Smoke-Free Upside-down Fire

[Scotty38]

Tried it a couple of times with my Clearview and it doesn't like it. I just use the age old method of a bit of scrunched up paper or firelighter, few sticks and then some small logs and it's roaring away in less than a minute

[peatff]

Our little Hunter stove doesn't hold that much wood, I'll stick with my tried and tested paper, sticks then chunks method.

[nepia]

Same with our Auckland; I've tried this top-down thing a few times now and it's not working at all. Paraffin, kindling now at the bottom, surrounded by wood.

[skyhuck]

An upside down fire is fine until the first time you refuel, then of cause its suddenly a normal fire again

 

The main reason the fire in the video did not smoke was the fact that the wood was nice and dry.

[Peter]

You just put the fresh logs on the bottom.

 

I only light the fire two or three times a year, whenever it needs shutting down and cleaning. Then when it's time to relight I just take a shovel of glowing embers off the other wood burner and chuck some logs on top. No kindling or fire lighters required.

[Gillsgardening]

It seemed to work for me, creating a hotter fire quicker! the kindling burnt first getting very hot with no logs to dampen it down on top.

[fagus]

I have used this way for some time on my hiking twig burning stoves.

I have hiked several months in the US; they have saying there-Whiteman fire all smoke, American Indian fire all flame. Evidently the American Indians used to say- If the Whiteman knows so much why is his fire all smoke.

Edited January 28, 2016 by fagus

[Farmer Tom]

I use a similar approach, but not quite the same.

When setting the fire I place three logs, one each across the back and each side of the stove in a horseshoe shape.

I then fill the middle with scrunched-up junkmail and cardboard.

Kindling then goes on top, supported by the logs so it doesn't crush the paper.

I usually get a good fire going quickly in the gap between the logs, with the inside faces of the logs burning. This gets the flue up to temperature in 4-5 minutes on my big boiler stove ( Aarrow Stratford TF90B).

 

When the kindling has burnt through and fallen into the horseshoe I add more logs.

[Vespasian]

scrunched up cardboard, chop a good bit of kindling and throw in a few thicker pieces of kindling on top...add the heavier wood after minute..

Its not rocket science is it?..

 

though you might think so with some people, had a visitor ask me to make him a cup of coffee and he'd make the fire...

came into the living room and there he was bent over the fire with a lighter trying to get the damp logs going...

 

what you doing?.. errr, gettin the fire lit... you never heard of chopping the woood in bits I said..

don't mither he says, it'll be reet...

Listen, I says, you need to make some f*ing kindling first to get it going.

 

went outside for minute came back in the thing was lit, how do'you manage that I said.

used some of your mentholated spirit you use in your camp stove...

[Stubby]

scrunched up cardboard, chop a good bit of kindling and throw in a few thicker pieces of kindling on top...add the heavier wood after minute..

Its not rocket science is it?..

 

No its not and to be honest that's pretty much how I do it . Completely the opposite of what this thread is about though .