Recomend me a Mapp torch or other way to light the EGG

hartofatiger · March 4

Chubbs said:

Drizzle oil on a paper towel and light. Make teepee with lump around flame. Can't get any cheaper and comes to temp quickly

+1 cheap and easy. I cook around 5 days /wk and i'm on my same bottle of oil since the summer.

55drum · March 4

This works great...get it a Wally's

500 · March 4

+1 for Mickey's weed burner. I don't use it in turbo mode though. After a minute with that and a shot from the Air Grill, it's going up to temp quick. For low and slow, I just use with a small flame dialed down.

Raymont · March 4

+1 for 91% rubbing alcohol. Super cheap.

fishlessman · March 4

ive had two mapp torch heads catch fire, im done throwing mapp bombs into the lake
:)) harbor freight weedburners are cheap and last along time, mines probably closing in on ten years. at camp i use the napkin trick, heres a link that makes it easy

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1143722/napkin-and-oil-trick-was-messy#latest

jmccauley · March 4

I use the rutland fire starter squares. The look and 'act' exactly like the BGE squares but much less cost. I bought a pack of ~144 squares for around $10 at ace.

http://www.amazon.com/Rutland-Safe-Starter-Squares-144-Square/dp/B00138MO16

I have carefully tested many different methods.. IE used 3lbs of charcoal each time and tested lighting with a chimney, oil soaked paper towels, fire cubes, along with a mapp torch.

The fire cubes are the best way by far. The mapp torch is almost as fast, but it doesn't seem consistent for me. Sometimes it will ignite a piece of lump in 10 seconds, sometimes it takes me a good couple minutes before I'm comfortable that the fire is going.

The trick with the fire cubes is where you place them in the pile of lump. If it's at the bottom you will get a roaring hot fire, great for t-rex steak or pizza. If you place the cubes at the top of the pile it will 'burn down' which is better for low and slow or the 350f couple hour cooks.

I can't imagine how these 144 packs of starters are more expensive than mapp gas, and it's far less headache.

Skiddymarker · March 4

@Aviator no doubt this will work as the egg is fundamentally a big starter chimney. Many of us like to light the lump from the top and let the fire follow the upcoming airflow down. Using an electric or MAPP you are starting the top of the pile. I've never used the oil soaked paper towel in my egg so I don't know if it will work from the top.

Scottborasjr · March 4

Those 144 count bag of starters for that price could very well be the end choice. I am going to try the 91% alcohol as well. Thank you all for your opinions!

SmokeyPitt · March 4

The MAP gas will last a long time. This is somewhat of a WAG, but I would say you will get at least 100 lights out of a single tank. A new tank is a little over $9 so the ongoing cost is reasonable.

That being said, the oil and paper towel trick also works great. I ran out of MAP and I keep forgetting to pick up a tank so I have lit up the past 10 cooks with oily napkins. It's a great backup method.

burr_baby33 · March 4

They all work. After trying all of them, I now use the paper towel 100% of the time. Easy, cheap and quick to temp. A no brainer for me.

burr_baby33 · March 4

Paper towel with oil.

td66snrf · March 4

I used to use propane but for the last 5 years or so I've used Mapp which burns hotter. You can also sweat copper with it if you have any plumbing issues!

http://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-TS4000-Trigger-Start-Torch/dp/B00008ZA09/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362440776&sr=8-1&keywords=bernzomatic+ts4000

NightwingXP · March 5

Super cheap way!! Smear a cotton ball with just a dab of vaseline. Stick 2 of them together that way and light with lighter/match whatever. Stack a few coals on top and WHAMO, instant firestarter. Works great! I got rid of my propane torch. Have not had a need plus did I mention CHEAP!!!

Andymizunogolfer · March 5

I have been using an electric lighter it was like 12 dollars at homedepot. I bent it so that it sits in the bowl better. Gets mine going in like 5 mins.

FanOfFanboys · March 5

NightwingXP said:
Super cheap way!! Smear a cotton ball with just a dab of vaseline. Stick 2 of them together that way and light with lighter/match whatever. Stack a few coals on top and WHAMO, instant firestarter. Works great! I got rid of my propane torch. Have not had a need plus did I mention CHEAP!!!

