How do you build your fire?

[4077]

Wondering what others do to build a good fire....traditional tepee type? Something else you like better? What is your best kindling? How do you layer it? I've tried bunch of things...some I like better than others. Wondering if others have a way they do it every time......

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Boy Howdy , I do like me a campfire !
I like the tepee style most. I spose most folk build one the same,,,I start off with ripping up a couple newspapers & then roll'em up into a tight ball about fist size, this will be the center of the tepee. Then I layer a good amount of small twigs bout 10" long, standing up ,
all the way around the ball of paper. After that I begin standing up a layer of kindling over that. After that I stand up a layer of split seasoned wood around onto the kindling. I light the newspaper from the bottom.
Once the fire is burning well, I add wood depending on my mood. if I want a quick fire I'll just add more split wood or let that fire burn out, if we are ready to sit back and enjoy a nice long evening under the stars I'll put a couple of whole logs on the fire (they burn slower).
Now, all that being said, if it turns out that the wood is a little too damp, a little charcoal starter works wonders.


Okay, who's ready for S'mores !

 

[PaHunter]

I prefer mine to be gas fired, one match and turn it up or down. Really ?? Just kidding, I like to build a fire with very small kindling in the center, then lay two bigger logs to the outside and start layer smaller sticks up to logs in a crosshatch pattern, light the kindling and let er go, adding bigger logs as needed. Gotta have smore's tho.

 

[5kidsmommy]

I just let my husband and kids do it.

 

[peg110]

Gas, Lots of Gas. Then throw a match!

Just kidding. For me it depends on what I am working with. Often times at campgrounds you get stuck buying the wood or savaging for it. Sometimes I go "Teepee" others I go "Lean to" (Larger log with smaller ones propped along one side with tinder/paper/etc underneath.)

I like a good campfire (in a pit, covered, or open) but the DW with her asthma isn't as keen with them. My DD18 also has asthma but she loves her s'mores (with "Burnt" marshmallows. UGH!) So she likes the fires but has her inhaler handy. My DD 11 also loves her s'mores... No real issue with her other than she HATES burnt marshmallows but doesn't have the patience to "Roast" it (not burn it). Guess who gets to do that then. (I am NOT a s'mores fan. Like Graham Crackers, like Chocolate, even tolerate marshmallows, but the Marshmallow almost never gets warm enough to melt the chocolate, and inevitably the fist bite and everything crumbles in your hands an you have a mess in your hands.)

 

[Barney Fife]

With campfires at campgrounds, I like to think out of the box. Go to Lowe's and get some 2"x4"s. Cut them up into 12"-18" pieces. They are cheap, make an easy to start fire, and they burn out before its time to go to bed.

 

[peg110]

With campfires at campgrounds, I like to think out of the box. Go to Lowe's and get some 2"x4"s. Cut them up into 12"-18" pieces. They are cheap, make an easy to start fire, and they burn out before its time to go to bed.

Probably cheaper then buying firewood at some of these places. Even at the fort a "Half Bin" (however much that is) is $25.00

I know last time I bought 2x4x8 lumber, it was less then $3.00 a board (Currently $2.26) so $25.00 would buy a fair amount

 

[elaine amj]

We used to do mostly tepee styles. These days, we like to cook over the fire and/or build very tall fires so have been going with a log cabin-style. It's been working well and log cabins are pretty stable as the wood burns down

That said, I love to "play" with the fire. I'm not one of those who likes to build a fire that can stay burning for hours without much attention. I like constant fanning, adding, rearranging. I do tend to stay back from fires when with other people because it typically drives people nuts. When it's just my family, I hang out directly in front of the fire and fan almost constantly for hours and hours, loving every second!

 

[Maligator]

I go with the Jenga style. Since there is usually not much kindling wood available at camp grounds we stay at, I buy a case of small fire starting bricks at the beginning of the season which lasts months, and place one in the center before building the Jenga tower. Once it's going, I can just add logs on top and keep it going as long as I like. I switched from the tee pee style because they always seem to collapse on me.

 

[tiggerdad]

Typically a tepee style setup is what I go with if I am building for heat or just sitting around. I have lots of dry lighter knots on my property and I keep several pieces in my barn. Before we camp I use the axe and cut some smaller pieces off and use them under some smaller broken up sticks in the middle. I usually start with either really dry wood or some split wood around the edges.

If I'm cooking, I prefer a Lean-to type as it is generally lower and makes putting a grill over it easier. Some other examples are:

However, please try not to be:

 

[FtW Mike]

I go with Peg's idea of lean to . But personally I prefer a small hand held therm-nuclear device to start it as opposed to gas Less carbon footprint

 

[tiggerdad]

Napalm works well...

 

[FtW Mike]

Napalm works well...

So true but coordinating the F 4 strikes can be so tricky

 

[tigger92662]

Jenga style with a starter log has worked well for us. I was very fortunate a few years back to stumble upon mispriced starter logs at Home Depot. I think they were supposed $1.99 each and ended up being $1.99 PER CASE! I bought all 40 cases. Of course I then had to search for a sealed metal cabinet, I don't think my insurance guy woulda been to happy to hear that I had that many LOL

 

[peg110]

I go with Peg's idea of lean to . But personally I prefer a small hand held therm-nuclear device to start it as opposed to gas Less carbon footprint

Napalm works well...

Jeez. I thought I was a Pyro... I guess I am just an amateur.

 

[Disneypeach]

Dryer lint makes a great starter....

 

[tiggerdad]

Dryer lint makes a great starter....

Interesting

 

[peg110]

Dryer lint makes a great starter....

Take an old TP roll and cram it with the Dryer lint. Works great.

 

[rideswithchrist]

I made fire starters to sorta cheat (take a cardboard egg carton, stuff them with dryer lint and pour used candle wax over them, when they dry cut them into individual starters and store in a can)
And I grew up with my dad ingraining the teepee into me. He used to ask "WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A FIRE?" Because of that- I am the fire keeper in the our family for sure. But I am a scaredy cat of the propane grill and my husband has to light it for me- go figure.

We did have to do more of a lean to this last time, but we used a brick because the wind came from the wrong direction and kept snuffing it out- then I stuff from the bottom and add to the top. I did not even know there was such a thing- my dad always used teepee and I figured he was a boy scout so I had better listen

My husband's idea is put wood down-flame with the blow torch.

 

[peg110]

"WHAT 3 THINGS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A FIRE?"

Hmmm... Gasoline...... Blow Torch.... And a lot of beer? Oh wait... that was high school..... errr.... I mean later in college... Right?

(Just kidding of course)

The fire triangle... Know it well. Any scout (or fire fighter) knows it too.

My husband's idea is put wood down-flame with the blow torch.

This works too!

Some of the fire building techniques can get challenging depending on the weather. Particularly when making it in a purchase metal fire pit. Particularly in the wind. If I was building it on the ground, I'd dig a trench in my fire pit location and then put the "Tinder" down there, that way the wind won't easily blow it out. Then build with more tinder/kindling your method (Teepee, lean to, pyramid, etc...)