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ignition source ?

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refrigerationman
refrigerationman Posts: 58
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
im sure this has been asked before but....how do you guys light your egg ?? fire starters dealer threw in work good but...im not the kinda guy that stops and buys those things . so with that said propane torch ?? look like holding it would be a pain.electric lighter ?? i always used a chimney before but since i got my egg just havent used it[its worn out]..whatchall use ?
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  • Garlic
    Garlic Posts: 40
    edited July 2012
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    Section of paper towel drizzled with olive oil, one for low and slow,three for higher heat. The electric starter isn't that bad either, it only stays in for 8 min or less. They cool of pretty quick afterwards. Also I have tried the 90% isopropyl on paper towels just like the olive oil, or you can sprinkle a couple of cap fulls on the lump and light also. They all work quite well, I have not tried the mapp torch to many sparks flying off the lump.
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  • Hairless_Hand
    Hairless_Hand Posts: 214
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    I too was a chimney guy before the egg.  Now I use the electric starter.  
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  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
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    I use electric starter for high heat and fire starters for low and slow- I read somewhere to do it that way and that's why I do and it works... not sure it makes a lot of sense though
    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs
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  • allitnils
    allitnils Posts: 109
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    Like @Garlic, I use paper soaked in oil.. As my olive oil is rather expensive, I tend to use vegetable or sunflower oil, but essentially it's the same concept.... 
    I also use newspaper instead of paper towels.. 
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  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
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    Electric starter!
    Packerland, Wisconsin

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  • SandBilly
    SandBilly Posts: 227
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    Heat gun, electric, or paper towels soaked in oil, depending on if I'm in a hurry.
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  • Mayberry
    Mayberry Posts: 750
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    I stilchimneyy chimney with the Egg. I tried a few other techniques, including rubbing alcohol right on the coals, newspaper with oil and with rubbing alcohol, and the parrafin cubes right in the Egg. But I never got an even light as quickly as I do with the chimney. Mao, I stire the leftover limb before each cook to clear out the ash, fill a chimney and then dump the lit coal into the Egg. There may be better ways for some, but that's my preferred method, by far.
    Athens, GA
    XL BGE, Large BGE and RecTec590
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  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
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    Weed burner from harbor freight
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

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  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
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    I use this:  


    And have never looked back!!
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
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  • Mayberry
    Mayberry Posts: 750
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    Sorry for all the typing errors back there. I think my iPad was having a seizure in the middle of my post. #-o
    Athens, GA
    XL BGE, Large BGE and RecTec590
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  • horseflesh
    horseflesh Posts: 206
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    Electric. About 3 minutes for low & slow, 8 minutes for searing. It's so easy. 
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    I use this:  

    http://www.bernzomatic.com/quickfire-hand-torch.aspx

    And have never looked back!!
    Hell to the yeah!  That thing looks like it would double as a home-defense device....

    I use a torch, electric, wax tablets, veg oil on paper towels...change it up every time.  But if you do a low and slow, make a pyramid and light the top.  For grilling and high heat, light in several spots, or light from the bottom.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • jn_austin
    jn_austin Posts: 29
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    I built a stainless rod with a number of holes in the end. The end is crimped so that gas does not exit in a large flame. the other end is connected to a hose and a small 1lb propane bottle with a valve. Just parts I had around in my garage. The stainless tube was from a project I did a couple years ago. The bottle valve was from an old hand held torch that was modified. I light the stainless wand and place it into the bottom under the steel grid. The flames light the coals from the bottom. I do this with the top completely open. A closed EGG is asking for trouble if you do this! I let it burn for a couple minutes then move to a small hand held dryer I use to blow air into the bottom. A few minutes of that typically has the egg ready to go. I used to do the starters and tied the other suggestions but this one is the fastest and least painful.

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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    Waste cooking oil on a paper towel.  Works great, costs nearly nothing.
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  • burr_baby33
    burr_baby33 Posts: 503
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    same as nil.  paper towel and cooking oil.  fast, clean and cheap. i have used cubes, mapp gas, chimney and more.  stike got me started with towel and oil and it is best i have found.
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Since purchase an old propane torch used for some plumbing. It takes maybe 3 mins to get coals lit but I am looking for another method also.
    Seattle, WA
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  • Newville
    Newville Posts: 84
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    MAP (hotter than propane?) and cheap electric fan propped against draft door. Sparks aren't an issue with th right lump.
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  • xraypat23
    xraypat23 Posts: 421
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    electric buried in the center for low and slows, weed burner for anything over 300. Haven't had a fire go out on me yet, or not last well longer than i ever expected.
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  • Eggdam
    Eggdam Posts: 223
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    I shove newspaper in the bottom draft door then light it. I have a high que grate so it lights good.
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  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
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    heat gun
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 354
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    Mapp torch for about 20 seconds
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  • Mighty_Quinn
    Mighty_Quinn Posts: 1,878
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    Mapp torch for about 20 seconds

    Me too...
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  • SamFerrise
    SamFerrise Posts: 556
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    Fireblox work just fine.  One for slow and low and two for the hot stuff.  No need to get creative with starters.  Spend more time on creating new grilling recipes instead.

    Simple ingredients, amazing results!
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  • bvc
    bvc Posts: 37
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    Mapp torch for about 20 seconds

    Me too...
    this
    Kenmore, WA
    Large and Small BGE
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  • hoffmand
    hoffmand Posts: 105
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    Harbor Freight $9 heat gun. Takes about 90 seconds. But it can go to nuclear lava in about 3 minutes if needed.
    Cedar Park, TX
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  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
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    Heat gun works well, but my go to is still the starter squares by rutland or weber starter cubes.
    Mark Annville, PA
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  • Mowgli
    Mowgli Posts: 34
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    Small weed burner - works everytime with no hassle
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  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
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    Looftlighter :-)
    +1

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

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  • reigntrends
    reigntrends Posts: 5
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    Newspaper only. I layer lump on bottom, two or three balls of newspaper and more lump on top. Doesn't take long to be up and running.
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  • Vitaman
    Vitaman Posts: 46
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    Dumb question for anyone using a propane torch. Do you just light the torch and hold it a few inches from the lump and keep it there for a minute or so? I tried this with a small handheld propane torch that I own but have never used and it was really cool, but honestly it scared the crap out of me. I don't really know anything about propane torches but the flames from the lump were jumping all around the end of the torch as it was lighting. Could the flames some how go up the tube to the propane tank and ignite the tank? Again, sorry this is a dumb question but I saw something like this happen to daffy duck in a cartoon and I can't get the picture out of my head :). I'm kidding about daffy, but serious about the question.
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