Campfires

[Missouri Mark]

Geez Louise, building a fire comes natural to us country folk. No lessons required, no store bought tools (just burn long pieces in half)!! Such a thing as overthinking everything!!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by floyd

I sincerely apologize to the person who first showed me this for not giving credit where it is due.
I have been using the "TeePee" method for years with great success, but this year at Sebring someone suggested the "log cabin" method which was to stack the wood like building a simple,open, square "Lincoln log" structure.
It worked much better and made for a clean fire which started quickly.

Hi Floyd, I like the Log Cabin fire lay too For years, . Boy Scout handbooks had a section on different configurations of campfires depending on the desired use and the availability of wood. Plenty of tinder, a nice bundle of kindling and a stock of dry firewood, and you'll have your fireman chit in no time.
Dave

[Buggeee]

Originally Posted by floyd

I sincerely apologize to the person who first showed me this for not giving credit where it is due.
I have been using the "TeePee" method for years with great success, but this year at Sebring someone suggested the "log cabin" method which was to stack the wood like building a simple,open, square "Lincoln log" structure.
It worked much better and made for a clean fire which started quickly.

You're on it Floyd. This log cabin stack is the bomb. I was shown it about ten years ago and have never done it another way since. Quick catch, low smoke, hot and impressive. It develops a flue right up the middle and the flames come alive in there - fed by volumes of oxygen flowing in and up the chimney.

No kindling needed at all. Drop a fire starter in the pit. Build a square log cabin around it with your wood pieces so it looks like a hash-tag (#) from the top. Light the fire starter. You will be thinking to yourself... "this is never going to work" and then... well, you'll see.

Win friends and influence people, try the log cabin. Everyone looks at you like you are a moron when your putting it together and ten minutes later they are chatting you up like you're in the know.

[ Hows come we don't have a s'mores emoji? C'mon Admin!!! ]

[John Linck]

I too use shop scraps. Mine is all hardwood and kiln dried so it is nearly smokeless and lights with a match (no fire starters necessary). Additionally its usually exempt from regulations regarding the transportation of firewood state to state as the kiln kills any living bugs, etc. It burns bright and hot and goes out quickly when you are ready for bed.

Happy camping, john

[Jon in AZ]

John, you've hit on the problem. Unless you camp locally, you cannot (or should not, anyway) bring your own firewood. The firewood that is available most places we camp is junk wood, unsplittable for the most part, with lots of smaller diameter branches. There's only so much you can do with that to make a hot, clean fire.

[Kenny Strong]

Floyd
Sorry about topic change.
Tried to take some smoked jerky, Canada, back into the US and it was taken from us. meat products can not be brought across the border. Years old, smoked and cured in the US but not in unopened container.
Not an ash hole. Perhaps a reality woe. ???
Please others, stay on fire topic, I just thought this was fun to see.
My sister insists on charcoal fires, only for food cooking. Must follow orders !