Alternatives to newspaper for fire starter

doc henderson · January 11, 2022, 07:05:13 PM

I started with hand me down tins, but now I have 5 that nest inside each other to store. I tried to add salts to make color in the fire, but it really did not add much. I buy bulk papers and i get Christmas or winter themes. even the frozen characters would be fun, if you can find them cheap and in bulk. I have bought quarts of the scent to add, and even years later these make a room smell nice, if in an open container. I get the cheap Walmart plastic tins at Holiday time to use for storage and give as gifts. remember to warn people they are not candles to set on a shelf, light and walk away. also, NO they are not edible and yes someone asked.

WV Sawmiller · January 11, 2022, 09:50:44 PM

Boy, you guys are high tech with your fancy fire starters. I get a weekly B&W trader paper that I mostly use. I also save my planer savings when I use my planer. Same with the auger curly-ques when I drill mortises in my benches for my tinder. For kindling I mostly used broken pieces of my stickers cut to about 6" long on my RAS. I also use old 50 lb feed sacks to bag up my short board ends and cut-offs when making birdhouses, sheds, composting toilets, etc. I once resawed a bunch of 1X10 air dried poplar into 3 & 4 inch baseboards and sawed the 1/8" - 1/4" 1" wide strips and created a monster. They burned so good my wife wanted me to make her a bunch more of them. Tablesaw strips and corners and such go in the kindling bags.

The problem when my wife tries to start a fire is she wants to put it down and start her fire on top of it. I showed her many times to set two big logs up with a space between, put her tinder (Shavings, 1-2 sheets of paper, etc) between and her kindling across and on top of the 2 big pieces. Then when she sticks a match to the tinder the heat goes up and ignites it and the heat reflecting off the logs set them to burning. People don't seem to realize you have to have 2 logs to burn. One log won't burn (Well, maybe a lighterd log would). A big and a small log will burn till the small log burns up then the big one will go out.

SwampDonkey · January 12, 2022, 05:22:18 AM

The one big log will burn if it is burning well already and has good air. Also a bunch of dry fir will burn quicker than a large stick of ash. The ash stick will burn completely, but longer. Seen that just last night, one side had 4 big sticks of fir, the other a chunk of ash. Nice glowing ash coals remaining to build up the fire.

Now outside in a camp fire situation, your talking about an uncontrolled combustion. Lots of air, but nothing to radiate back off of to keep the heat up like walls and ceiling of a stove.

fire is heat, fuel, oxygen.

DMcCoy · January 12, 2022, 07:37:57 AM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 11, 2022, 09:50:44 PM
Boy, you guys are high tech with your fancy fire starters. I get a weekly B&W trader paper that I mostly use. I also save my planer savings when I use my planer. Same with the auger curly-ques when I drill mortises in my benches for my tinder. For kindling I mostly used broken pieces of my stickers cut to about 6" long on my RAS. I also use old 50 lb feed sacks to bag up my short board ends and cut-offs when making birdhouses, sheds, composting toilets, etc. I once resawed a bunch of 1X10 air dried poplar into 3 & 4 inch baseboards and sawed the 1/8" - 1/4" 1" wide strips and created a monster. They burned so good my wife wanted me to make her a bunch more of them. Tablesaw strips and corners and such go in the kindling bags.

The problem when my wife tries to start a fire is she wants to put it down and start her fire on top of it. I showed her many times to set two big logs up with a space between, put her tinder (Shavings, 1-2 sheets of paper, etc) between and her kindling across and on top of the 2 big pieces. Then when she sticks a match to the tinder the heat goes up and ignites it and the heat reflecting off the logs set them to burning. People don't seem to realize you have to have 2 logs to burn. One log won't burn (Well, maybe a lighterd log would). A big and a small log will burn till the small log burns up then the big one will go out.

Lol the similarities, shop scrap monsters live here too. Generally, I start the fire just as you describe. My wife absolutely loves to split cedar kindling so there is a box of it. If she has any issues with starting a fire she pulls out a bottle of jellied alcohol and gives it a squirt. Raves about the stuff. We'll see, I suspect I will be making "Ol' Doc Henderson's Wood Cupcake's"(TM) until I die. Given the time I spend chopping kindling for the shop I might use the dang things too!

