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This book and its author were presented today on NPR. Mr Murakami described to the interviewer the way to build a wood fire that doesn't produce smoke. The smoke, he says, is produced by gasses emitted by the wood as it is heated. By fully consuming those gasses in the fireplace they are preventing from escaping up the flue as smoke.
The fire is built "upside down" (something Mr Wright would have loved, I think), with the kindling on top of the logs, so smoke-producing gasses from the logs pass through fire before going up the chimney. I believe, before being interrupted by the interviewer, the author was going to say that the fire is built in layers, each layer of logs being topped with kindling.
Could that explain the mysterious, suspended "fire basket" designed, but never built at Lamberson? Perhaps kindling was to be placed in the steel basket...
Well, I believe the kindling is supposed to feed fire to the logs below ? But a true two-level fire is conceivable. Maybe Wright had this secret, too ? Any record of his mention of it would be wonderful . . .
Hmm. I've frequently used kindling on top of logs to draw the flames upwards through the logs, but I've never experienced any reduction in smoke that I'm aware of.
Murakami says he would perch on his roof to observe the results of his experiments. I haven't read the book; perhaps there's more to it -- choice of wood, moisture content of same, altitude of the property above sea level, time of day, weather conditions, size of firebox, material flue is made of, designer of house, age of homeowner, time of day . . .?
I have used the flame above the logs to create a draft to make sure the smoke goes up (instead of into the room), but I have never heard of it actually reducing total smoke
There is a traditional type of heater from Norway that consists of several metal 'coffins' of different sizes, depending on how much heat is desired. They are stacked one upon another with a space between for air circulation. Mere twigs burning can emit significant heat, leaving behind practically no ash. I can't find an image online. They are often the most decorative things in the house.