on sale for around $10 a box....that's about 7¢ per fire. I'll spend the pennies and not mess with kindling and paper or making my own starters.

How to burn a fire in a woodstove? - Homesteading Questions

How to burn a fire in a woodstove? - Homesteading Questions

Allen W · #28 11/16/11, 09:03 AM

Cabin Fever

Sounds like a good product, would make a good prep item, too.

haypoint · #29 11/16/11, 10:56 AM

Willow is seldom good burning wood. A couple weeks of drying isn't enough. It takes a very hot fire to drive the water out of willow enough to get it to burn.
Find some free pallets somewhere, scraps at a lumber yard or construction site.

I burn a lot of sub-standard wood, but willow is landfill material to me.

Belfrybat · #30 11/16/11, 11:20 AM

I use cut up pallets for kindling, but when I run low, I split logs with my pogo splitter. I also use dried cane as kindling. It burns really fast and hot -- like cardboard but a bit longer. I also get all the kindling sized pieces I need when the county cuts overhanging trees along the county roads. Sometimes can even find full-sized pieces cut to log lengths. But primarily 1-3" diameter size.

mnn2501 · #31 11/16/11, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willowynd

One more question- where do you get kindling? I can grab some from around the tree lines, but I don't suppose that will last all winter. I see ads for firewood, but not kindling.

Take a hatchet to a few pieces of firewood

Raeven · #32 11/16/11, 12:16 PM

As someone who isn't great with a hatchet (although getting better) and who needs her fingers to earn money, I am good at scrounging kindling.

I did a search on craigslist a few months ago and found a fellow who manufactures ornamental yard stuff: arches, trellises, etc. He ends up with tons of little, super dry, cedar wood scraps. He sells them for $20 for a massive bag -- like a 2-year-supply-of-kindling massive bag. There might be someone near you who does the same thing.

One other thing I wanted to share with you: It's a lot harder to get a cold stove going than one that's been in use. I always find the first fire of the year a bit harder to light than any of the rest.

unregistered168043 · #33 11/16/11, 12:35 PM

I live in the north woods and use my wood stove as my primary source of heat. Here's my method;

#1. You must have good DRY seasoned wood

#2. Put two large pieces parallel to each other ( about a foot apart )

#3. Set crumbled newspaper in between

#4 Put thin kindling across the two pieces

#5 put progressively thicker pieces across (opposite) the ones underneath. This makes a "waffle" pattern, at the end you should have about three good sized pieces on top.

#6 Reach under and light newspaper on both ends ( make sure air vent is fully open and keep door partially open until blaze has established itself. )

ibcnya · #34 11/16/11, 08:03 PM

Kindling is small dry stuff you can find anywhere. Your in IN. so go look for dead elms and pick the bark right off the side of the tree. Small branches on the bottom of a cedar that have been long dead are great kindling. Picking this stuff up is easy on a good drought. Gets alot harder if it's been rainy. If you have a dry spot load up a couple of bushels of this stuff.
This might be hard to understand but I use a propane torch that doesn't work properly anymore to start my fires. Just throws a yellow flame. Starts a draft beautifully and within 2 or 3 mins. the door is shut. 2 LP canisters a year if that is expended. depending on how much kindling I have.

am1too · #35 11/16/11, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OkieDavid

Three things are required for fire. 1- Fuel. You have that one covered it sounds like although make sure you are using enough kindling. 2- Heat. There has to be an ignition source and it sounds like you have that one covered if you are using enough kindling. Finally 3- Air. The fire has to have oxygen to burn. I suspect this is where your problem is. Make sure your air vents are fully open when starting the fire. Once you get a bed of coals you can dial back the air flow and extend the burn time.

ETA. Outside temp has no effect on starting a fire or we wouldn't have fires during the summer. Also practice by just getting the kindling to'burn. Once you have a "good" fire going with the kindling, then add a stick of wood. If you are using fresh/green wood you will have a tough time ever getting it started.

