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matt
Join Date: 9/25/2009
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1/1/2010 3:28:42 PM Scout Fire
I've been practicing the scout fire and have a few questions.
1. How do you keep smoke out of your face or is that just part of it?
2. I'm using a woobie but don't want to melt it so how big a fire?
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Pelar
Join Date: 2/4/2010
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2/4/2010 11:12:03 AM
A good fire doesn't smoke.
If you have the twigs all leaning on a single position where the majority of the heat is generated - your fire won't smoke at all.
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Trackerdoc
Join Date: 3/15/2008
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2/4/2010 12:48:04 PM
I would agree that a good fire will not smoke much. I have been taught that most fires that smoke are suffering from incomplete combustion. Get the fire hot, provide good airflow and use good, dry fuel. then arrange the fuel in a tepee style and you should get a fairly smokeless fire. i find that the small fires are prone to smoking due to their tendency to produce small beds of coals. best of luck.
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cedarfoot
Join Date: 9/5/2009
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2/5/2010 10:12:09 PM
I’ve been experimenting with this as well, here are a few points that may help.
Sit on a slope or use a pit fire on level ground and preferably sit against a conifer. This puts the fire a good foot farther from the torso and below ground level. It helps keep the flames from singeing delicate parts during a flare up and allows for the use of slightly larger fuel, up to pinkie sized, meaning less tedious fire tending.
Prop a flat rock, bark slab etc. over the fire. This helps direct the heat, reduces light signature, protects the blanket from burning and from blocking the air inlet. Also I like to begin the air inlet in a curve to prevent light from broadcasting out.
Use a wool blanket (fire resistant) that is draped all the way around you and the fire then keep an vent tunnel along the side of the neck open so smoke is directed to the back of the head. I’m trying to recall where this method came from, I believe it was from Kevin. I think it works well because it creates an effective air seal and this turns the person into a big chimney, drawing a continuous rush of air through the fire pit while protecting the fire from rain/snow. Most importantly, it channels the smoke away from the face in shifty winds. Lean a throwing stick or other device on the shoulder to keep the smoke channel open.
I haven’t had great luck with smokeless fires either, especially in miserable wet weather. When available I like to mix about 1/4 pitch wood into my feed pile that I split to pencil sized sticks. This helps a great deal with the health of the fire and keeps it small, usually 3-8 sticks, enough that it doesn’t go out and not too much that it flares up. Be careful with pitch smoke as it is considered particularly harmful.
I have enjoyed playing around with this and with the hands covered, I’m surprised to see how little the animals respond to my presence and to the fire itself. Not to mention a thorough smoking to hide ones scent. Good luck.
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KAlwood
Join Date: 3/17/2008
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2/6/2010 11:04:56 AM
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=213882&id=100000157025624
I arrange the wooby like in the pic, and then close it together under my chin.
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Backwoodsman
Join Date: 12/11/2008
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2/9/2010 10:55:19 AM
We practiced this at Winter scout/survival last month in the single digits. The key points I remember where.
1] Keep your fire the size of a baseball cap or no bigger than what woud fit inside one.
2]Use dry barkless wood about the size of you thumb.
3] If you have a length of surgical tubing, you can get that at most hardware stores, I got some more 10 ft for $10, add a length of metal, brass or stainless tubing to place in the fire to add air as needed.
4] Have something to sit on to keep the ground from sucking out your body heat as weel as staying dry. We used my rolled up Thermarest pad.
5] You can use candles, Sterno or some other small heat sorce.
This I think is the most useful shelter fire system I have ever used. You don't need much time to set it up, fuel is easy as you do not need to gather much to keep warm and dry. you don't need to unpack much gear, really just a seat and cover, weather a ponhco or wobbie. With a small group all sitting with their backs to a tree you have sucurity and can bug out if need be with out taking much time. You could simple sit on your back and have just a ponhco out and maybe your tubing for air. Nothing else is needed and while your pursurers are humping tents and such you only need a seat and cover of some kind to stay warm, rested and fed.
Hope this helps.
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Backwoodsman
Join Date: 12/11/2008
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3/7/2010 7:59:48 PM
Went out today and to practice the scout fire in about 40 degree weather. Work great even with pine sticks. The tubbing makes a huge difference and I got my metal end from an old radio antenna. Once I figure it out I will post the pics. My son got the fire going again with the tubbing, he is only 4 but this is stuff that will sink in and come in handy as he gets older. The link below has the pics in a yahoo group I am a member off that is about survival and preparing.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HunkerDown06/photos/album/434742526/pic/list
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