bingobob777

OK, it's officially cold in Brisbane tonight. Need to heat the house a bit but have never used a woodburner before.

Being a bloke I built many a fire when I was younger, this should be easy I thought.

Stuck in some paper and some kindling, got it going, leaving the lever at high to let the air in (I think), gradually adding slightly bigger pieces.

All going well until I add a big log, it's just sitting there smouldering away, still got it on high which lets the air in I think, or is my problem high means high temperature and less air in.

hmmm

Anyway, no heat which won't do, so need help.

datamile

Best tip. Go find some big pine cones, best thing for lighting a wood burner. Easy to light, burn hot for a good 10 mins.

I generally stick one big log in either side, put the pine cones in the middle, put 2-4 cm wood over the top and light cones with vent open. Burning wood will fall into the middle, and then stick some larger bits on , building up to logs.

BadgeIsBack

Cones. This goes in one of my best tips of the last 7 years.

quoll

Hmm, check the lever to see that it is going in the right direction. Our woodburner always needs the lever open quite a bit for ongoing flames and it dampens down really nicely when the air is cut down. We have two air inlets - one just for start up which gets it roaring and the other for fine adjustment

We have gradations of wood (the DH is very OCD about his wood!) and we have kindling (no pine cones around here, but excellent idea btw) then small branches then middle sized branches then big logs and once the logs get going it can go for days.

Dreamy

:: dampens down her woodburner envy and slinks off ::

joquin

Dirty disgusting bloody things....

Next door run theirs all the time and it stinks the whole place out.

Not exactly envionmentaly friendly either...

Dreamy

I suppose that's where we differ then.

Most of the houses in my road have them - I love this time of year when I get out of the car and there's the smell of woodsmoke in the air. Brings back memories of Bonfire Night

Amazulu

They are also the in thing in the UK now as well

Dreamy

We had a multi fuel burner several house moves ago in the UK. I loved it - I think it was on all the time through the winter (big drafty 17th century house, it was a necessity, even with bloody central heating) so there weren't any issues with mess.

Besides, like with the BBQ, TheVileEx determined he was the only one authorised to use it, so I just made the most of it.

DeadVim

Yeh, second that, pine cones are great.

The way this winter is going so far I'm going to have to go chainsaw crazy ... around 3 degrees at 6:30 is morning ...

Gjn200

Really? You should put some more thought into that statement.

DeadVim

Give them a break, it is a big word

ukecadet

I'm with you on that one.They stink.
I think it's probably good if your sat in front of one but if your on the receiving end, they're bloody awful.
I don't care about the environment...I drink beer me.

4500 Times

Deeeeerrrrrrrrrr !!!!!!!