A better way to light off your Chimney


 
Originally posted by j.shan:
I just use the Weber firestarter cubes. Works great with no worries of the fire getting out of hand.
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Same here. I think after shipping costs each cube cost me about $.25.

Stays lit for about 10 minutes with no ash blowing around. I'll never go back to newspaper.
 
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
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The old girl scout method is to use dryer lint. Pack as much lint into the egg cups as you can fit (it'll be a lot). They burn great. In fact, I've started a chimney, extinguished the remaining starter, and used it again.

However, I discovered that the Weber firestarters cost less per unit that the wax I used in the homemade ones. I can't testify to how well the Webers burn, though.
 
John another fool-proof way is to just wad up one square of paper towel and pour some vegetable oil on it and set it on your fire grate with the fire chimney over it. It burns hot and fast and leaves no ash residue flying around like newspapers do. It's simple and inexpensive. Bob B
 
I use to use the Weber firestarter cubes, but then Home Depot in Southern California stopped carrying them and the local BBQ store was just to expensive.

Now I use the same method that Mike U uses and just use the propane torch on the bottom of the chimney for about a minute. No hassle and no mess.
 
I use natural paper towels(unbleached) that have been used to soak grease off my fried bacon. When I don't have used bacon grease soaked paper towels around I use waste peanut oil from my chicken fryer on newspaper or natural paper towel. The bacon grease soaked towels smell great and work as well as anything I have tried-plus I am reusing paper that cannot be recycled. The Weber fire starters are made from paraffin wax- a byproduct of the petrolium industry.
 
I have made about 5 or 6 pop can stoves (penny stoves) last month. They are so cool and fun to make and it would work great to light a chimney. Just do a search on youtube for " penny stove" and you can find quite a few videos on how to make one. I prefer HEET for the fuel as it burns the the hottest and cleanest. They also work great to heat water of are very handy to cook over when camping.
 
Originally posted by Chris B:
I use to use the Weber firestarter cubes, but then Home Depot in Southern California stopped carrying them and the local BBQ store was just to expensive.

Now I use the same method that Mike U uses and just use the propane torch on the bottom of the chimney for about a minute. No hassle and no mess.
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Chris, I just ordered some from doitbest.com - you can ship to a store close to you for free. You need to do a search for item 816418 - they are $4.79/24 pack. I ordered a pack for when I'm not at the house with my Performer.

HTH those interested!
 
Underneath the chimney I place several pieces of cardboard that have been rolled into cylinders. And if you didn't know it already, cardboard burns very very hot so little is needed to ignite charcoal inside of the chimney.
 
I punched a 5/8 hole in the side near the bottom of my chimney and put my BernzOmatic hand held propane torch in the hole for about 3 minutes. I did not like the ash from the paper it always left behind.
 
I use a paper towel that I spray with some cooking spray and twisted to make a fuse: Place some coal in the kettle place the towel on top lay more coal on top and light both ends. I us this method on the 22 1/2 OTS, My UDS,And when I still had one mt UDS. I don't use it as much as I used to only when I am out of gas for the weed burner. Best $19.00 you will ever spend at Harbor Freight.
 
Originally posted by Craig Mac:
I use a paper towel that I spray with some cooking spray and twisted to make a fuse: Place some coal in the kettle place the towel on top lay more coal on top and light both ends. I us this method on the 22 1/2 OTS, My UDS,And when I still had one mt ECB. I don't use it as much as I used to only when I am out of gas for the weed burner. Best $19.00 you will ever spend at Harbor Freight.
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I ran out of firestarters and I had some ABTs and Jerk chicken to do. I scrounged around and found my wifes nail polish remover. One little splash on top of the coals in the chimney and poof! We have fire. No smoke and no ash flying around. I was really happy about my new discovery until my wife found out.
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Originally posted by Ralph Grunz:
I have a side burner on my gasser... it is an excellent way to lite my chimney...
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I am going to try that.

It would be the first time I got any use of that side burner.

Thanks for the tip.
 
George you mean the one I made. If yes here it is. It's just a cheap Coleman camp stove bolted to a five gallon steel bucket with a ton of vent holes in it. Also added my old WSM legs to it and an old grate on top. Large hole is for access to shutoff valve.
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. I just use the paper from my Kingsford bag. I just rip off a chunk about 10" across, crumple it up, put it under my Weber chimney, and light it without oil or anything. Lights every time, and it seems like I'm recycling or something.
 
Originally posted by Bill Vader:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. I just use the paper from my Kingsford bag. I just rip off a chunk about 10" across, crumple it up, put it under my Weber chimney, and light it without oil or anything. Lights every time, and it seems like I'm recycling or something.
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That is what I do.
 
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