Slick trick for starting a fire.

[AngelofDarkness]

Sometimes I have a hard time getting a fire from kinda burning to really going good, I used to think I would get some old fashioned bellow until I found something way better, an old hair dryer! I turn it on low and point it right at the hottest part of the fire, sometimes playing around with it a bit to get the flames bright white and bushy. I usually hold it in that position for about 2-3 minutes and by the the fire is usually roaring away. I start most of my fires with bark broken up into little nuggets, the hair dryer really gets these going good and hot and helps the bigger kindling get going. I also try to only use split stuff for starting fires, it seems to catch much better. The other thing I noticed is the dryer really reduces startup smoke.

 

[reaperman]

I use, "Duraflame firestart", for starting all of my fires. About $7 for a case of 24 starters. I then cut each brick into 1/4's, so one brick will give me 4 little starters. Which is like getting 96 individual starters. So a case will easily last a full burning season. These starters easily light any kindling or smaller rounds without hassle.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=377392

 

[AngelofDarkness]

Thats not a bad price, might pick some up at WalleyWorld. The hair dryer is just cool, I can et that sucker roaring hot in no time and it reduces start up smoke.

 

[country boy]

i have used my old quart oil jugs to start fires with not real sure if it is epa approved but seems to work well

 

[AngelofDarkness]

I dont want to use anything that makes excessive smoke cuz I live in town. I have to restart a lot because my stove is small and will not hold enough wood for a long burn (no draft control)

 

[country boy]

yeah i imagine your neighbers woudnt much care for the smell of burning plastic and 10w40

 

[gasman]

I take a duraflame log and cut into about 100 pieces about the size of a golfball. Use one piece to start.
Practically free to start a fire.

 

[AngelofDarkness]

What else I could use it for is get a really hot bed of coals going an put some aluminum in a ceramic crucible, use the hair dryer to fan the flames and do my own aluminum casting. Might melt the plastic end of the dryer, I should fabricate a metal tip for it if I try that.

 

[coppermouse]

I have a catalytic stove and the cat manufacturer says those duraflame things will gum it up and not to use anthing but newspaper of uncolored cardboard to start a fire.

Condor makes a "power bellow" which is a battery powered blower with a metal tip like a mig welder, it works sweet

 

[Deadman]

Ether!

 

[hoot gibson]

i use corn cobs , and set them in a coffee can with a little coal oil in it ,like a little torch . light it , and it works every time h

 

[aandabooks]

I'm with the duraflame. About 1/5 each and I get boards from work that are made out of cottonwood. Open the ashpan and open the damper all the way. In a perfect burning season, I would only have to start a fire once per burning season. That is not the case. Usually about once per week the fire goes out.

If gumming would be an issue with the duraflame starters, it could easily be negated by bring the fire way up.

Matt

 

[Festus Haggen]

'Bout half a tractor inner tube works good, maybe more if you want a fast outdoor cooking fire. Well, maybe not. Bike inner tubes actually make great EMERGENCY ONLY firestarters, couple small bits burn like crazy, even when damp.

I use some old 2x10 floor joists that we removed from a fire-damaged home. Some are very lightly charred, most are just dark brown, and drier than rat poop in a sand dune. Just need 3 or 4 newspaper knots, a handful of the joist bits, and we're off! We cut the 2x10 into ~12" sections, then split them smaller yet. I keep an old canvas tote full of them next to the stove, along with a few knots. I make up some new newspaper knots while I wait for the fire to get going, gives me an excuse to hang out next to the stove for a few minutes.

 

[Kansas]

I have used the hair dryer method on green or hard to light situations and it is great tool no doubt I still have one around!

At my shop I use a mix of 1/2 kerosene and 1/2 used motor oil in a 5 gal bucket and I throw in 2"x 18" slivers of wood I split out especially for the purpose and soak em good to start my hot blast stove and at home we use the wax and sawdust blocks all cut up into little squares.

 

[retired redneck]

I Start Wood Fires With Hand Held Propane Torch Works For Me

 

[Log Splitter]

I Start Wood Fires With Hand Held Propane Torch Works For Me

Try Mapp gas, it works even better. And I thought I was the only one.....

 

[Festus Haggen]

Well, if we talk outdoor fires, I've used everything from the normal accelerants up through roofing torches and the PPV fans off my fire truck.

My coal stoker used to be a pain to light, charcoal briquettes were the only good way to get it going. Used a chimney charcoal starter in the stove, then dumped the red hot coals on the ramp, added a shovel of coal, and let the blower rip on full for about 10 minutes. That was quite a blowtorch, I twisted the end of my fire poker by heating it in the coal then using a hammer and a piece of rail.

 

[JBFab]

Try Mapp gas, it works even better. And I thought I was the only one.....

Add another one

 

[gtstang462002]

Add another one

Have done that too... I find the match light charcaol briquets work very well and one bag for 7 bucks lasts me close to 2 months or longer.

 

[monkeywood]

Liquid Boy Scout

A nice backpack blower