Lighting your coals

Gulfcoastguy

Just a smoldering look.

td66snrf

I've been using bernzomatic for at least 25 years, not the same one of course, they do eventually wear out. For those of you who are concerned with sparks I've learned that if you bury the nozzle into the middle of pile of lump hit the trigger leave it alone until you hear the lump crackling or see the lump turn red or white. Probably 20 or 30 seconds. The idea of burying the nozzle into the lump is that the sparks are contained under the lump above it.

Carolina Q

td66snrf said:

For those of you who are concerned with sparks...

Also, if it sparks, try moving the flame to a different spot. I can usually find spots that don't spark.

JethroBodeen

@td66snrf I do close to the same. I find a spot that has a little shelf over the top and light the under side of it. If it pops, it pops down and not up...

I have spf long sleeve shirts with multiple holes burned through. My better half loves when I have a $50 Columbia shirt with burn marks through it ........

Dawgtired

I’ve used a Mapp torch for years. That said, I’ve been looking for something different since I’ve burned holes in several shirts from the sparking. Chimney does work great, I’ve just always used a torch for ease of use, except wen I run out of gas, then chimney it is.

SciAggie

Who would have thought a thread about how to light a fire would end up with 3,000 views?

MNEggerandStuff

But informative . When you think you have something figured out, you find out they changed the stuff years ago and it no longer is what it was.

Now I need to figure out if my current head can use propane or if I need a new one of those too. 

Shiff

EagleIII said:

95% of the time, I use a chimney.  Two crumpled sheets of newspaper in the bottom of the chimney, fill with charcoal, light newspaper.  10 minutes later you have flames shooting out the top of the chimney.  Pour lit chimney coals on top of the coals in the egg and you are ready to roll.  This has never failed me, except for the one time my chimney got rained on right after I lit it!  Also, for me, its a bit of an ego thing, in that it's a zero cost method to get the charcoal lit...

I also use a chimney, but I don't like the burned newspaper remnants flying around, so I just squirt the area under the chimney with a little 91% alcohol from Walmart and toss in a match.  Starts great and 5-10 minutes later I can spread the lit lump charcoal.

Botch

Shiff said:
I also use a chimney, but I don't like the burned newspaper remnants flying around, so I just squirt the area under the chimney with a little 91% alcohol from Walmart and toss in a match.  Starts great and 5-10 minutes later I can spread the lit lump charcoal.

Curious as to what the chimney even buys you, doing that?  Why not just squirt the lump in the egg?  

Shiff

Botch said:

Curious as to what the chimney even buys you, doing that?  Why not just squirt the lump in the egg?  

I used to just squirt the coals with alcohol but with a chimney it starts much faster and hotter. When I dump the chimney, I can spread the lit coals over whatever area I want started.  Simple and fast and clean.

Botch

Shiff said:
I used to just squirt the coals with alcohol but with a chimney it starts much faster and hotter. When I dump the chimney, I can spread the lit coals over whatever area I want started.  Simple and fast and clean.

Makes sense; thanks!  

gnatnoop

The BGE electric hairdryer thing works. perfect. every. time.

That said, for years, used a propane tank with excellent results.

Toxarch

I need the Rutland squares to go on sale again. I'm running low.