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I’m engaged in a battle with the wood stove. I want smoke coming out of here.
And it wants to watch The Bonnie Hunt Show and Inside Edition. It’s lazy. Or it likes other people better than me because it will only light for them.
I took lessons from its Favored One. I practiced under his tutelage. (I’m talking about 52.) And then I got cold and decided to do it myself! I am woman! Watch me make fire!
All by myself!
And so yesterday, all alone, I put on my battle gear and I said, “Wood stove, we are making fire today!”
The wood stove didn’t say anything back. Just in case you think I’m actually crazy.
I hear tell I’m supposed to clean this mess up before I get going.
I sorta kinda cleaned it up. No need to be picky. It’s dirty and I don’t like dirty stuff. Which is why I live on a farm and step in doo-doo all day long.
Anyway! First, I gotta put some crumpled up paper in there.
Then I lay in some kindling. And then some logs. And I arrange everything just like other people do when the wood stove performs magic tricks for them. I’m ready for fire!
Wait. THEN I make sure I know where the fire extinguisher is. Because I don’t really trust myself.
Then I get to make fire! This part is fun! I get to light stuff up!
It’s off to a good start. There are flames, see? I’ve got this thing nailed.
Okay, mostly that’s just paper. But it’s going to get there. I feel it. Me and the wood stove, we’re in sync now.
A fire needs air. So I’m supposed to pull out this knobby thing.
And I’m supposed to leave the stove door open a little bit.
I’m following directions. Why don’t I have more fire? I poke it, and it gets mad and flames up.
It gets going good, so I shut the door and turn on the blower. Time to bask in the warmth of my fire.
Fire???
You know what this fire needs? More paper.
I know. I could fill up the ENTIRE STOVE with paper! I’d have a big fire then.
Or not.
It’s going to be a long, cold winter, isn’t it?
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"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Keep reading our story....
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1:27
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Anyway, stove advise from me (heated with wood for 29 years and now supplement with fireplace insert): you are doing everything right but add about a gallon of very dry tinder, then pile of kindling. It looks like your logs are a bit large for taking off with ignition.
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WE MUST HAVE YOU WIN, SUZANNE! Come on, ladies…….
fly on over and VOTE!!!!!!
Blessings~
2:13
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I’m voting as much as I can…
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LET’S RALLY FOR SUZANNE!! At the moment she is only 50 points behind Susan,CA….. We can do it!!!!
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Here I am up at 4 a.m. to vote for you. I am posting a link on Facebook. Gonna try anyhow and also on my blog. We must all do what we did during the first round to get you votes and back in the lead position.
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About starting a woodstove fire, we have heated with wood for 36 years. It takes dry wood and patience. Start with small (very small) dry pieces, aka kindling, and paper. When this starts burning, add a few slightly larger pieces of wood. As these burn, you can place more wood on the fire. Now you are warm, but is the fire going yet? You are one smart cookie, Suzanne, you will get that fire going.
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Wish I could be helpful!
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we use only the woodburner for heat and there is nothing worse than being unable to light it, especially when someone else breezes in and does it in 5 minutes.
Like everyone else, i’d say kindling is the answer, i grab a bundle of little fallen dead twiggy bits every time i pass and then keep them in the porch ready, plus use small pieces of the dryest wood such as ash, or silver birch which seems to burn whatever.
good luck!
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Patience… our voting counts but the judges votes count more…keep the good mood attitude!!
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Have a great weekend all!!
Granny Trace
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~Teresa
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Told the girls at work to get voting.
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Don’t underestimate the power of heavy corregatred cardboard either. It goes on top of the paper, under the kindling.
An occasional squirt of BBQ lighter fluid helps too. I sometimes drip some on the big logs before I add them, if they might be a bit damp.
Also, a few hard blows from the lungs onto the red coals can often rekindle a fire that is being stubborn.
A dry piece of kindling or cardboard on top of the logs will help to pull the fire up through them and get them burning. Don’t put paper on top or it will float up the chimney while burning.
Enough dry kindling is important!
7:25
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Maybe a cookie or twelve would help. Kinda sorta worked with Clover.
Good luck, Suzanne.
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Wood Stove has been talking to Clover.
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Stay warm!
8:12
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That’s the open reason I can think it might not have started properly. :-/
8:13
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Second..I used a wood stove for my primary heating for over 30 years up in the Canadian mountains. The first thing I’d do is get rid of that grate! It holds the fire up too high and if you load your wood right you can get air right to the heart of the fire. If you start with a couple of medium sized pieces of wood laid at a slight angle with a bit of space in between and then put your paper in there (stick it out one end). NOW..put several smaller and DRY pieces of kindling on at an opposite slight angle and then a few larger ones on top again at a slight angle the other way. This will get some air to the center but the wood is close enough that it shouldn’t go out. It may take you a few tries but as long as your wood is completely dry and your kindling is small you should have no trouble. I don’t clean my stove every time I go to use it…I let the ashes build up a bit so that in the mornings all I have to do is through a few pieces of wood in the stove and away it goes. I usually go about 3 days without cleaning the ashes out depending on how steady I’ve kept the fire going. Like someone else said..cracking a window open a bit will help with your draft and also if you put a piece of paper on the top of your wood and light it before you actually start your fire…it get’s heat going up your chimney and starts the air flow for the smoke so it doesn’t come into your room. Have fun and good luck!
