This will be my 4th season burning in my Avalon fireplace insert. (I now scrounge 1/2 my wood and purchase the other 1/2 -about 4 cord+ per season). My methods of burning have changed as have my methods to start fires: Year 1 I started my fires with newspaper and kindling gathered from my yard. Year 2 I started fires with newspaper, kindling and splitting scraps (1st year I began splitting). Year 3 my friend turned me on to fatwood so I used that and newspaper This year (after my fatwood is done) I think I'm switching over to Lightning Nuggets! Recently I bought a small pack of Lightning Nuggets just to try them. Tonight I used one with no newspaper (per the instructions) and it worked fantastically! After 1 shot I am very impressed with them! So 2 questions for you: 1. Have you tried the Lightning Nuggests? (If so, how was your experience)? 2. How do YOU start your fires! (What do you use).
I've not tried those, but I was thinking about making up some wax firestarters like i've seen in other threads here. I still use the old fashioned newspaper and kindling method. I use 2 larger pieces to make a "v". Then I twist up a couple of newspaper "logs", put some small kindling on top of that, and some larger kindling on top of that, across the 'v'. Light it, then toss a couple more logs on top. Let it preheat with full draft for about 20 mins, then clamp it down.
Super cedars are the same as lightning nuggets, wax & sawdust. The super cedars may be a little larger. During shoulder season I use about 1/8 of a super cedar in a piece of at cardboard egg carton under some small splits. Starts every time. During the main fire season I burn 24/7 and just throw more splits on top of the hot coals. Good, dry wood does not take too much effort to get burning. KaptJaq
I make a bunch of kindling from seasoned firewood splits and keep it in 55 gallon covered garbage cans, I grab a hand full and 1/8th of a super cedar when I need to start a fire
I'm using a handful of dry(ish) noodles topped with KD hard and softwood scraps from work. Last year I used newspaper to get the shop scraps going. Both work nicely.
Haha really? I happen to have a pack of those sitting right on my mantle, but I've never tried them... You must be cutting them up to get 150 fires. I'll have to try them!
My pine kindling and some fire is all I need. I have so much still from sandy. I use it for the pit also
I use Rutland Fire Starter Squares(144-Pack) $13 Most of the time I use kindling but you really don't have to , I like to get the pipe hot fast, 1 square will get a fire going without kindling, quite a bit cheaper than super cedars
I bring home scraps of cedar 1x, tongue and groove, and shakes. Chop them up with the x7 and put in a box on the hearth. A fist full of those, and about 10 seconds with the propane touch. Instant fire.
Yeah break it into 3 or 4 pieces. Burn most of the splitter junk in the shop stove, have several wheelbarrow loads a day.
I'm thinking of trying the Rutland or Super Cedars this year. Like others, I've progressed over the years. I started with newspapers and packing paper from Amazon (I order from them a LOT) as tinder. Then I started using a handful of noodles last year which works way better than paper. The problem is I spend so much time splitting logs to kindling size, I'd like to cut that part of the equation down significantly.
I have acres of white pine. I have mucho pine branches and when I get ambitious mucho sizes of pine splits to start fires with.
Bernzomatic with piezo electric start plus 1/4 to a 1/2 of a paper grocery bag. One bottle lasts almost 2 years (starting fires only) and the green Coleman bottles work well as I have found. I also keep a stash of pine resin infused kindling for tough to start wood.
Yep, it's progressed over a few years. Right now, I put whatever splits in the stove, add a firestarter (homemade), set the starter on fire, close the door and walk away. A short few minutes later, and I've got a nice fire going. I do use kindling, but only because it's ALL OVER this place laying on the ground. I purposely made some kindling from Maple early this year which is more like small splits that hold a fire for a couple hours if I put a few in the stove.
