Best way to restart your fires separate your embers from the ashes. Use a Lxmons Scoop (Amazon Price $12.99) I have both the Koal Keeper Shovel and the Lxmons Scoop.Don't waste your money on the Koal Keeper.The Lxmons scoop works like a dream.
Fire Building 101
- Thread starter JimmyT
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Haven't used newspaper inside a stove for decades. But also have never needed lamp oil, kerosene, or any other petro- or artificial substance for fire starting.
If you produce your own firewood you have around you all kinds of good fire starter. At home, in a Ponderosa Pine forest, I fill 5-gal. buckets with pine needles & pine cones, which will produce a roaring fire in minutes. Same with the splintered bits produced when splitting. Always while splitting, I have a 5 gal. bucket at hand to toss all the little wood bits into.
When in the northeast hardwoods (my camp is in NY, a few miles from Canada), my #1 fire-starter is white birch bark. I believe that stuff will ignite even if wet. It has an oily substance within. Once when camping in the Adirondacks, a friend swore it would be impossible to get a fire going in the rain, but birch bark had a blaze going in short order. Likewise, dry leaves will serve where newspaper might, for initial combustion. Small splits or slivers are the secondary part of fire ignition, but if birch bark isn't available you can start fire from just wood slivers. BTW, sumac--dead branches are everywhere available--is great fire starter. Dead branches, small stuff help get things going.
No disrespect to the OP, but you don't need oil or wax of any kind. One wood match will get my fire going using just natural materials from my grounds.
If you produce your own firewood you have around you all kinds of good fire starter. At home, in a Ponderosa Pine forest, I fill 5-gal. buckets with pine needles & pine cones, which will produce a roaring fire in minutes. Same with the splintered bits produced when splitting. Always while splitting, I have a 5 gal. bucket at hand to toss all the little wood bits into.
When in the northeast hardwoods (my camp is in NY, a few miles from Canada), my #1 fire-starter is white birch bark. I believe that stuff will ignite even if wet. It has an oily substance within. Once when camping in the Adirondacks, a friend swore it would be impossible to get a fire going in the rain, but birch bark had a blaze going in short order. Likewise, dry leaves will serve where newspaper might, for initial combustion. Small splits or slivers are the secondary part of fire ignition, but if birch bark isn't available you can start fire from just wood slivers. BTW, sumac--dead branches are everywhere available--is great fire starter. Dead branches, small stuff help get things going.
No disrespect to the OP, but you don't need oil or wax of any kind. One wood match will get my fire going using just natural materials from my grounds.
I guess if you are a confirmed Bachelor the 5 gallon bucket sitting by the hearth full of fire starters may work.
There are 2 problems with that scenario it is a fire hazard. If you open the stove's door and just one spark pops out and lands in the bucket then your house may go up in flames. The second problem is that most wifes that are tidy housekeepers are not going to allow a bucket full of yard debris including sticks,leaves,wood chips,pine needles and cones to clutter up the hearth. When that first spider comes crawling out of that bucket either you or the bucket are going out the back door. I have been married to the same woman for 54 years and I have been killing spiders for her for 54 years. I am an expert in this field hands down.
There are 2 problems with that scenario it is a fire hazard. If you open the stove's door and just one spark pops out and lands in the bucket then your house may go up in flames. The second problem is that most wifes that are tidy housekeepers are not going to allow a bucket full of yard debris including sticks,leaves,wood chips,pine needles and cones to clutter up the hearth. When that first spider comes crawling out of that bucket either you or the bucket are going out the back door. I have been married to the same woman for 54 years and I have been killing spiders for her for 54 years. I am an expert in this field hands down.
Thats just what you deal with Jimmy. We keep a feed bag full of chips, twigs and saw dust in the house to restart fires. It's no more of a fire hazard then anything else in the house. The wife demands an easy way to start the furnace up if I'm not home, so thats what she gets. Been that way for many years now, and it's not about to change.
Sean, you are right on the money. We have a Lennox 120,000 BTU gas furnace that burns propane in the basement. From a woman's perspective it's just so easy to walk down the hall and bump that thermostat up a few degrees. My wife worked for Dupont Chemical Company for 38 years and their Safety Programs were second to none. I guess
all their safety programs kinda gets ingrained into you over the years. I always remembered Dupont's motto "There is no such thing as a small Fire"
all their safety programs kinda gets ingrained into you over the years. I always remembered Dupont's motto "There is no such thing as a small Fire"
No bachelor here--married 50 yrs this July.
The stone hearth in front of the fireplace insert (main floor) and freestanding stove (basement) is kept scrupulously clean of flammables. The 5 gal. bucket of fire-starter is well clear of the stove opening.
My wife's standards for neat & clean compromise with her understanding that the firewood, and attendant mess that comes with it, saves us--I don't know, I used to think like $5,000/year, but now I suspect much more.
I've always said two things about heating with wood: 1. it's a part time job and 2. it's messy. Every day carrying in firewood, bits of bark and dirt from boot tracks. It's just part of rural life, in my view. Of course a guy once labeled me "cave man" for my loose standards in this regard.
But my fire--especially with the glass doors on today's stoves--is a key to the health of my soul. I don't watch TV, but I watch my fire.
I keep a box near the stove for kindling. It has a lid, and it also get parked out of spark range. I've yet to see any bugs in it. The kindling is splitter trash that I drop in a garbage can while splitting. The can stays in a dry building and the kindling dries out pretty fast.
With enclosed boxes for kindling and firewood there's very little mess in the house. Just what drops on the hearth when loading the stove and that's easily swept or vacuumed up.
