I've used plain old black and white newsprint for years to crumple up to help start my fires, but lately I find it harder and harder to find; just about every page has some color print on a good portion of it. Just wondering if its like that where you are?
Black and white newspaper getting harder to find
- Thread starter PA. Woodsman
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Wood Scrounge
ArboristSite Guru
Wall street journal has no color
Festus Haggen
ArboristSite Operative
It's the glossy stuff you don't want to burn. The finish and inks are what give off the gases. Almost all, if not all newspaper printing is soy-based ink now, black or color. I have a hard time keeping enough around, don't ever buy newspapers anymore. Reduced to burning the Pennysaver and school newspaper that comes in the mail...
Learning the "newspaper knot" is what got me using much less paper. 3 or 4 knots will get a good stack of kindling burning nicely, you'd have to use probably 3-5 times as many sheets of crumpled stuff to do the same. First time I used them, AND lit a top-down fire at the same time really got my friends riled up. But most of them do both now themselves.
Learning the "newspaper knot" is what got me using much less paper. 3 or 4 knots will get a good stack of kindling burning nicely, you'd have to use probably 3-5 times as many sheets of crumpled stuff to do the same. First time I used them, AND lit a top-down fire at the same time really got my friends riled up. But most of them do both now themselves.
user 19670
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A newspaper knot
I should like to learn about the Newspaper Knot.
Anyway, the glossy stuff we get can actually smother a fire rather than start one. luckily we only start one fire in the fall and let it go out in the spring. There was always enough coals to start the next blaze and now that I am retired there haven't been any long absences yet so the fire never goes out.
I should like to learn about the Newspaper Knot.
Anyway, the glossy stuff we get can actually smother a fire rather than start one. luckily we only start one fire in the fall and let it go out in the spring. There was always enough coals to start the next blaze and now that I am retired there haven't been any long absences yet so the fire never goes out.
Adkpk
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Festus Haggen
ArboristSite Operative
These folks explain it better, stupid simple once you see it, and works great.
http://www.woodheat.org/tips/newspaper.htm
I try to keep one fire going all winter, but I'll let it go out on real warm days so I can check the liner and give it a quick swab with the brush if it needs it, which it never does. (brush it anyway)
The "top-down fire" is also another trick I like now. Guess the internet is useful for something. Well, something other than that.
http://www.woodheat.org/tips/newspaper.htm
I try to keep one fire going all winter, but I'll let it go out on real warm days so I can check the liner and give it a quick swab with the brush if it needs it, which it never does. (brush it anyway)
The "top-down fire" is also another trick I like now. Guess the internet is useful for something. Well, something other than that.
Firestarter
ArboristSite Lurker
still black and white here. Funny though I Only had to start the fire twice this season once in October to start the season and once in december after a 60 degree warm up.
wdchuck
Addicted to ArboristSite
The free local ad paper comes once per week, regular newspaper material, the supply of that is building faster than I need for fires.
coppermouse
ArboristSite Operative
I use old paper towel core tubes and toilet paper ones, or plain brown cardboard boxes. I try not to contaminate my catalytic combuster with anything else
I should have clarified that I do use 3 or 4 "knots" rather than crumpled paper. Wasn't thinking I guess...:greenchainsaw:
chowdozer
Addicted to ArboristSite
Phone books work good. They are nice and compact, they throw four of them in my yard every year. Just tear off a few pages.
Bad thing about newspaper, it's a great way to start a chimney fire. (if you don't want a chimney fire)
Bad thing about newspaper, it's a great way to start a chimney fire. (if you don't want a chimney fire)
Wood Scrounge
ArboristSite Guru
What are everyones thoughts on corrogated brown cardboard?? Burns Hot and seems to be a good starter.
gtstang462002
ArboristSite Operative
Prefer match light. No good for cooking but works great for starting a fire.
chowdozer
Addicted to ArboristSite
That's about all I use. I grab a coupla boxes a week at work. Cut them up with a utility knife and put them in a milkcrate within arms reach of the stove.
logbutcher
Addicted to ArboristSite
Vibes
Addicted to ArboristSite
Bags from fast food joints work the best. Especially when soaked with the fry grease. Also save the cup without the lid.
Festus Haggen
ArboristSite Operative
If you have proper draft, newspaper can be easily sucked up the flue while burning, if you get enough of it burning up there, it can reach "critical mass" and ignite the creosote in the chimney. That's actually how I started my chimney fire, but I was using a "draft assist device", aka a vent fan to get it going. I had just loaded some wood that wasn't dry enough, and it was already charred so I got lazy and instead of taking the wood out and trying with dry stuff, I tried to force it. Won't do that again! Of course, my chimney is in much better shape now with really seasoned wood and an insulated SS liner.
Sethro
Heathen
Fatwood or empty beer boxes
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