Brad Baker
TVWBB Fan
[WSM 18.5] Inspired by this thread, I started my July 3rd cook without using a chimney. I lit the fire by using a Weber starter cube placed below the charcoal grate.
This may not work for anyone but me; I have modified the bowl so that that ATC air enters it from directly beneath the center of the grate. The opening is covered by a can with holes in the periphery, like the tuna can mod used for a Smokey Joe Silver mini-WSM. I set the cube on the can.
The grate and ring are wired together. I filled it with charcoal and removed it from the bowl, placed and lit the cube and replaced the grate/ring. The ATC-provided air brought the pit to temp.
It did work, and it allows me to put more charcoal in the ring than usual (tin can minion). It also eliminates the problem of the odd bit of lit charcoal escaping from the bottom of the chimney when moving it to dump. There are still a few things yet to work out though.
This may not work for anyone but me; I have modified the bowl so that that ATC air enters it from directly beneath the center of the grate. The opening is covered by a can with holes in the periphery, like the tuna can mod used for a Smokey Joe Silver mini-WSM. I set the cube on the can.
The grate and ring are wired together. I filled it with charcoal and removed it from the bowl, placed and lit the cube and replaced the grate/ring. The ATC-provided air brought the pit to temp.
It did work, and it allows me to put more charcoal in the ring than usual (tin can minion). It also eliminates the problem of the odd bit of lit charcoal escaping from the bottom of the chimney when moving it to dump. There are still a few things yet to work out though.