Just talked to the Battalion Fire Chief of the Memphis Fire Department and he said that the 2 causes of fire that they see a lot in winter months are radiant space heaters and christmas trees that have dried out and catch on fire by the lights. He also said make sure that your stoves are the proper distances from combustible materials and meet the county code and your insurance regulations and requirements.
He said if the stove is not installed to code your insurance company can deny your claim. So I ask him about fire starting materials in a 5 gallon bucket and he said not to because of the turpentine content and the Homeowners insurance could deny your claim. He said the Insurance Companies are just looking for a code violation so they wont have to pay.
He said if the stove is not installed to code your insurance company can deny your claim. So I ask him about fire starting materials in a 5 gallon bucket and he said not to because of the turpentine content and the Homeowners insurance could deny your claim. He said the Insurance Companies are just looking for a code violation so they wont have to pay.
I scrape the coals to the front of the stove with an antique forged tool that looks like a small garden hoe.
Then I have two garbage cans full of dry white pine cones for starting fires in my basement. I half full a paper shopping bags with cones and add that to the coals with some small splits/branches on top, followed by larger splits. I have a plastic tote full of small knidling twigs/branches, and the small splits fill the top of my woodrack.
Then I have two garbage cans full of dry white pine cones for starting fires in my basement. I half full a paper shopping bags with cones and add that to the coals with some small splits/branches on top, followed by larger splits. I have a plastic tote full of small knidling twigs/branches, and the small splits fill the top of my woodrack.
One more bit of info I received a letter from State Farm Insurance the first week of January 2023 stating a photographer wold be out in a week and would take new photos. He showed up mid January and mainly took photos of the roof and my flue pipe. They took photos in 1985 when the house was brand new now they show up 37 years later. I told him the stack was installed to State Farm Specs. and I remembered back in 85 State Farm was actually more concerned with the hearth specs. I've got a feeling they may be starting to red line and tighten up on their customers.
Went through that with my insurance company when we moved in 10 odd years ago. Updated the policy with the new triple walled chimney, which also dropped my premium about $50.00 a year, This past summer. They sent their ding dong out, and he looked over everything and approved. (Even though he has no credentials to determine if it was installed correctly or not, has no state inspector license and doesn't know crap about a solid fuel furnace.) They are all about keeping your money and trying to deny coverage. Why I get the chimney and furnace inspected every other year. Not blaming that if something stupid happens.
Hey Sean, I have a neighbor that bought a $100,000 3/4 Ton 4 wheel drive GMC Sierra. He recently had a back operation so he told his insurance company that he was not driving the truck so they thought he meant to cancel the policy. They did not inform him that they had actually canceled the policy. A few months ago a defective battery shorted out about 10:00 p.m. at night
and the truck burnt to the ground. He got $2500 for scrap. Guess who was out $97,500
and the truck burnt to the ground. He got $2500 for scrap. Guess who was out $97,500
Technically a Fire Chief has more authority than a Police Chief. He can close an over crowded restaurant or movie theater and order everyone out. Plus he has the power to close roads if there has been an accident and something is about to explode and burn and even evacuate towns when there has been a train derailment. 40 years ago when I live in a subdivision in the city the fire chief showed up and said that I would have to move my small 35 gallon diesel tank and I could only store 10 gallons in approved containers and store them in my garage. He also said that if I would go ahead and mount my tank in the bed of my pick-up truck that I would be legal. So 4 stainless steel bolts and 30 minutes later I was legal.The 35 gallon tank was made for a pick-up and only took up 10 inches of the bed right against the cab.I just checked Oregon site, don't see much for Stihls.
I know Stihl has introduced a 0.325 0.050 narrow kerf bars/chains but not in USA. Might be interesting milling chain.
My small top handle stihls I run Stihl 63PM 3/8 0.050 picco/lo pro chains E bars.
50cc saws are 0.325/0.063 standard 26PM or 26RS chains 16" 3003 mount E bars. Larger saws are 3/8 33RM and 33RS chains 3003 mount ES bars.
I mill with Stihl 63PMX 3/8 0.050 picco/lo pro chain on 3003 mount Stihl E or GB bars (066 and 056M saws)
MP, I switched my Dolmar 5105SC (14,500 rpm version) over to Oregon Speedcut when they were introduced 2015/2016 and I am still impressed with cutting speed and large chips.
If I remember correctly Husqvarna went to Oregon in 2008 and ask them if they could manufacture a narrow kerf bar and chain for their 35 to 55cc saws. Most of the 346XP owners really liked the cutting speed of the H30 chain.
If I remember correctly Husqvarna went to Oregon in 2008 and ask them if they could manufacture a narrow kerf bar and chain for their 35 to 55cc saws. Most of the 346XP owners really liked the cutting speed of the H30 chain.
Sounds like something the insurance company would pull. Total bs. Not driving a vehicle is different then wanting coverage dropped. Years ago state farm offered a winter plan for putting a vehicle in storage. My wife regularly did this with her focus, as she didn't drive it over winter. Come to find out, we were paying for nothing when it was in storage. Just a big old scam. Dropped state farm pretty quickly after we found that out.
Got a Stihl question,is there anyway to mount a 20" Oregon Speedcut Bar 200TXLBK095 on a MS 261 C-M 12mm mount on the 261 and 9mm on the speedcut bar.Update: Looks like Cannon may have a 20" narrow kerf bar that will fit. Also they have the best selection of adapter plates.Click on Chainsaw Bars below
http://www.cannonbar.com/chainsaw-bars/https://www.cannonbar.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/page-9-Adaptor-Plates.pdf
http://www.cannonbar.com/chainsaw-bars/https://www.cannonbar.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/page-9-Adaptor-Plates.pdf
Just grind the slot out....
Thought about it but didn't know if the oil holes would match up. I haven't bought a 261 yet I'm still running 5105SC,7900, 2253 and 2260 for my firewood.
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