Nebraska · January 12, 2022, 08:10:38 AM

Doc's muffin tin candle waste sawdust trick also works with dryer lint as well. My work clothes laundry area in the basement is right by the wood stove. I have a box I toss the lint in and use it. That and a splash of alcohol and some thin veneer slab sawmill waste got the furnace going last night. It was over 50 yesterday so I didn't burn, and let it go out. Really odd for this time of year.

cutterboy · January 12, 2022, 08:31:10 AM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 11, 2022, 09:50:44 PM
and created a monster. They burned so good my wife wanted me to make her a bunch more of them.

:D :D :D
You have to be careful of what you give your wife. If she likes it she wants more no matter how much work it is for you. :D :D :D

moodnacreek · January 12, 2022, 08:34:13 AM

Sounds like nobody rubs 2 sticks together anymore :laugh:.

WV Sawmiller · January 12, 2022, 09:32:36 AM

Swampy,

I should have mentioned that a single log with a split or crack or such will act as 2 or more logs as long as you can get the reflected heat effect required.

I saw a survival trick used in Scandinavia where they take a dry log maybe 8-10 inches in diameter and 24-30 inches long. They either split the log into quarters and reassemble them in an upright position or saw a deep X in one end with a chainsaw or such then stand the log up in the snow with the split end up. The snow was deep enough to hold the log upright. They add dry leaves or crumbled dry bark or such in the split and stick a match to it and the reflected heat keeps it going. With the flat surface on top they can put a coffee pot or kettle or such to heat. They called it a Swedish stove or such as I remember.

I see similar birch logs with the split in the end for sale in Wal Mart and other places at outrageous prices. I think they call them wooden candles or such but the reflected heat principle applies.

Mooseherder · January 12, 2022, 10:08:31 AM

If I could sell these for 5 cents apiece we would all be rich! :D
(I heard they make good fire starters)

SwampDonkey · January 12, 2022, 11:11:57 AM

Should work as well as prairie buffalo dung. :D

You know I have seen where moose have hung around like a cow all winter in thick fir, and the pile just grows and grows. :D

SwampDonkey · January 12, 2022, 11:15:02 AM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 12, 2022, 09:32:36 AM
Swampy,

I should have mentioned that a single log with a split or crack or such will act as 2 or more logs as long as you can get the reflected heat effect required.

I understand, we can't remember to type everything. We are all human. Then there is always that cantankerous stove with poor draft design or install. :D

DMcCoy · January 13, 2022, 07:50:59 AM

What I am constantly amazed with is how much room is needed for the flame between pieces.
Oregon State University has just received a 2.5 million dollar grant to study retrofitting wood stoves to reduce particle emissions. The study isn't complete but the are heading towards turbulent forced air instead of natural draft. This sounds really interesting.

"MacCarty will work with three other OSU researchers plus tribal and industry partners to develop a firebox retrofit that uses the injection of turbulent jets of air to help stoves burn more cleanly and efficiently – even under suboptimal conditions such as wet wood or too much fuel in the firebox."

Oregon State receives .5 million grant to create wood stoves that burn more cleanly | Oregon State University

Corley5 · January 13, 2022, 08:19:51 AM

The maple sugar industry has been doing forced draft advancement for more than a little while. Over fire, under fire, combinations and turbulence to get hotter fires for better evaporation.

SwampDonkey · January 13, 2022, 08:56:18 AM

My furnace is retrofit with a forced draft option, but I don't need it. I just leave the ash pan door open a few moments when the fire is first built to get up to temp, close it up and the conventional draft does it's job. The open ash door will really chug the fire, like a rocket firing, vibration and all. ;D

mike_belben · January 13, 2022, 04:41:49 PM

Quote from: DMcCoy on January 13, 2022, 07:50:59 AM
Oregon State University has just received a 2.5 million dollar grant to study retrofitting wood stoves to reduce particle emissions. The study isn't complete but the are heading towards turbulent forced air instead of natural draft. This sounds really interesting.

Tell them call me. for 50 bucks i will tell them how to do it and they can pocket the $2,499,950.

