A better way to light off your Chimney


 
J

John McDougald

TVWBB Member
I've seen lately on forums and heard on radio programs, what seems like a large increas in chimney users. They are all told the same thing, to use Newspaper to light their coals. That's fine in the beginning but I wanted to post something that was shown to me by another and I wanted to pass it on.

Supplies: 2 soda cans, Denatured Alcohol, Small punching device or drill bit, and something to cut the cans without deforming them.

Cut the 2 cans in half so you have 2 bottoms and 2 tops. Get rid of the tops. Take one of the bottoms and cut up the side so it can be slid down into the other Bottom. this wil now become your top Burner. Punch many small holes into the top of the can so that it loks similar to a small gas burner.
<span class="ev_code_RED">*******WARNING!!!!!!!*****</span>
<span class="ev_code_RED">Denatured Alcohol is highly Flamable</span>

Now pour the DA into the bottom of the burner and slip the top into the bottom. You <span class="ev_code_BLUE">DO NOT</span> have to fill the burner completely full, maybe about half and use a long match or extended lighter to light the burner.

Place the chimney with your coal over the burner and wait a few minutes. It burns longer and hotter than newspaper and helps get the coals going faster. It doesn't impart any "lighter Fluid" taste onto the coal and you don't have all the ash from the burned newspaper laying around afterwards. AND! the burner is reusable. Just keep your burner with your chimney and a small can of the Denautured Alcohol handy for your next Lightoff.

Again, be careful when doing this. The alcohol burns almost completely clear during the daytime. Use the same precautions you would use when using lighter fluid and you should be OK.
 
John, that's very interesting and a unique approach to lighting a chimney and might be fun to try.

I've used Sterno with good results too (put something under the can to raise it closer to the coals), but much better are the alcohol burners for chafing dishes, found at restaurant supply stores. I leave the Sterno or alcohol burner under the chimney for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove it.

Five minutes over the side burner of my gas grill is even easier and faster.

Rita
 
I use the gas igniter on my Performer now but before I got it, I'd heavily spray a paper towel with cooking spray (eg.-Pam) and use it instead of newspaper, It lights quickly, lasts plenty long enough to start the charcoal and doesn't blow little pieces of black debris around like burned newspaper.
 
The reason I don't like to use a side burner or my Performer igniter to light off a chimney is my propensity to forget to turn off the gas. A Weber Cube or Fire Starter sticks work great for me - stays lit long enough, but not too long.

Paul
 
That does sound interesting John. I will have to try that. I currently use my deep fry burner, it gets super hot in a matter of minutes.

Randy
 
I take a paper towel and soak it with a little vegetable oil (corn oil works well too).

Crumble the soaked towel inside the newspaper you will be using to ignite the chimney. The oil ignites, stays lit, and accelerates the heting of the charcoal in the chimney.
 
I take a paper towel, wipe off some of the grease from the top layer of foil over the (empty) water pan (and I throw out that foil and put on a new clean layer), and use that as a chimney starter.

I now claim my place as (cue Keith Olbermann voice) "Laziest person in the world!".
 
take a cardboard egg crate and fill with wood chips {hamster bedding from a pet store} melt some candle wax and pour on the wood chips, let cool. break off one egg holder light it under the chimney and a way we go.....
wsmsmile8gm.gif
 
Originally posted by Dan {dutch oven Dan}:
take a cardboard egg crate and fill with wood chips {hamster bedding from a pet store} melt some candle wax and pour on the wood chips, let cool. break off one egg holder light it under the chimney and a way we go.....
wsmsmile8gm.gif
Click to expand...

Wow! That sounds pretty easy. Does it make much of a mess? I mean, does the whole thing burn up or is there wax drippings to deal with? If possible, please post some pictures of your invention!
 
I've heard of the coke can burner from a buddy that backpacks, but I haven't built one.

I've been using one of these for 2-3 years now. I is like a fireproof sponge that soaks up about 4oz of fuel. I use denatured alcohol as fuel.

Works great, no mess...and fast.

Kevin H.
 
Originally posted by Greg M. (cheapcharlie):
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dan {dutch oven Dan}:
take a cardboard egg crate and fill with wood chips {hamster bedding from a pet store} melt some candle wax and pour on the wood chips, let cool. break off one egg holder light it under the chimney and a way we go.....
wsmsmile8gm.gif
Click to expand...

Wow! That sounds pretty easy. Does it make much of a mess? I mean, does the whole thing burn up or is there wax drippings to deal with? If possible, please post some pictures of your invention! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>yes it all burns up, I will dig them out of the garage and take some pics, I think I still have all the parts to make a new batch....
 
"Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chamicals
have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one
recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some
gasoline, and so on."

Why would you want to use this? Why not use rubbing alcohol?

I use a single burner camping stove for the WSM that I keep in the garage and my side burner for the kettle on the back deck.

campstove.jpg

bbq001Small.jpg
 
I've taken to using a propane torch. I hold on to the chimney and turn the canister so the flame is shooting up, then hold it under the bottom of the chimney while moving it around for about a minute. Works great for me, and no burnt newspapers fluttering around in the breeze.
 
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