While I don't use that in my egg I do camp and spend a lot of time in woods. One thing I always carry, probably have 6/8 in garage now, is a zip lock bag with dryer lint and Vaseline. Almost zero cost and great for starting camp fires. I often deal with damp wood and rarely get dried dead wood. That and some twigs and pine straw and I can get a fire roaring. One of best tips I got from F&S

henapple · March 5

Napalm.. Gasoline and Vaseline. Actually i use a Wagner heat gun. Great for placing in the bottom vent to expedite getting to temp.

burr_baby33 · March 5

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

tgkleman · March 5

burr_baby33 said:

Paper towel with oil.

+1. This is the cheapest way to go. There was also a post awhile back about a clever way to pre-soak the towels in a coffee can.

Parallel · March 6

I just use oil on napkins then blow air into the egg with my air compressor until it's burning the way I want it to.

Andymizunogolfer · March 6

Parallel said:
I just use oil on napkins then blow air into the egg with my air compressor until it's burning the way I want it to.

Before I got the electric I used a hairdryer to help stoke the fire.

jlsm · March 6

I have to say I like the larger size MAPP the best with the oil-soaked paper towels second. With the MAPP, I can get a raging fire in five minutes.

robnybbq · March 13

Those of you that have a MAPP torch. How do you EXACTLY light the Egg.

What I have been doing that apparently is not working right is lighting the Mapp torch and sticking into the coals in one spot for 10-15 seconds. I do 3 spots for cooks over 300. It takes a long time for the egg to come up to temp. I do not get fire when lighting but the lump is smoking and red.

Should I move the torch around and light more coal? Should I leave it longer on the spots I am lighting?

Mickey · March 13

@robnybbq I only use my Mapp to light my Mini (will never use a weedburner again). I use a weedburner for the Larges but the Mapp would work just fine.

But I do not stick it in the coals, Hold it about a inch or so over the coals for about 15 seconds in each place (like you, doing 3).

FanOfFanboys · March 13

robnybbq said:
Those of you that have a MAPP torch. How do you EXACTLY light the Egg.

What I have been doing that apparently is not working right is lighting the Mapp torch and sticking into the coals in one spot for 10-15 seconds. I do 3 spots for cooks over 300. It takes a long time for the egg to come up to temp. I do not get fire when lighting but the lump is smoking and red.

Should I move the torch around and light more coal? Should I leave it longer on the spots I am lighting?

Depending on temp goal I usually hit 2-6 spots for about 30 seconds each. I do them spaced apart but so they eventually reach each other. During this process lid is open and bottom vent completely open. After 2-5 minutes I usually close lid but leave bottom open another couple mins. That's for 350 or higher. If doing 300 or lower I'm more conservative.

robnybbq · March 13

Mickey said:

@robnybbq I only use my Mapp to light my Mini (will never use a weedburner again). I use a weedburner for the Larges but the Mapp would work just fine.
But I do not stick it in the coals, Hold it about a inch or so over the coals for about 15 seconds in each place (like you, doing 3).

Mickey - Using this method on your large using a Mapp with new lump lighting 3 spots - How long until the Egg is up to 350?

Mickey · March 13

@robnybbq not over 10 mins at most. I do have a High Que on all. I light, put the dome down that second with the top cap off and botton wide open (same with screen).....

robnybbq · March 13

I dont get it then. I even leave the top open for 10 minutes and it still takes a long long time to come up to temp. I have the HighQue as well. Bottom vent wide open/screen closed. When I close the lid I still have the top cap off until I am close to my target temp then I close the bottom grate to the opening that I need and add the Daisy wheel with just the petals open.

FanOfFanboys · March 13

I also sit about a inch above. When is last time you cleaned inside out? Remove all pieces from egg, the ceramic, and vacuum out. Depending how clogged you are can make a difference. I will egg tomorrow night. If want I can record what I do and post on YouTube and send you a link.

robnybbq · March 13

I have cleaned it recently. I clean all the ash every time and every 10-15 cooks I take everything out to clean behind the firebox. It has always been this way. I have tried lighting above the coals and just below the surface of the coals.

I am going to see if I can find a way to record my lighting of the Egg.

Mickey · March 13

FanOfFanboys makes a real good point. The only time I had trouble getting to temp was several years ago after cleaning out the Egg. I had loaded it back half closing off the bottom vent with the ceramic on the bottom (makes a lot of differance).

Also by closing the top half (asap to lighting) will bring the air thru better (IMO).

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Recomend me a Mapp torch or other way to light the EGG

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