Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn them,
but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good advice on how to
light a bonfire?

Thanks

Ian

In message ,
Laphing Boy writes
Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn them,
but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good advice on how to
light a bonfire?

What's the weather been like in the Guilford area? I'd be surprised if
any wood would burn easily given how wet and cold it's been.

--
dave @ stejonda

Alternative Global News : http://commondreams.org//

In article ,
Laphing Boy writes
Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn them,
but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good advice on how to
light a bonfire?

Thanks

Ian



First. Make sure than none of the neighbours have washing out :-))

Second. Make sure none of the neighbours have BBQ's or are sunbathing
;-}

Seriously :-))

You have to start your bonfire with PLENTY and I mean PLENTY of dry
material first. DRY chopped firewood. Plenty of dry newspaper which will
ignite and make a good flame. Might seem stupid to you, but not all
'newspaper' and magazines will make a good start to a bonfire.

I had a wonderful bonfire last weekend and carried out the following
operation.

All Garden matter to be burnt was small, ie less than 6inches long :-((
boring chopping it up

PLENTY of dry 'suitable' newspaper. (Newsprint of the tabloid type is
best :-))

PLENTY of dry chopped firewood. (If you are old enough to remember when
the fire in the grate/hearth had to be lit each day :-(( you will know
what I am on about. If not, then a bucket full:-))

Place newspaper on ground in a small heap. 'Sprinkle' dry chopped
firewood over it. Ignite newspaper. Put more dry firewood over as
required until you get a good fire going and you can hear the wood
crackling as it burns,
..
..
..
..
..
..
then and only then apply a small amount of you chopped garden 'stuff'
..
..
...
possibly add more dry chopped firewood.
..
..
..
..
..
you should, should? damn it you WILL by then have a good fire with a
good heart in it and you will be well away.

Been there.

Done it.

Got the singed eyebrows :-))

BUT, keep the neighbours happy :-))

Mike


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD :
When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're
down there.

In article ,
says...
Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn them,
but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good advice on how to
light a bonfire?

Thanks

Ian




don't use petrol !

Steve

"MC Emily" wrote in message
...
Piling wood progressively in the place you're going to burn it isn't a
good
idea because you could have hedgehogs inside it all. If you can, move the
pile and while you're moving it look out for hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs
have
come out of hibernation early this year because of the mild winter we've
had
but now it's gone colder they've gone back into hibernation again. During
January I found 5 wandering about looking very sleepy but quite healthy -
they'd just woken up too early!!! If you care about hedgehogs (gardeners
usually do), please check there aren't any in your bonfire before you get
it
going. Of course, some people couldn't give a stuff about them but I hope
you're not one of those )

Jaqy



Thanks to all for the advice. I will try again next weekend.

Jaqy,

We have Hedgehogs. My failure with a bonfire will not hurt them! I try to
light a small fire and then move stuff onto it. Then it goes out. Rather
than try and get the big pile to just burn )

Ian

Piling wood progressively in the place you're going to burn it isn't a good
idea because you could have hedgehogs inside it all. If you can, move the
pile and while you're moving it look out for hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs have
come out of hibernation early this year because of the mild winter we've had
but now it's gone colder they've gone back into hibernation again. During
January I found 5 wandering about looking very sleepy but quite healthy -
they'd just woken up too early!!! If you care about hedgehogs (gardeners
usually do), please check there aren't any in your bonfire before you get it
going. Of course, some people couldn't give a stuff about them but I hope
you're not one of those )

Jaqy


Laphing Boy wrote:
Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn
them, but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good
advice on how to light a bonfire?

Thanks

Ian

In article ,
Laphing Boy writes

"MC Emily" wrote in message
...
Piling wood progressively in the place you're going to burn it isn't a
good
idea because you could have hedgehogs inside it all. If you can, move the
pile and while you're moving it look out for hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs
have
come out of hibernation early this year because of the mild winter we've
had
but now it's gone colder they've gone back into hibernation again. During
January I found 5 wandering about looking very sleepy but quite healthy -
they'd just woken up too early!!! If you care about hedgehogs (gardeners
usually do), please check there aren't any in your bonfire before you get
it
going. Of course, some people couldn't give a stuff about them but I hope
you're not one of those )

Jaqy



Thanks to all for the advice. I will try again next weekend.

Jaqy,

We have Hedgehogs. My failure with a bonfire will not hurt them! I try to
light a small fire and then move stuff onto it.

Make sure you have a good red hot fire before you put the new stuff on.
If your fire is hot enough, you will see and hear the sap sizzling as it
comes out of the branches and trunks of the new stuff you put on. BUT,
as you put the fresh stuff on the fire straight from the tree, it will
cause a lot of smoke :-((


Then it goes out. Rather
than try and get the big pile to just burn )

No not a big pile to start with. Small and grow bigger :-))

Mike

ps don't forget your neighbours :-))

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one
pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside,
thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting GERONIMO!

Laphing Boy wrote:

Jaqy,

We have Hedgehogs. My failure with a bonfire will not hurt them! I
try to light a small fire and then move stuff onto it. Then it goes
out. Rather than try and get the big pile to just burn )

Oh, I'm so glad you won't hurt them. Good for you ))

Jaqy

Xref: 127.0.0.1 uk.rec.gardening:166173

"Laphing Boy" wrote in
:

Hi. (new to group)

I checked your FAQ's, and could not find the advice I was after.

I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want to burn
them, but have been failing in the bonfire department. Any good advice
on how to light a bonfire?

