Charcoal starting question

Unknown

Just a quick ?. I start my coals in a charcoal chimney and then add them to the Egg. Has anyone had any problems with their egg doing it this way? I have read of firebox cracking etc. but don't know what that was caused by. Is there some danger of thermal shock from pouring the hot coals into the Egg?
p.s. I am reading my way through the posts and maybe this has already been asked and answered. Thanks for all the tips and urls.

JJ

shiek,
If that method works for go for it. Tanit no right or wrong way to light lump charcoal. Just different approaches.

Trout Bum

shiek,
Don't understand why you use the chimney to start with.
The Egg is almost like a chimney when the top and bottom vents are open.
I put an electric starter in on top of the old (leftover) lump and then add fresh lump on top of the starter. Bottom vent wide open and dome open. Usually in about 5 mins. and allways less than 10 mins. it's going enough to remove the electric starter, replace grate (or set for cooking mode, indirect, etc.), close dome with top vent wide open.
Now just take to the temperature you want and regulate it with the dampers.
To get to 700-800 degrees for searing the whole thing is usually less than 20 mins.
Regards and Happy Egging,
B D

BlueSmoke

Big Daddy,
I agree about the Egg being its own chimney. I don't have access to electricity, so I use Egg starter blocks. Even so, starting from just one point, I can set up in 10 to 15 mins. Took more like 25 to 30 mins. to get 600 degrees last night. It seems to me that I get better high temps by adding chunks of wood to the lump. Especially if I use a really hard hardwood, like osage orange or mesquite.

Bordello

shiek,
I use a propane torch most of the time, otherwise starter blocks.
Have a great weekend.
New Bob

Unknown

BlueSmoke,[p]Please be careful w/ osage orange. It is one *highly* toxic wood which is why nothing eats it which is why it's such great fencepost material.[p]Here's to smokin' (w/ my new big egg)
Lisa

Char-Woody

Lisa, welcome to the forum Lisa. I used to have the same opinion regarding Osage Orange or Hedge Apple. However there are some suppliers of smoking woods that do sell it as a smoking wood, and some swear by it. I never have used it, and probably never will, as there as too many excellent woods to choose from.
From what I have read in the older historical records, the pioneers avoided it for direct contact with food like in the kitchen wares. If one prepared food in a bowl made from it, be prepared for some bad stomach upsets.
Thanks for your tip also..
Cheers to ya, and welcome aboard.
C~W[p]