(pitchfork!)
8:13
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So kindling is the ticket huh? Is kindling the same as what I call fat lighter?
Deb
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I’m glad to see you’re back in the lead for a bit, but we have to remember that the California people are 3 hours behind and therefore work 3 hours longer than we do. I was ill when I went to bed last night worrying!! Hahahaha
Let’s show Suzanne some love today people!!!
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HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!
FROM BRAZIL
katia cristina
8:30
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I used to have the same problem with our fireplace, I bought a little bellows and it really did help. I nearly passed out blowing on the thing!!
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Good luck!
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Beth Brown aka oneoldgoat
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Oh my.
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Maybe I’ll visit a coffeeshop and ask to borrow someones laptop….
Shoot! I’m not that brave!
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Voted 20 minutes ago (twice)and you were in the lead by about 100 votes. Going back to facebook and “poke” everyone to get them started for the day by voting first thing.
Keep trying with the woodstove, you’ll master it soon. I have faith in your abilitites.
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Tammy
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I have set my lad top up in the kitchen–I am now checking the voting nearly every half hour!! I have emailed everyone on my email address asking for votes–I am thinking of going to Krogers and standing out side with a sign with CITR web site posted on it–or maybe–“will work for votes”
Thank God I am through menopause–this stress would throw me right into it big time!!!
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There is a big secret to keeping a fire going. You really don’t need wood at all. It took me years to figure this out. You need truckloads of PAPER! Soon, you will be driving around and begging/stealing piles of old newspapers. This is what really makes a fire FLAME! The wood is just in there for show. Trust me.
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~Jenny~
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There are certainly plenty of pine cones over here at The Old Farmhouse. You could use some of that “ugly wax” that Mark gave you to make some fire starters. Just pour an inch of melted wax in the bottom of each muffin pan cup and then stand a dry pine cone in the wax and let it harden. You can spray the muffin cups with vegetable oil spray for easy removal or use paper muffin liners. A pretty basket of these firestarters makes a nice Christmas, Housewarming or Hostess gift for someone, too.
I voted at work and at home. I think the SAM-E people will appreciate all of the interest you are generating.
Let’s keep working for Suzanne, folks! She’s the best!
Have a great day!
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I have never burned wood since selling that house. DH makes comments every winter about getting a woodstove to supplement and I just tell him, “it’s your baby, don’t ask me to get up in the middle of the night. Had my turn when I was young enough to handle it, haha!” Oh but I DO love a wood fire…how to reconcile the romantic to the practical (or maybe the lazy?!)
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I don’t feel qualified to offer suggestions but it looks like you’ve had lots of good ones already. I have no doubt you will succeed in this venture also, Suzanne! Look at the things you’ve already accomplished in your new life! Be patient with yourself and Mr. Woodstove, I’m betting you be very good friends real soon.
We’re heading home to PA in the morning, yippee! Thanksgiving with our families! If the economy was better I’d quit my job and go home to stay, but it’s just not to be right now. So we’ll enjoy the time we have to visit & be thankful for it. Sorry, I digressed there….I only meant to mention it because I don’t have a laptop & won’t be able to vote for a few days. :( Plan to use my brother’s computer when we get there tho!
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WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO
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Okay folks we need a much bigger lead! Tell your friends, tell your family, you can even tell your enemies…..we need them to vote!
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Made me smile and I needed that today.
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You people must really want those calendars! LOL!
Seriously, Suzanne- I understand your fire problems. I use LOTS of kindling and Lots of paper, and then I pray, real hard.
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Funny story!
I grew up with a wood stove as our only heat source.
You kind of get a feeling for the fire and can see when it needs more air.
And lots of practice. Loooooooots of practice.
Oh, yeah and move slowly and gently…sneak up on the fire.
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1. Fuel sized from tinder to kindling to logs
2. Oxygen
3. Heat source
So fuel is the wood/paper/whatever ya got that burns. Tinder is stuff that is wispy. Think hay, paper, or any TINY pieces of wood, no bigger than a blade of grass. Kindling is small stuff, no bigger than a pencil is wide. Twigs, tiny split lengths of wood, pine cones, etc. Logs are chunks of wood, split or not that will fit into the fire box. Use a variety of sizes from thumb-thickness on up to as big as will fit inside and still let the door close. Check.
Heat Source – matches, lighter, flame thrower, etc. Check.
Oxygen is leaving the door and draft open (check)AND not packing too much fuel too close together! There HAS to be some space between the layers in order for air to circulate and the flames to get through to the next layer. It doesn’t take a LOT of room, but about 1/8″ between pieces of wood is good. If you have a solid layer of kindling, it can’t get to the next layer to light it. This is one time where you don’t want to be too neat. It should look like a pile of pickup sticks. That lets the air in between and around all the wood. See, the match lights the paper, the paper lights the tinder, the tinder lights the kindling, the kindling lights the logs (or coal!) and the old woman gets home tonight. (Reminds me of an old nursery rhyme!lol)
So don’t pack the paper in, use a lot of tinder, but fan or feather it out a bit, use a lot of kindling, but again, fan or feather it out so there’s some airspace between it. THEN the logs with space between them – until the fire is going. Even the, don’t overload the box with wood or you’ll smother it and the fire will go out.
