From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 20:53:27 CDT
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

jdelsign@BBN.COM (John Delsignore) writes:

> 
> I just got a cord of seasoned red oak firewood delivered to my house.
> We moved into the house in July, and we've never had a fireplace
> before.  While I've started fires before (most of them in a fireplace)
> I can't seem to get a good one going.  I think it's the lack of decent
> kindling because the wood seems dry and well seasoned.  So I have a
> couple of questions:
> 
> 	1. How do you "make" kindling?  I was thinking of buying an
> 	axe and splitting some logs into pieces about 1" in diameter.

It helps if you have some softer wood (fir, pine, etc.) for your
kindling. It catches easier, and will provide a fairly hot fire 
for long enough to get the oak going. You've got to start fairly
small so you can heat a large piece enough to get it going.

> 	2. If this is correct, what's the best kind of axe to make
> 	kindling with?  Handle length?  Weight of head?  Shape of
> 	head?

Depends on the size of wood you have. You probably don't need to 
put a piece with a cross section greater than 6" into your fireplace,
unless it's a big fireplace. Generally, if you have pieces more than
10" or so, you'll want a splitting maul. It's got a big, heavy, wedge-
shaped head. For the smaller stuff, a single-bit axe with a 2.5 lb
or so head should be adequate. WARNING: Axes and splitting mauls are
edged tools. You can seriously injure yourself with one of these
things; get someone to teach you how to use them safely. If you can't
find anyone else, get in touch with a Boy Scout troop; they learn
these things, and can give lots of useful advice about safety. Along
with a few stories about accidents... *Respect these tools.*

> 	3. The real goal is simply to get a decent fire going.  How do
> 	you experienced pyromaniacs start fires?

Generally in a fire pit rather than a fire place, but....

Method 1: Lay two relatively short pieces, about 4" thick, front-
to-back, about 12" apart. Have the front ends a little closer 
together than the back, so anything falling inside will tend to stay
in the fireplace instead of rolling out. Between these base logs,
wad up a couple of sheets of newspaper or similar material. Lay on
a handfull of small kindling, no thicker than your thumb. Add a layer
of pieces about 1" or so, then put another ~4" log across the back
and front, with the kindling between them. if you have a piece of 
oak about 2", lay it between the two larger ones. Light the paper, 
and blow steadily (or use a hair drier or fan) to get the kindling
started. The 1" stuff should blaze up fairly easily, starting the 
smaller piece of oak and the insides of the four larger pieces.
Once they've burned down somewhat, you can lay in another piece.
Be careful to not feed it piles at a time; a steady diet of one
or two pieces as needed works much better.

Method 2: Lay a fairly large piece (6" or so) across the back of
the firebox. Lay the wad of paper against the front center of it,
then lay small kindling on and over it in a cone shape; then lay 
on larger kindling, and finally 2"-3" pieces of oak. Light and 
areate as above. This method is somewhat harder to do, but it also
radiates more heat into the room.

If you have problems getting a draft started (i.e., smoke billows
into the room as you light your fire), loosely crumple a sheet
of newspaper, open the damper, hold the sheet up in the base of the
flue, light it, and then light the fire.

And, you can always invite someone over to demonstrate all this 
stuff to you.

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house