Under the insulation is 100ish hotter on the fire tube. 550° fire

75° smoke stack which is a single wall piece of galvanized forced draft duct, not even smoke pipe.

Lengthen the flame path, increase the velocity and vent the smoke, not the heat.

No smoke, no ash.

moodnacreek · January 13, 2022, 07:45:11 PM

Hasn't private industry already done this. Back when I used to go to the wood shows they always had those gasifier burners. Could there be anything new in wood burning at all? Might need a study to see :laugh: I guess.

DMcCoy · January 15, 2022, 07:08:11 AM

Doc Henderson. I'm thinking about using toilet paper tubes. In your estimation can I mix planer shavings with the wax separate and stuff them?

farmfromkansas · January 16, 2022, 09:48:01 AM

My wife has been saving small boxes for me, for the wood stoves. Find some of the better starters are small wood scraps from the shop in a box makes a good starter. Another thing is to drop your peanut hulls in a small box, and set it in when you are starting a fire. The hulls are a bit oily and they last a bit when lit.

Magicman · January 16, 2022, 11:28:18 AM

I filled my Kindling Bucket back up last evening.

Nothing but "Fat Pine" used here.

doc henderson · January 16, 2022, 12:08:36 PM

Quote from: DMcCoy on January 15, 2022, 07:08:11 AM
Doc Henderson. I'm thinking about using toilet paper tubes. In your estimation can I mix planer shavings with the wax separate and stuff them?

yes, you will have to move fast before the mix cools. could also tape the bottom and pour wax over the shaving already stuffed in. then after cool, you could chop/cut them in thinner wafters to make 5 or 6 out of a tube. and paper towel roll tubes my work. premixed might allow some sir spaces and it may go up fast, for better or worse.

upnut · January 16, 2022, 01:28:05 PM

Quote from: mike_belben on January 13, 2022, 04:41:49 PM
Quote from: DMcCoy on January 13, 2022, 07:50:59 AM
Oregon State University has just received a 2.5 million dollar grant to study retrofitting wood stoves to reduce particle emissions. The study isn't complete but the are heading towards turbulent forced air instead of natural draft. This sounds really interesting.

Tell them call me. for 50 bucks i will tell them how to do it and they can pocket the $2,499,950.

Under the insulation is 100ish hotter on the fire tube. 550° fire

75° smoke stack which is a single wall piece of galvanized forced draft duct, not even smoke pipe.

Lengthen the flame path, increase the velocity and vent the smoke, not the heat.

No smoke, no ash.

From my days as a control room operator at a 55mw coal fired powerplant, boiler operator 101...the three T's of combustion are time, temperature, and turbulence.
It's been around awhile.

https://www.thecmmgroup.com/three-ts-combustion-matter-pollution-control/

Scott B

DMcCoy · January 17, 2022, 07:43:59 AM

Thanks Doc. My Father-in-law has lost most of his eyesight and still wants a fire so I will be making him some of these as well...
upnut - thanks.

farmfromkansas · January 21, 2022, 11:10:07 AM

A neighbor bought a new outside forced air wood furnace, and his has a blower for combustion air. The thing is awesome at starting a fire. Wish I could add a blower to the combustion air on my wood stove, for the times the wind is calm outside.

gspren · January 23, 2022, 09:17:08 AM

Most years there was corn growing about 50' behind my OWB so corn cobs were plentiful. I use one of the plastic coffee cans and break or cut the cobs to stand up in the can and still get the lid on, I think it's about 20 cobs, then pour about 2" of diesel/kerosene in and they will wick it up. One cob burns a long time. I would go out with a bucket and pick a bunch up right after the combine went through and put them in the barn to finish drying before the can and fuel part. I also kept an old pair of pliers handy so I could light it before sticking in between splits.

smokeman100 · January 25, 2022, 09:46:23 PM

Quote from: woodroe on January 07, 2022, 10:56:33 AM
Newspapers are going the way of the dinosaur and getting harder to find
unless you have a subscription which I don't.
My source has run out so wondering if anyone else is contemplating what to do for wood stove fire starter.
Cutting up cardboard boxes which are a plenty might become my next source.
Anyone else there yet ? What are you coming up with ?

if yoiu dont want to use news papper use a little seasoned pine kndling light with a propane torch