Oh, and the smaller the wood, the less space is needed between it when you place it.
Another help would be this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs_pLbJ-JGE
Notice how he’s left spaces between his kindling and how he made sort of a square out of his wood pieces and then laid the wood across each section. If you need to study the layout of his fire, hit the pause button to get a good look at how it is set up. Also watch several times how he adds the wood at the end. He’s still doing the cross thingy where one layer is laid one way and the next layer is crossed over it. Again, hit pause or replay the section you want to look at.
Here’s a two part video showing how to start a fire. Notice how he leaves the stove open just a CRACK. I mean, it’s barely open at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q5ARSirNKo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs7bvZKlDuU&feature=related
Tips on using the wood stove:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjlQfmTN4Ts&feature=related
Hope this helps.
12:42
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I make my own firestarters that work pretty well. We cut and split our own wood, so there is plenty of sawdust outside. I let it dry, put a bit of it (with some broken-up dryer lint) in each well of an egg carton, then pour melted candle wax into each well and stir it up a little bit (a great way to use up the last bit in those candle jars). When the wax dries, you have a flammable little nugget that burns surprisingly long.
I start with kindling, move to finger-size twigs, and when I put the wrist-size stuff on, I put a firestarter on top to “encourage” it to keep burning. Works for me.
Hope that helps.
Not that you asked.
Have a great day!
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12:49
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You can also check out this page that Suzanne recently posted to help find your way around CITR. http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2009/11/15/the-unofficial-guide-to-chickens-in-the-road/
hth
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Enjoy!
1:11
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p.s. Did they tell you to heat the flue first? In case they didn’t, what you do is make a quill or brand out of a piece of newspaper, light it and use it to warm the flue where it connects to the inside of the stove. That will help get the draft going that feeds the fire. Another trick is to open a door or window to help get a draft going, because especially you live in the hills, there can be pressure inversions where the air pressure is lower in the house than it is outside. By opening a door or window, you equalize the air pressure and again, that helps get the stove draft properly.
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I don’t have much traffic but I hope maybe it will help some.
You’ve got a great blog that not only entertains but helps people with guidance, support and inspiration.
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The paper doesn’t burn long enough to get your wood on fire.
More little wood sticks to start and built up slow with large logs.
The large logs are good when the fireplace it HOT.
Good luck..
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Suzanne, I challenge you to make fire starters….
I voted..my husband voted .and got a note from one of the kids that she voted..I’m doing my best for you Suzanne..
3:12
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http://willo-switch.blogspot.com
3:17
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Ignore any link and just click on J that has the tortie cat’s face
**sighhhh** I screw things up royally sometimes
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(my husband has fireplace duties, so I don’t have to…)
Have a great evening!
(your late-in-the-day voter)
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Wood heat is awesome–I have had it for over 60 years.
Kindling and some smaller wood before the logs works great.
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http://www.stoptheride.net/2009/01/dryer-lint-fire-starters.html
this post has the how to…
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My husband found an article online a year or two ago about building your fire upside down & that’s how we do it most of the time now.
Moderate-sized log(s) at the bottom. On top of that we put a mix of sticks, paper, and cardboard. (We don’t put paper alone on top because the burning paper will float and suck up into the flue. So we mix the paper in with the sticks and cardboard.) Once it’s burning well and you start having a few red coals, add middle-size stuff. Once it’s burned partway and you have more coals, add the big stuff.
But whether you build up or down, as others said early on (and probably later where I haven’t read
), KINDLING! Lots of kindling, get the stove hot, then add the bigger logs.
I’m assuming you had the drafts open. Our stove has two, a lever at the bottom of the stove and another one that controls the damper to the flue.
You’ll get it! You’ve learned everything else you’ve set your mind to, you’ll get this.
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I was born and raised and still stuck here in Florida, so I haven’t a clue how to start a fire. We avoid the heat down here.
I’m going to turn on my other computers and see if I can vote from there.
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Wonderful to see all the support you’re getting — to paraphrase Sally Field, we love you! right now, we love you!
9:30
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Brigitte is ahead of Suzanne by 8!
We can’t have that!
dede
9:36
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I build a great fire…too bad I’ve developed some kind of allergy or something to burning wood. Lots of people near me heat their homes with wood and I’ll tell ya, it’s making me really sick. :(
Voted again today: 6359 votes. Good luck!
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Thank You. Alice.
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GET THAT VOTING LINK UP TO THE TOP OF YOUR PAGE AND LEAVE IT UP THERE AT THE TOP! DAMMIT, WOMAN, WE ARE ALLLLLL TRYING TO HELP YOU WIN AND WE CAN’T LET PEOPLE FORGET!
(Yes, I am yelling.)
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