Weber Chimney Starter


 
Rusty James said:
I am big on repairing stuff, and I am a fabricator at heart.

I spent $150.00 on parts to tear my washer apart and rebuild it two years ago instead of buying a newer energy-efficient model.

I'll eventually get a larger chimney in time to come.
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I'm with you. I purposely bought a old used GE/Whirlpool/Kenmore style washer and drier because they are so repairable. The new ones die after a few years. I can probably keep these running indefinitely.
 
*Bump*

I missed this post somehow.

Dustin Dorsey said:
I'm with you. I purposely bought a old used GE/Whirlpool/Kenmore style washer and drier because they are so repairable. The new ones die after a few years. I can probably keep these running indefinitely.
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The place where I purchase parts told me that they will continue to rebuild their old machines as long as possible.

Saw a story recently where one woman's new Whirlpool washer had pin holes in the tub and ruined here laminate flooring. It cost her over $3000 to replace the flooring. Not good.


For what it's worth, Santa gave me a genuine Weber chimney starter (large), and a pair of grilling gloves for Christmas. :D
 
Congrats on the Weber chimney. You will enjoy it.

When I first started, I borrowed a cheap chimney from a neighbor, and the difference between it and the Weber was night and day.
 
Chris in Louisiana said:
Congrats on the Weber chimney. You will enjoy it.

When I first started, I borrowed a cheap chimney from a neighbor, and the difference between it and the Weber was night and day.
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It does make a difference.

My old Walmart model had round holes in the bottom of a plate for ventilation, but the Weber's inverted wire-bottom funnel design, and side holes, make it easier to fire up a load of coals.

My only vice is the small size of the slots on the bottom of the chimney. They are too narrow for my Bic lighter to pass through.
 
Cone has more surface area than a flat piece of metal, there for more coal surface is exposed to the initial lighting.
 
Sean R said:
I would highly doubt its made from galvanized, considering the toxic fumes galvanized releases at the temps its intended to be used at....
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Chris Allingham said:
They say it's made from aluminized steel.
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That's good to know. I worked around a plasma table (for one day only) with no breathing protection, and we were cutting galvanized sheet metal. The guy that usually ran the table said he drank milk every day to negate the affects of the airborne zinc particles (no respirator at all). He told me that zinc can settle around the lining of the stomach and cause problems. My bowls ran off for three weeks after that incident due to inhaling zinc.

Needless to say, I left that job after day one.
 
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I can't get over the difference between the Walmart and Weber chimneys. It used to be a long wait to re-fire old coals, but not anymore - and the flames shoot pretty high too.

Amazing.
 
When I first started charcoal grilling I used a chimney starter, but just couldn't figure out why mine took so long to get charcoals ready while my father-in-law's worked so well. I noticed his had holes going up the side, so I drilled holes in mine which helped with air flow, but it still performed poorly. Later on, I finally noticed that his was a Weber brand and mine was a Kingsford. I finally upgraded to a Weber last week and I cannot believe the difference. As already mentioned earlier in this thread - night and day difference. It's much bigger too. Are there different sizes?
 
Chris McDowell said:
When I first started charcoal grilling I used a chimney starter, but just couldn't figure out why mine took so long to get charcoals ready while my father-in-law's worked so well. I noticed his had holes going up the side, so I drilled holes in mine which helped with air flow, but it still performed poorly. Later on, I finally noticed that his was a Weber brand and mine was a Kingsford. I finally upgraded to a Weber last week and I cannot believe the difference. As already mentioned earlier in this thread - night and day difference. It's much bigger too. Are there different sizes?
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The Webers are the only way to go. There do make a compact chimney here is a link
 
Chris McDowell said:
When I first started charcoal grilling I used a chimney starter, but just couldn't figure out why mine took so long to get charcoals ready while my father-in-law's worked so well. I noticed his had holes going up the side, so I drilled holes in mine which helped with air flow, but it still performed poorly. Later on, I finally noticed that his was a Weber brand and mine was a Kingsford. I finally upgraded to a Weber last week and I cannot believe the difference. As already mentioned earlier in this thread - night and day difference. It's much bigger too. Are there different sizes?
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Webers is like a measuring cup for charcoal. A full chimney of coal gets you an even bed in a 22.5 grill.
 
Just one question on the Weber chimney starter (which I've used all four times now) - I used chunk hardwood, and I'm finding a ridiculous amount of small pieces (both unlit and lit once it gets crackling) fall through the lower grate. I suppose it's the matter of finding better (larger pieced) hardwood. Thoughts?
 
Christopher A said:
Just one question on the Weber chimney starter (which I've used all four times now) - I used chunk hardwood, and I'm finding a ridiculous amount of small pieces (both unlit and lit once it gets crackling) fall through the lower grate. I suppose it's the matter of finding better (larger pieced) hardwood. Thoughts?
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If you have small bits of lump (which you'll get with almost all brands & types), they're going to fall through the bottom. However, I usually fold up a piece of newspaper or paper towel and put that in the bottom of the chimney before loading up the lump. Those small bits won't fall through right away (they will after the paper's burned up), but they'll stay in place long enough to help get the rest of it going. Since getting a gas-assist performer, I use an old "grill wok" (like the one below) with the handle removed. I just load the lump on that and park it over the gas jet; works great and doesn't waste any of those little bits.

71FDAZl9bCL._SY355_.jpg
 
Put a few briquettes in first.
They will help hold up the smaller pieces and usually light quicker and easier than lump.
 
Bob Correll said:
Put a few briquettes in first.
They will help hold up the smaller pieces and usually light quicker and easier than lump.
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Yep a layer of birquetts will keep the small pieces from falling through.

Even though you get the best lump you can find, rough handling by shipping, stocking, and customers can turn it in to a bag of small pieces.
 
Bump.

Another idea to start a chimney fire is by using a can of Sterno heat. I've seen these in dollar stores, so they might be worth a try.
 
Bump.

After using my Weber chimney for a year now, I fine the most efficient way to start the coals with newspaper (without adding oil) is by crumpling up the sections individually. Place one crumpled section (double-sided sections) on one side of the chimney, and the other crumpled section on the the other side. If you crumple two sections together before placing them in the chimney bottom, I find that it tends to cut down on flame intensity, and produces more ash.

Just my observation. Your experience may differ.
 
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