vinny68
Bloomington, IL, USA
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Joined: 01/28/2004
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Is there such a thing as a smokeless campfire? If so, someone please school me on how to build one because I obviously can't do it. I'm not talking about those campfires in a can either. I want a real woodburning, crackling, popping, dancing flames fire with no smoke or at least a minimum of smoke. Is there such a thing?
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vanman250
Indiana
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Joined: 01/21/2004
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You want a smokeless fire and I just want fire. I'm the worst fire builder ever. I have trouble getting fire starters to burn and thats the truth. Nobody can ever accuse me of arson. I always let the people were camping with start the fire and they have a rule, I can never touch the fire after they start it because it will go out. I will be following this one just to see if I can pick up a tip on building a fire. It's embarrassing to spend hours tying to get a fire starter to burn.
vanman250
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kottfam6wi
South Central Wisconsin
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Joined: 03/16/2005
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The dryer hardwoods split into smaller pieces smoke a lot less. Burn wet pine and you are lighting a smoke bomb.
Joe
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Mandalay Parr
Phoenix, AZ
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Joined: 07/09/2004
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The secret for no smoke is giving it plenty of air. Put the wood up on rocks with plenty of venilation or putting the wood like in a tee pee.
Jerry Parr
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PopBeavers
San Jose, CA
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Use wood that contains no water and no sap. Or as close to no water and no sap as you can get.
If you can find this on the ground, then you are obviously boondocking, because you likely will not find any well seasoned hard wood anywhere near a campground.
Wayne in San Jose
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runaground
Tracy, Ca.
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Joined: 09/04/2004
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Use dry (seasoned) wood, start with small pieces of wood and work up to larger pieces, not too much wood at once you will smother the fire, smoking wood is wood that needs more air flow to it or is too wet. Set across from the ugly people because smoke follows the ugly people 
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AtlantaGuy
Atlanta, Georgia
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Joined: 07/05/2005
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Firewood arranged in a teepee where lots of air can get under it rarely smokes a lot and the extra draft caused by this arrangement typically keeps the smoke going straight up in the air and away from your face as well.
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Skip and Norine
Fulltiming since Oct 2006
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Joined: 05/07/2005
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AtlantaGuy wrote:Firewood arranged in a teepee where lots of air can get under it rarely smokes a lot and the extra draft caused by this arrangement typically keeps the smoke going straight up in the air and away from your face as well.
Yep!
Either that, or just light a propane torch and set it in the middle of the fire ring ... viola! No smoke!
Traveling our country and seeing the sights, enjoying fun-filled days and campfire nights
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Sully2
Cincinnati
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Joined: 01/20/2003
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vinny68 wrote:Is there such a thing as a smokeless campfire? If so, someone please school me on how to build one because I obviously can't do it. I'm not talking about those campfires in a can either. I want a real woodburning, crackling, popping, dancing flames fire with no smoke or at least a minimum of smoke. Is there such a thing?
If ya REALLY want to get "trick"... ...try this stunt!
1) Make sure the wood is dry
2) Have the wood SPLIT into lengths no larger than 2" X 2" and the length ya need
3) Use a fire ring and have it elevated up off the ground a few inches
4) Find a 120V AC "muffin fan"
5) Some lengths ( 1 foot..even 2-1 ft long pieces) of 4" "stove pipe"
6) Squash one end of the stove pipe out of round to fit UNDER the edge of the elevated fire ring
7) Stick the "muffin fan" at the opposite end of the stove pipe and plug it into an electric outlet
What you end up with is a "mini blast furnace". NO SMOKE...PLENTY of "fire" ( You can turn the fan on and off as needed)
2000 Country Coach Allure; Cummins ISC 330 HP; 71/2 - 8 MPG regardless
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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I just got a 1 1/2 inch Muffin fan at the local electronics place
Got a 1 1/2 inch length of "heat riser pipe" This is a heavy foil tube that can take exhaust heat on a high power engine., is flexible and collapsible.
At the cold air intake end (Fan end) I sealed it with electrical tape. Fan runs on 12 volts, I have a LOT of 12 volts lying about.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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