Not a lot of coals, but just enough Note the piece of kindling, front bottom and a couple on top to help get er up to temp.
That's what I often do as well, pre-heat the box with some kindling instead of bottom-burning half of a fresh load, trying to get heat up to the top of the box so I can light the cat. Probably not as much of an issue with a tuber... He's probably a lot closer than I am. Almost November?? This is crazy! But I don't have a problem with it...still have some stuff I need to get done outside.
Once those couple pieces of kindling on top get fired up, they heat up the top of the stove and the pipe, for a good draft pretty quick,, bottom-up top-down all in one
Yeah it puts out enough Heat in the daytime , that Cottonwood I got was fairly easy too, backed up to a pile and loaded it
I may be done burning for a week or so here.....not quite as warm as Woody but close and a little rain mixed in.
I burned a pre-heat fire in the Buck most of the time, since I loaded on a 12-hr. schedule and stove temp wasn't high enough to load on coals and go. It take a while to get all the steel up to heat! If the coal bed is pretty low in the Keystone I will sometimes do the reverse of standard procedure, and go for a cleaner start. Instead of pulling the coals forward, I'll shove 'em to the back where they can't get air. Then I will load a big split on 'em, and build a top-down load in the front. Gotta change it up once in a while!
I overdid it a little bit on that load, three or four beers I guess I got carried away Even though it was Box Elder house went up to 84 had to open windows
Ha Ha! Me too ... but only up to 80 here. Love those pictures of a full N/S load! As a side loader owner, I confess to having a bit of envy when I see pictures like yours.
I love to play the "no matches, no lighter" game. I just lit up from coals about a half hour ago. Had a pine fire last night, searched around in the back under the ashes for something to work with (that's where they hide in my stove). Found a fist-sized piece of charcoal with the barest spot of glow on it. A minute's work with the hatchet working up some kindling and a handful of really small stuff, a bit of work with the bellows and I'm good to go. I have no idea what exactly the scenario is where I'd have no matches or lighter, but I somehow feel good knowing that even in one fire a day weather, I could get by on a single match for the duration if I needed to.
You just transported my mind back to my childhood where everything was once a pure innocent game - only occasionally interrupted by the noise of what we now call "reality". Thank you! Looking forward to playing this game when it gets a bit colder ... stuck in the one fire every 24 hours or so cycle.
I am loading stove once a day. the coals will reignite the wood and stove is still warm. I have had half a dozen coal relights. and I am in SC
If I am wanting to get max burn time , I will use kindling and a Fire starter to get the heat built up really quick in the stove. That way I get the input air shut back down really quick and dont have to leave the door open very long. Works even faster with a good load of really dry wood.