If you can find someone with a real christmas tree still hanging about,
they go up like stink. Most conifers seem to burn well, but one that's
been thoroughly dried is best of all. Anything resinous is good to start
with: damp native things like hazel and holly are best left till the fire
is really going well.

If you can find someone who's shed has just blown over, it's amazing the
effect that years of careful creosoting have on the flammability of even
very damp wood.

Start with small dry twigs and work up slowly. The dead stems of hollow-
stemmed plants make good kindling, but only when you have a reasonable
number of decent sized pieces of wood well alight can you haul a huge damp
lump of tree onto the top ;-)

Beer will help it seem less cold till the fire is going properly...

There are those who will pour on petrol, but I like my face the way it is.
If you find someone who insists on doing this, (there is one in every
reasonably sized workplace, it seems to be some sort of natural law) try
and make sure they do it *before* any matches are lit.

I have seen powdered weedkiller sprinkled over the bonfire before ignition,
to dramatic effect. Oh, and if you know any yachting types, those red
emergency flares make *really* good firelighters...

And if you make bonfires like us, *do* site well away from overhanging
trees. Our last conflagration but one left the hedge looking more than a
bit singed... ;-)


Victoria (saving up for a shredder)

Victoria Clare wrote in
.218:

Anything resinous is good to start
with: damp native things like hazel and holly are best left till the
fire is really going well.

Ack! I meant fresh logs of holly of course. Dried holly leaves burn like
stink.

In article , Victoria
Clare writes
Victoria Clare wrote in
8.218:

Anything resinous is good to start
with: damp native things like hazel and holly are best left till the
fire is really going well.

Ack! I meant fresh logs of holly of course. Dried holly leaves burn like
stink.

and don't they make a noise when they first hit the fire? :-))

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.collingwoodassoc.org.uk/ Reunion. Chatham May 30th - June 2nd

Castle Class Corvettes Assn. Reunion October 2003 Isle of Wight.
National Service (RAF) Association reunion. Nov 2003 Scarborough.

"Laphing Boy" wrote:

Hello Laphing

LB I have a load of branches from trees that blew down. I want
LB to burn them, but have been failing in the bonfire
LB department. Any good advice on how to light a bonfire?

Heh, used to light 5-6 bonfires a day when hedging, in all weathers,
and it's not always easy. Did this for about five years with no
drama, although when I was away one day, one of the other lads set
five acres of gorse on fire... Another guy left his chainsaw too
close to the fire when he went for lunch - wasn't much left of it
afterwards...

My method is:

1. Gather a bunch of stuff to burn and locate site - not good grass,
not underneath power or telecoms lines, away from gorse, hedges, trees
- anything combustible. Common sense stuff.

2. Spend five minutes snapping dead wood from hedges, trees etc. Never
from the ground unless it's high summer, it's always damp in the core
even if it looks dry. Small twigs through to bigger stuff. Build small
twigs up to about 8" high in a criss-cross pattern.

3. Light twigs using newspaper. We used petrol and oil, but not
recommended unless you know what you're doing unless you hate your
eyebrows. For extreme weather or speed, use an inner tube (Never tyres
- the metal bands take too long to collect afterwards).

4. Slowly put on bigger dead wood until all gone. Avoid dead wood more
than a couple of inches in diameter.

5. Start with rest of wood. Use small branches first, snapping as you
go - at this point you start laying them ALL in the same direction. If
you cross it then the fire simply burns a hole in the middle and goes
out.

6. Keep adding, limiting supply if you want to keep your fire small.
Watch it and occasionally tuck the ends in with a fork. Fire is a
living thing and it needs a good supply of air at the base and fuel on
top. Give it those two things and it'll be happy.

To finish off safely, watch until the flames die down. Tuck in the
edges until everything is burnt leaving just the ash circle. Don't
leave the fire unattended unless you're confident it's safe.
Sandwiches on a pitchfork held over the embers taste fantastic!


After the big storms of '89 I was clearing at Greenaway house (Agatha
Christie's old house near Kingsbridge). We spend two weeks building
the mother of all bonfires - using a JCB for moots and entire trees
80+ foot long (timber at that time was worthless). The finished
article covered about half an acre and over a hundred foot high. Once
we lit it, the thing burnt for three months, being added to for the
first month. Quite a sight.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"dave @ stejonda" wrote:

Hello dave

d What's the weather been like in the Guilford area? I'd be
d surprised if any wood would burn easily given how wet and
d cold it's been.

Established hedges ALWAYS contain plenty of dead wood - just a case of
knowing where to look.

Get a good fire going with that and rest of it's fairly easy to burn.
Non-rotten wood has a fairly stable water content depending on season.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"MC Emily" wrote in message
...
Piling wood progressively in the place you're going to burn it isn't a
good
idea because you could have hedgehogs inside it all. If you can, move the
pile and while you're moving it look out for hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs
have
come out of hibernation early this year because of the mild winter we've
had
but now it's gone colder they've gone back into hibernation again. During
January I found 5 wandering about looking very sleepy but quite healthy -
they'd just woken up too early!!! If you care about hedgehogs (gardeners
usually do), please check there aren't any in your bonfire before you get
it
going. Of course, some people couldn't give a stuff about them but I hope
you're not one of those )

I NEVER light the pile I've collected over the months, I ALWAYS start the
fire in a new place, a little at a time to start, then add more as the fire
begins to burn brightly.

My bonfires always start with a heap about 8 feet in diameter and 6 of 7
feet high!

I usually try to wait untill the wood is dry so it burns well and quickly.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk