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Campfire

Favorite campfire method

  • Teepee

    Votes: 8 33.3%

  • Pyramid

    Votes: 1 4.2%

  • Log cabin

    Votes: 12 50.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • Total voters
    24
Nef

Nef

Rank IV
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

What is your favorite method of building a campfire? Lately I have been getting ''helpful" comments on how I was doing it wrong and that it would never work... Fun to watch their reaction as the fire burned merrily without my help. I use the log cabin, you?
 
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monjorrow

monjorrow

Rank IV

Enthusiast III

Prefer the "log cabin," but it really depends on the type of wood I have available. Split, cut, twigs, branches etc.
That being said, I posted this last night in the portable fire pit thread but I bought a small portable propane fire pit from lowes and it is the cat's ass. I'll never do a wood fire again, unless I'm backpacking or otherwise can't carry the gas pit.
 
Nef

Nef

Rank IV
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

monjorrow said:
Prefer the "log cabin," but it really depends on the type of wood I have available. Split, cut, twigs, branches etc.
That being said, I posted this last night in the portable fire pit thread but I bought a small portable propane fire pit from lowes and it is the cat's ass. I'll never do a wood fire again, unless I'm backpacking or otherwise can't carry the gas pit.
Click to expand...
Those are cool, but woods free and I'm frugal...
 
PB&Me

PB&Me

Rank V
Launch Member

Traveler I

Birds nest and teepee here. we have to deal with wet wood a lot here in OR so making a fire can be an art form sometimes — everyone has their preferred method.
 
CR-Venturer

CR-Venturer

Rank VI
Launch Member

Traveler III

I usually do the teepee, but I seem to find that the log cabin works better, I guess because it doesn't collapse in funny ways when it starts burning as the teepee tends to do. Often I combine them by building a log cabin and putting a Tiny Tinder Teepee(tm) in the middle .
 
The other Sean

The other Sean

Rank V
Launch Member

Pathfinder I

I've got a good friend who is a Fireman. He prefers the log cabin method. I figure a guy trained to put out fire probably has a good idea how to start one.
 
SouthernJourneyman

SouthernJourneyman

Rank 0

Traveler I

I chose other, though I mostly use a pyramid/log cabin sorta setup. But it really depends on several factors, how big of a fire I want, cook fire vs. warmth fire, wet ground, materials, etc.

If I'm in a location where it is acceptable and I am building a fire primarily for cooking, I am a big fan of the Dakota fire hole. Good airflow, keeps the heat focused, and when your done you just pour water in the hole and fill it back in. Just be careful not to build one where there are lots of tree roots running underground. I don't know how true it is, but I've heard stories of fires starting from tree roots that have been smoldering for weeks.

And to the OP, I feel you on the "advice" issue. I've gotten to the point where I just back off and let them try. Sometimes they manage to get something going, but more often than not they end up coming back to me asking for help.
 
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smritte

smritte

Rank V
Launch Member

Member III

I've been camping and building camp fires my whole life. A few people mentioned, how you build it depends on a few factors. I absolutely agree with that.
What wood, what I have to start it with, is the wind blowing, how tall is the fire ring....
As @SouthernJourneyman mentioned, the Dakota fire hole is great when I'm by my self and need to cook.
A couple of years ago I went on a 5 day trip with a guy I just met. He had been camping two whole years and demanded to start and maintain the fires. A "camp fire expert" showed him the correct way to make fires. He built the fire by laying the wood in sort of a lattice pattern. With the moderate wind we had he just couldn't get it to go. I suggested a different way and he of course said there's no way it would work. Waited till he went to make dinner and got it started. He still wouldn't believe I used a different method.

I also use a steel and flint when I'm by myself. most people don't have the patient's for it. Gota get the good ones for that. Mine is a half inch thick.


Scott
 
SouthernJourneyman

SouthernJourneyman

Rank 0

Traveler I

smritte said:
I also use a steel and flint when I'm by myself. most people don't have the patient's for it. Gota get the good ones for that. Mine is a half inch thick.


Scott
Click to expand...
Flint and steel is something I really need to work on. Never have been able to get my hands on a good chuck of flint to practice with. I do carry a firesteel though. Bout all I use to start a fire anymore.
 
SouthernJourneyman

SouthernJourneyman

Rank 0

Traveler I

I just had to go over there and take a look at what's new. I bought the firesteel I'm using now not long after he started up, and it's still going strong. I see there are quite a few new products that I may have to spend some money on.

Edit: For some reason it won't let me quote. May be the link and the fact that I'm new.
 
Quicksilver

Quicksilver

Rank VI
Launch Member

Advocate III

DRW'S Hi-Yo-Silver said:
I use whatever works best at the that time in my OB fire pit.View attachment 79007View attachment 79008
Click to expand...
How long does it take for that to cool down enough to break it down and put it away? For example: I'm usually up before sunrise, and if it's chilly out, I like to have a morning fire to take the edge off. But if we're moving along to the next spot, we eat, pack up, and roll out shortly after sunrise.
 
Quicksilver

Quicksilver

Rank VI
Launch Member

Advocate III

I chose "other." I like to make an upside-down fire. For those unfamiliar (I just learned of this one a little over a year ago), the idea is to lay down the largest pieces on the bottom, then go smaller as you go up. Your top layer is going to be kindling and tinder. The burning debris drops down to the next layer, heating it until it catches, and so on. I keep a number of different fire starting methods in my kit, but I like the cotton balls dipped in vaseline. They work really well, if you don't over-saturate them (they still work even if you do, just not as easily as intended).

IMG_2649.png

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IMG_2662.png
 
WrightRunner

WrightRunner

Rank VI
Launch Member

Influencer II

Quicksilver said:
How long does it take for that to cool down enough to break it down and put it away? For example: I'm usually up before sunrise, and if it's chilly out, I like to have a morning fire to take the edge off. But if we're moving along to the next spot, we eat, pack up, and roll out shortly after sunrise.
Click to expand...
Good question. I'm not exactly sure. But I always have a morning fire then pack up the pit last thing and go.
 
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