starter logs question

[interguglielmi]

i'm sure this has been asked already, but...... does anyone use DURAFLAME starter logs on the initial start up ? i found one that is all natural and was curious if it could use it for the start of the fire???? will it bother the oven floor?? ? thanks for any help ! -lee

[Xabia Jim]

Re: starter logs question

I don't see why not....I think it's a waste of money though! Paper and a few bits of kindling wood work fine!

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: starter logs question

Don't know about the "natural" duraflame, but the regular ones take forever to burn out, so you would have to wait that out before cooking or you would get off flavors imo...

As Jim said, wood and paper work fine. I know there was a thread about "top down" fires, but I cannot find it. This method works well for me.
Here is an external link about it
Top down


Drake

[interguglielmi]

Re: starter logs question

thanks ya'll, but i found a forno video where a cat was using a small piece of wax starter log to start his fire. i guess that is the same thing???? i was just afraid of it being on the ovens floor and ruining it.... again, i was just gonna use a small piece to start with.... thanks again !

[Frances]

Re: starter logs question

If you're looking for a simple and easy starter boost, someone mentioned soaking corks in methyl alcohol and placing one under the fire just before lighting it.

It works really well - I know this since we spent our last Winter holidays in a house with only wood heating.

The info (along with lots of other relevant ideas) is in here somewhere...

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f16/...-fire-488.html

[toyota08]

Re: starter logs question

Hi all my way is to save my tea bags hang them to dry on a string,once dry i store them in methylated spirit they work great long hot burn and recycling at its best.

cheers Peter

[PizzaPolice]

Re: starter logs question

Ohhh! Now it's Cork Soaking is it? There are a few Cork Soakers in my town who just love to soak cork.

(Snidely stolen from a SNL skit.)
http://www.funrestarea.com/pages/cork_soaker.shtml

Not EVEN going to touch the teabag reference.

[Xabia Jim]

Re: starter logs question

Cork Soakers
and Drying tea bags eh?

....now a chip of the whole block? I could see that!

[Frances]

Re: starter logs question

Oh dear oh dear oh dear...



I had no idea cork soaking was quite so popular!

[Dutchoven]

Re: starter logs question

Lee
See what you've done here...let these people run amok with this whole firestarter issue!!! Anyway a small bit probably would not do any harm...in our earlier days we used small firestarters and it was OK but I concur with Drake in not using the whole log...the top down fires work quite well but I am still a fan of just lining up the limbs straight back from the door to the back of the oven and then lighting a small kindling fire right in the front and letting it burn all the way back...
And another thing...bake hundreds maybe thousands of loaves of bread and no one calls you a baker but soak one little cork and for the rest of your life you're a cork soaker(had to get that one in!)
Best
Dutch

[PizzaPolice]

Re: starter logs question

Me? ...I'm sticking with the big propane weed burner.
I save the bark and small stuff from the splitter and toss it into the oven along with a lattice work of 8th and 16th splits. It hangs out until the next fire.
Next, the full impact of 500,00 BTU roaring from the the nozzle. (I can almost smell the JP-4) First, the flue gets heated so the smoke finds its way. A medium 2 or 3 minute blast should do the trick.
I use the door to restrict and shape the airflow to create a venturi. (*Insert light bulb emoticon here* Holy Mackeral! Xabia Jim is right... Using the door, the oven could be used as a smoker! Man, am I dumb.) About 2 beers later, you should see a nice bed of coals. Push 'em to the side and build it up.

[BeanAnimal]

Re: starter logs question

Not to dig up an old thread.... but in doing research for my own oven (yes reading every relevant thread from the begining...) I have a wood burning fireplace insert that we use to heat our home (western PA). It has pourous insulating firebrick and any starter with wax or sap (fatwood) melts down to the floor and destorys the brick over time. I get the insert cranked up pretty hot but the wax (or sap) never burns off before it soaks in.

I know that the floor of our overns is much more dense, but I would imagine that starter logs would end up making a mess over time, even if the bricks were not damaged.