Starting your fire

[jazzfan]

Re: Starting your fire

Don't have an oven yet, but for my indoor slow combustion stove I have a trigger pump spray mister thingy. I have the nozzle set to squirt rather than spray. Bit of newspaper, good bit of small split hardwood, a couple of squirts of metho, put a couple of bigger bits over the top and throw in a lighted match. Gets the thing drawing well almost immediately. The metho burns completely and cleanly.

Regards

[asudavew]

Re: Starting your fire

The metho burns completely and cleanly.

This is a new one on me.

Whats metho?

[rlf5]

Re: Starting your fire

Most likely methanol

[RTflorida]

Re: Starting your fire

sounds like an alcohol product. I don't know, in an enclosed space (WFO) that looks like a disaster waiting to happen.
Its really not hard to build a fire - safely. no alcohols, LPG, gasoline, or lighter fluids.
Dave, you spot on - newspaper and work your way up from small twigs to logs. A raging fire in about 10-15 minutes.

[rlf5]

Re: Starting your fire

If he's just putting a couple squirts on it, then its actually cleaner than any lighter fluid and pretty safe as long as he doesn't drink it

[asudavew]

Re: Starting your fire

sounds like an alcohol product.

Thanks ... not sure why I didn't realize that.

I don't know, in an enclosed space (WFO) that looks like a disaster waiting to happen.
Its really not hard to build a fire - safely. no alcohols, LPG, gasoline, or lighter fluids.

I'm gonna try a venturi burner and propane.

Dave, you spot on - newspaper and work your way up from small twigs to logs. A raging fire in about 10-15 minutes.

Works pretty well and an air compressor helps!!
The fire really likes the extra 02

[rlf5]

Re: Starting your fire

Also try starting the fire in the vent area and push it back once it really gets going.

[jazzfan]

Re: Starting your fire

This is a new one on me.

Whats metho?

Methylated Spirits.

[dmun]

Re: Starting your fire

Methylated Spirits.

Or, in USA, denatured alcohol, the stuff you thin shelac with.

[jazzfan]

Re: Starting your fire

sounds like an alcohol product. I don't know, in an enclosed space (WFO) that looks like a disaster waiting to happen.

A coupla squirts is like a thimble full. Not Homer Simpson amounts (remember the episode where he uses two whole cans of fluid on his kettle BBQ - and causes a mushroom cloud when he lights it)

Metho burns relatively slowly - you can have it in an open tin and light it - it will burn off without exploding.

Metho - Google Search


I use it mainly to reduce smoke when the fire is getting started. Where I am it is a real problem in winter, when the air is still (and cold), the smoke from wood heaters fills the valley and just sits there...

[asudavew]

Re: Starting your fire

My Grand dad used to use wood alcohol to start fires for Boy Scout camp-outs.

He would put steel wool in a bowl, add denatured alcohol, and touch two sides of the wool with wires from a 12v battery.

Poof!!

I forgot about that until today....

Might be an option!

[Archena]

Re: Starting your fire

Try dynamite - it'll get the fire started quicker... and give you a great excuse to build a new oven after you get out of jail....

[RTflorida]

Re: Starting your fire

Ah, the POOF!!!
My family has experienced this phenomenon 3 times in my life (thankfully only one time for me) with a bad result each time, exactly the reason I'm against the use of accelerants in fire starting.

I will stick to my cave man ways and use a match, paper, twigs, and patience. With a little luck my oven and I will grow old together without a mis-hap.
I would like to play with the dynomite.....in a controlled setting of course.
I live vicariously through the guys on Mythbusters.

RT

[jazzfan]

Re: Starting your fire

Ah, the POOF!!!
My family has experienced this phenomenon 3 times in my life (thankfully only one time for me) with a bad result each time, exactly the reason I'm against the use of accelerants in fire starting.

I will stick to my cave man ways and use a match, paper, twigs, and patience. With a little luck my oven and I will grow old together without a mis-hap.
I would like to play with the dynomite.....in a controlled setting of course.
I live vicariously through the guys on Mythbusters.
RT

The thing is to use a LITTLE BIT of metho, use plenty of kindling, and ALWAYS put the metho on BEFORE you light the fire. The whole idea is to get the kindling going strongly so the fire draws well right from the kick off and doesn't smoke so much. I really don't understand what all the fuss is about...

Regards

[RTflorida]

Re: Starting your fire

No fuss, different strokes for different folks. Some of us tend to error on the side of extreme caution. When you've had that "poof" directly in your face or nursed a 13 yr old (my daughter) with third degree burns from fingertips to armpits, you tend to feel this way.
I love fire as much as anyone, its the coolest thing to watch, but you have to remember - play with fire and you will get burned.
Also remember this; there are a lot of newcomers to this site who have never built an oven or even built a fire. The LAST thing a newbie needs to do is experiment with accelerants until they are comfortable building a fire that needs to be big enough and hot enough to scare the hell out of you.
Too much, too soon, and BOOM!!
Now please, who has the dynamite? I have an armadillo burrough in my back yard...that should be just the ticket to eradication or at least getting him to move on to a neighbors yard.