Check da Chimney Starter!


 

timothy

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Mines about 5yrs old, looks ok rite?
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Flipped ovar still looks ok.
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Now after a little heat was added on a start-up ya notice the rivet rusted away from the body.
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Which caused the grate to pull out of the tabs and almost dump a load of hot coals on my tootsies.
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So flip your-es over occasionally and do a visual inspect, I'm gonna wire it back together with some re-bar tie wire and should get a few more years out of it.

Tim
 
yep, i notived the rivets long ago and i think i mentioned it. i've been meaning to replace them with ss hardware but just havn't gotten to it. suggest you do the same. or just get a new one.
 
Yea I'll prolly just toss it George. I was going to Jerry-rig as a spare, but why take da chance for a few bucks. Good thing I was over the concrete driveway by meself. Hate to find out what would of happened if that was on my deck or my pups were around.
So my point was just do a visual, and if it looks bad just replace it.

Tim
 
I was doing a hot squat this AM and realized I was wearing flip flops. I guess it's easy to forget we're dealing with fire here ...not just great BBQ.
 
I usually start mine on the empty charcoal grate, dump it then add the un-fired balance of briqs.

OR fire it up on a little hibachi and transfer the chimney to the WSM once fired up.

That way if it splits, nothing is lost and no one is burnt.
 
Between all the comps and test cooks we've done, we've gone through three of those bottom chimney grates in 5 years. That's a lot of chimney starting!
 
The bottom of my chimney starter looks just like that. It's probably from starting it on a turkey fryer burner. I'll keep on eye out to make sure the bolts are still safe.

Thanks for the heads up.

Bill
 
The bottom rivet on mine looks fine, however the top rivet is shot. Time to buy a new chimney. It has lasted about six years.

Ben
 

 

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