grey wolf Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 My link Thought this may be of interest it applies equally to contained fires apparently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprifool Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 That's a very nice site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chop! Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Hmm, it says it's suitable for 'slow burn log-burners' presumably the draw on our chimneys would draw the heat upwards and so not work in our logburners and ranges. Nice site, food for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 My link Thought this may be of interest it applies equally to contained fires apparently Graham, of Alnwick, explained the technique a little while ago. I think he said it was how Victorian and Edwardian parlour maids were taught start steam locomotive fires without getting their hands dirty, or something. It does work, but a good dollop of dirty diesel and a firelighter is much more fun. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BargeeSpud Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Very interesting. Can the technique work with coals in place of the logs in a SF stove? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey wolf Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 yes i like the site alot and i think if you can farm in that sort of heat and drought then you can almost farm anywhere.Not that Britain has had that trouble this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proper Job Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I always put a layer of coal/wood on the grate of the fire when lighting it. It always gets going a lot quicker for the very reason explained in the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I think most people with stoves have already done this, I know I have when the bloomin fires 'gawn an gawn aart' with unburnt coals still in it and you couldn't be bothered to clear out and relay it but done the upside down thing and hoped for the best, and with enough kindling it should recover when all the red hot kindling embers falls and surrounds the ready and waiting coals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanA Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I think most people with stoves have already done this, I know I have when the bloomin fires 'gawn an gawn aart' with unburnt coals still in it and you couldn't be bothered to clear out and relay it but done the upside down thing and hoped for the best, and with enough kindling it should recover when all the red hot kindling embers falls and surrounds the ready and waiting coals. Agreed - i've done the same loads of times both on the boat and at home in various fires/stoves - just never considered the science behind it. will have to try it on a proper from scratch campfire or BBQ, as in front of an audience you'd look like a magician ...or a complete numpty if it didn't work... thing is the usual rules apply you need plenty of good kindling (or firelighter) building up the size of the fuel gradually and a good air supply.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Hmm, it says it's suitable for 'slow burn log-burners' presumably the draw on our chimneys would draw the heat upwards and so not work in our logburners and ranges. Nice site, food for thought. I think that you might have missed the point that it is the radiated heat that ignites the lower layers, not the convected heat. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Nice fire, not sure about `butterflied etc. ` pig thing on top of it, looks a lot like the badger I drove past last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I am trying the idea now. Using a 5kW Stovax in the living room with a flat floor ie no multifuel conversion. Top and bottom draft fully open. Two lumps (4" x 3") planed softwood at the bottom. Two large lump split oak above Six pieces of kindling with half a fire lighter in the the middle. Lit it 10mins ago. Kindling mostly burned away now and the oak sort of burning at the upper surface. Waiting patiently I'll be back N I am trying the idea now. Using a 5kW Stovax in the living room with a flat floor ie no multifuel conversion. Top and bottom draft fully open. Two lumps (4" x 3") planed softwood at the bottom. Two large lump split oak above Six pieces of kindling with half a fire lighter in the the middle. Lit it 10mins ago. Kindling mostly burned away now and the oak sort of burning at the upper surface. Waiting patiently I'll be back N Hm... Not out but not blazing either. Lit the normal way it would have been burning merrily by now. N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Pink Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 When Graham Alnwick suggested this I tried it a few times with little success. Although it is true that when the fire gets going it doesn't take long to light the cinders below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Sounded good, tried it... have now built the fire the right way up... maybe my house is upside down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzard Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Its about loads of kindling on top to fire up smokeless coal, more economical and quicker to lay the fire in the conventional way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nb Innisfree Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I would have thought that an enclosed fire with only bottom ventilation the bottom layer is likely to cool due to inrush of air, unlike an open fire where the ventilation can come from higher up at the sides. On that basis on a stove with top and bottom ventilation the bottom one should be closed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueStringPudding Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 What a fab website! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 I am trying the idea now. Using a 5kW Stovax in the living room with a flat floor ie no multifuel conversion. Top and bottom draft fully open. Two lumps (4" x 3") planed softwood at the bottom. Two large lump split oak above Six pieces of kindling with half a fire lighter in the the middle. Lit it 10mins ago. Kindling mostly burned away now and the oak sort of burning at the upper surface. Waiting patiently I'll be back N Hm... Not out but not blazing either. Lit the normal way it would have been burning merrily by now. N Had to go and do other things. Left the fire smouldering inan uninteresting sort of way. Came back 25mins later and it was going a treat. AFAICT the advantage is that I got nice bright flames much earlier and much less smoke. The disadvantage is that it burned right down and only came up later. Next time I shall try it with the bottom draft closed. N N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 What a fab website! Just read a good bit of the rest of it. I do agree! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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