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Time for a new start...

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byrne092
byrne092 Posts: 746
in EggHead Forum
Well at least I got the fire started before it decided to open short...Any recommendations? I've had pretty good luck with the electric. 
XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO I Flameboss 500

St. Louis, MO
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  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
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    I just took a second look at that photo too..no I didn't try to cool it of with water...lol, was washing away charcoal dust
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO I Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
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  • Cookbook_Chip
    Cookbook_Chip Posts: 1,299
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    I used a paper towel ball with oil - fires up every time
    Lovin' my Large Egg since May 2012 (Richmond, VA) ... and makin' cookbooks at https://FamilyCookbookProject.com
    Stoker II wifi, Thermapen, and a Fork for plating photo purposes
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    Mapp Gas...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Love my benzomatic Jt850 weed torch. MAPP or propane. Fire in 30 sec or less. Tanks last 5-6 months. 
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    Mapp torch
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
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    Harbor Freight weedburner.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
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  • Nanook
    Nanook Posts: 846
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    Looftlighter
    GWN
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    How long have you had it? If it's been a while, and you're happy with it, get another. 
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
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    MAPP torch
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
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    I've been using an oil soaked paper towel lately. Not sure if I'm going to stick with it though. I'd highly recommend it temporarily in your case until you figure out your next lighting method. Who knows, maybe you'll like the paper towel method. 
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,186
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    I'm in Club MAPP. 
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  • bweekes
    bweekes Posts: 725
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    MAPP all the way!
    Ajax, ON Canada
    (XL BGE, MED BGE, La Caja China #2, and the wife's Napoleon gasser)
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  • clifkincaid
    clifkincaid Posts: 572
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    Gone through those a bit. Even back in my weber days. Never used lighting fluid. Just go to HD and buy another one. I buy 2 at a time in winter when they are cheaper. I prefer this starting method when I'm going for a fast quick steak cook but just recently got in to the mapp gas lights on my slow n low. 
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  • Sweet100s
    Sweet100s Posts: 553
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    for those who use the oil-soaked paper towel,  where do you locate the paper towel? 

    And, do you crumple it up? 
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  • mtbguy
    mtbguy Posts: 299
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    Starter cube or blocks works great for me. Light it then go get stuff around. Then it's ready to go. 
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  • SmokeLife
    SmokeLife Posts: 64
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    Looftlighter. If you have access to electric it is fast & simple. 2 minutes and the charcoal is ready to go.
    Large BGE
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    Sweet100s said:
    for those who use the oil-soaked paper towel,  where do you locate the paper towel? 

    And, do you crumple it up? 
    The times I have done it, with the mini, I twisted the paper towel and slid it in through the bottom vent. With the large, I make a little depression in the middle of the lump. Then twist the paper towel up, and place it in the depression and make the paper towel form a little ring. Take a piece of charcoal and stick it in the middle of the ring. Then build little bridges of charcoal over the paper towel, but not touching it. Light it right where the two ends of the paper towel come together and it burn both ways around the circle. Does that make sense?

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    But I prefer a weed burner.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
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    Looftlighter seems like a good option but I haven't heard great things on the reliability.  Maybe they have improved but I read at least a couple of reports that they only lasted a year or so. 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    I either use oiled paper towel or a piece of a paraffin starter.  
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    The medium I just bought include one of the electric starters.  I threw it away (it wasn't new and look beat up).  

    I use a weed torch (from Harbor Freight) and connect it to a propane grill bottle.  Thing has lasted me a while now (almost 2 years).  
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
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  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
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    I thought I read sometime back that people had to replace fuel pretty frequently with the MAPP. For those that have one how many lights to you think you get out of it? 
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO I Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
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  • MelSharples
    MelSharples Posts: 260
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    $20 Wagner heat gun from Home Depot.  Lights in 45 seconds.
    LBGE 2015 - Atlanta
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    byrne092 said:
    I thought I read sometime back that people had to replace fuel pretty frequently with the MAPP. For those that have one how many lights to you think you get out of it? 
    My first tank lasted 5 months. I cook minimum 3 x per week. Usually more. 
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  • ads75
    ads75 Posts: 391
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    I used the BGE electric for a few years, then it started to bend/warp, so I decided to replace it before it failed. I tried the looftlighter, got it on sale from William-Sonoma, used it a few times, but seemed to kick up a lot of sparks which concerned me with a wood deck. I'm back to the BGE electric, and happy with it, but experiment with an oil paper towel with my mini sometimes.
    Large BGE, Mini BGE
    Morgantown, PA
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
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    Griffin said:
    Sweet100s said:
    for those who use the oil-soaked paper towel,  where do you locate the paper towel? 

    And, do you crumple it up? 
    The times I have done it, with the mini, I twisted the paper towel and slid it in through the bottom vent. With the large, I make a little depression in the middle of the lump. Then twist the paper towel up, and place it in the depression and make the paper towel form a little ring. Take a piece of charcoal and stick it in the middle of the ring. Then build little bridges of charcoal over the paper towel, but not touching it. Light it right where the two ends of the paper towel come together and it burn both ways around the circle. Does that make sense?
    My first thought was the kitchen counter. Lol. I twist the paper towel and put 3/4 of it in oil bottle. I leave 1/4 dry. Don't know if it's needed or not. I also make a small depression and stack lump around so good airflow allows it to burn but make sure fire is flaming on lump. 

    After doing this, I can't help but wonder why this method is not a top listed survival tip. Obviously not for gasoline, but using a piece of clothing dipped in motor oil would be more effective at starting fires than most methods taught. 
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,767
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    easiest, cheapest way

    fill a big coffee can with most of a roll of paper towells, dump in a little more than a half cup cooking oil making sure to pour it around the edges. put a rock on it, why, i dont know but its my method. put the cover on it and dry age it one week. napkin looks like a clean napkin, smells like oil, put it in egg and light, wait 5 minutes.....fire

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    a week later

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    light it, no oily mess, no looking for oil and napkins, your all set for 50 0r so cooks

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    5 minutes later

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    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
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    @fishlessman, I like your method. Not sure about your rock idea, but who am I to argue with success. My method drips some oil so I've been leaving ash in the base to keep the oil off of it. I have been contemplating switching lighting methods because of it. You mentioned no oily mess. Do you have any residual that drips into the base? Thanks for sharing the details/pics. 
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • byrne092
    byrne092 Posts: 746
    edited June 2015
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    theyolksonyou said:
    byrne092 said:
    I thought I read sometime back that people had to replace fuel pretty frequently with the MAPP. For those that have one how many lights to you think you get out of it? 
    My first tank lasted 5 months. I cook minimum 3 x per week. Usually more. 
    Nice. I cook about the same amount and 5 months is pretty solid. 

    Is this kind of what everyone is using?
    http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-TS8000KC-Premium-Torch-Kit-336638/205683985#specifications

    I like the idea of the oil paper towel too, thats a pretty slick way to stock up @fishlessman. Will probably give that a try in the meantime. Cant bring myself to drop $100 on a looftlighter and I'm not sure if I'm sold on lugging a 20lb tank attached to a weed burner, it seems like a lot of people like the weed burner option though...
    XL, Medium BGE & Blackstone I XAR-Woo2 & Rig-BO I Flameboss 500

    St. Louis, MO
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    I have been using starter sticks from my dealer, but I may have to try the paper towel trick to see how it does for my self.  If it get's going that fast, I may switch.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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