Best fire build?

M

Minibear464

Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
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I'm having a bit of trouble getting a good fire build. I'm looking for one that burns hot, and efficiently, but is also easy to start up... I ended up doing a log cabin/teepee inside the cabin, with a roof over the whole cabin, but it doesn't work that well.

I'm aware of the lean-to, but I can't get it to burn hot, for teepee, it keeps falling down... so I gave up on it. What's your favorite fire lay? :o
 
I use the base and brace method shown here by our own River-8. http://www.riverside-graphics.net/Skills/Fire.html Be sure to click on the other tabs at the bottom. Basically you need something dry to lay flat to keep your fire off the wet ground and something large, like a bigger piece of wood, to lay your teepee on so it doesn't collapse in on itself. Once it's established you can do log cabin or whatever you like.
 
I find it helpful to start with good tinder, then build the smaller stuff on that. I usually do more of a criss cross horizontal build than a tepee. Fat wood helps :D
 
Lately I've been doing an upside down fire. You start with a couple layers of bigger stuff on bottom and the little stuff on top. Sorry I don't have any pics. As the smaller stuff burns the coals drop into the larger stuff below getting it burning. Easy to maintain and a good burn.
 
Hi all,

Doc, that is one of my favorite fire lays too.
I like the upside down fire lay too. depending on the size of wood you use to start out with. it really is a great hands free fire for a while. when you want to do things around camp with out having to mess witht he fire much. An what a bed of coals it will produce.

Bryan
 
you can try a reverse log cabin. Start with a high set of logs so you can get the tinder and kindling in, then build your way up to bigger logs as you go up higher. You can use pine to start with and then up top build it with smaller hardwood splits, then keep piling hardwood on in a log cabin style.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
I personally like the A-Frame fire (seen here).

Doc
Click to expand...
Neat. That's basically the same idea as the base and brace method only with no base. I wonder if the base thing is necessary for you guys. Around these parts the fire catches so much faster with a dry base. Otherwise it's a struggle.
 
Prep, Prep, Prep.

A hat full of shavings, 3x the prep (pencil lead, pencil, thumb size) That's the prep to get the fire going. This on top of a base of wood to keep the prep of the ground (especially if the ground it damp or cold).
 
Shotgun said:
Neat. That's basically the same idea as the base and brace method only with no base. I wonder if the base thing is necessary for you guys. Around these parts the fire catches so much faster with a dry base. Otherwise it's a struggle.
Click to expand...

A properly constructed base also allows a good air flow to the fire. The brace method also lets your main firewood take advantage of the fire from the beginning to dry it and start the main burn. I noted in the video above, the young man used what I call a "quilt" lay with kindling laid in multiple layers at alternating 90 degree angles. All well and good, but his fire was all kindling and too much of that, IMHO. And, as to prep, it was a bit breezy and yet he left the dry leaves all around his fire. Remember... only YOU can prevent.... :D
 
Good wood....Hardwood. Dry-hardwood. Prep...Prep..Prep...Hard ARRRGH
 
Codger_64 said:
A properly constructed base also allows a good air flow to the fire. The brace method also lets your main firewood take advantage of the fire from the beginning to dry it and start the main burn. I noted in the video above, the young man used what I call a "quilt" lay with kindling laid in multiple layers at alternating 90 degree angles. All well and good, but his fire was all kindling and too much of that, IMHO. And, as to prep, it was a bit breezy and yet he left the dry leaves all around his fire. Remember... only YOU can prevent.... :D
Click to expand...

Man I was thinking the same thing. I kept thinking to myself that he would catch a huge area on fire but luckily it seemed to go well. Dangerous none the less if it were in the wrong place.
 
I've always been partial to the log cabin style. I make the outer frame with sticks stacked large to small and do the opposite with sticks laying across the middle. The middle sticks will light easily on the bottom, igniting each layer above it. The outer sticks will keep the structure together long enough for it to get going nice and hot where structure no longer matters. I can usually light it and go do something else since it maintains itself so well.

That, and you feel like you are Godzilla burning down a mini house every time you do it. :D
 
Used to do the typical teepee style fire. Than I read Kochanski and the log fire, and saw the parallel fire style. I tried it and it works as well with less hassle, so I'm doing this now.
 
G'day Minibear

Minibear464 said:
..... What's your favorite fire lay? :o
Click to expand...

Personally I use the fire lay shown here...

[video=youtube;gqW0lmj6lzA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqW0lmj6lzA[/video]


.... and here

[video=youtube;dArCtdx-UX0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dArCtdx-UX0[/video]

Most can start a fire with dry wood that can be found in the centre of the wood, that hasn't been soaked through.

But, how many internet posts have you seen, that can show that they can start a fire with wood that is wet through to the centre?

As you can see, from the amount of steam generated, I have no idea of what is involved in starting a fire with genuinely wet wood. :thumbup:



Kind regards
Mick :D
 
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SouthernCross said:
Most can start a fire with dry wood that can be found in the centre of the wood, that hasn't been soaked through.

But, how many internet posts have you seen, that can show that they can start a fire with wood that is wet through to the centre?
Click to expand...

So, Mick... what did you use for tinder there? 3 sheets of cardboard dipped in parafin wax?
 
Given the right accelerant, I can burn in water. Calcium carbide is the schnitz for puddle fires. Homebrew napalm works too. It floats. :)
 
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