Whatever you do don't burn green wood in your stove unless you wish to burn the house down. It builds up creosote which will cause a flue/chimney fire. I burn seasond wood only. Currently my supply is one year - loose to no bark. Six minimum on the season. Seasoned wood has cracks in the ends and nothing green on it. Split wood makes no difference. Infact round wood does better because of the draw or air flow.

am1too · #36 11/16/11, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennigrey

You can't really catch a log on fire with a bit of paper or cardboard. You need some smaller sticks to catch fire first. This is called kindling. Also, your log has been split, right? Sometimes the bark on the outside of a log isnt very interested in catching on fire. Has your firewood seasoned or is it fresh/"green"?

Green or wet wood is very hard to start with anything and will produce lots of smoke. If it is green that smoke is creosote.

am1too · #37 11/16/11, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raeven

Willowynd... the newer wood stoves will not burn well until they get good and hot. Once you work out how yours wants to be lit, you'll be fine with it. Mine is a bit persnickety.

Here's how I do it:

I make a good stack of dry kindling on the bottom layer. This consists of VERY dry cedar scraps I get from a local woodworking guy, but you can use any super-dry small kindling wood. Make a nice-sized pile with lots of airholes in it.

I throw a few dry pine cones in for good measure.

On top of that, I put very dry, smaller pieces of well-seasoned split firewood. Douglas fir is commonly used here. I criss-cross 3-4 bits of that.

Last, I add a good-sized piece of dry, well-seasoned, fast-burning split firewood. Again, Douglas fir here but a bigger piece or two as the top layer.

Make sure the damper is all the way open.

Use a little piece of fire starter or a rolled-up newspaper tucked into your kindling to light the fire.

Here's the important step: Leave the door slightly ajar after lighting. Let the kindling catch well.

Once your kindling is going well, you can kind of cock the door to the wood burner. Not quite closed, but mostly closed. I catch the handle gently on the bit that the inside part usually slides behind to create a draw and let it get roaring. The door is still helping the fire draw air from inside the room.

Once the fire is well and truly underway, you can close the door tightly.

Let the stove get up to temperature. Once it has reached its self-combustion stage, you can damp it down quite a lot to get maximum heat from your wood.

Now's the time to throw the long burning stuff on. We use madrone here.

ALWAYS use very well seasoned dry wood. You will hate your wood burner if you don't.

Hope this helps.

I get my groceries in old fashioned paper sacks. I roll one up and rip it in half. This makes 2 tubes that burn like jets. The air puls through them making a hotter fire at the terminis - business end. I have been know to start seasoned big wood this way.

am1too · #38 11/16/11, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davel745

was using what we had for now and though some of it was from a willow that was blown over last week- had been dead for over a year and the rest was from a neighbor that had it sitting outside her house for several years unprotected. I knew it wasn't the best- but figured once it got going it would be fine.

Willow is the worst wood to try to burn you will have nothing but troubles burning willow especially if you are a beginner.

Red Oak, Ash are a few good woods to try to burn. Ash will burn Green or seasoned.

In my out door grill to do hambugers on I pile some dry leaves (burn very hot) small twigs and my hickory wood Let er burn for 30 min to hr and throw on the meat. Gotta watch it or I have burnt meat quick. Only thing I have to do is be outta de wind enough to keep the match from blowin out.

am1too · #39 11/16/11, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Willow is seldom good burning wood. A couple weeks of drying isn't enough. It takes a very hot fire to drive the water out of willow enough to get it to burn.
Find some free pallets somewhere, scraps at a lumber yard or construction site.

I burn a lot of sub-standard wood, but willow is landfill material to me.

Yeah ya gotta be desperate or just gettin rid of it. Really not much worth cuttin.

Danaus29 · #40 11/17/11, 12:25 AM

You can use pine shavings or aspen shavings as kindling. They don't cost that much, are easy to find and are super dry.

I use pine cones and corn cobs as kindling when available.