Starting the charcoal fire

[KsDan]

I've been experimenting with making fire starters for about a year. Some have been successes and some have been... learning experiences. I can't stand to pay for things I can make, and I have plenty of time on my hands (relative bachelor with no kids).

My first attempt involved scentsy wax and dryer lint, and was a learning experience. They burned, but the dryer lint smelled like burning hair and the scentsy wax doesn't smell good when ignited rather than warmed.

The next time I had some sawdust I'd swept up after building shelves. Most of the sawdust was pretty coarse from drilling the holes for the capscrews, which I've found to be ideal. I bought a cheap unscented candle (cheaper than canning wax) and melted it on the stove (admittedly not the best idea). Then I poured the melted wax over the sawdust in a pizza box (bachelor) and used scrap pieces of wood to mix it up. After it cooled I cut it up into 1" square(ish) pieces. A lot of the pieces ended up different sizes. This formula was successful, but it was a lot of work and a lot of mess. They lit easily, burned hot and long, and stored easily.

My next attempt involved melting wax again and dipping lump charcoal (can't remember what brand) in it. After I dipped the lump charcoal pieces, I immediately covered them with dryer lint so they'd light easily. I thought this formula would be fantastic, but they didn't light well and were an even bigger mess than the second formula. This formula was a learning experience.

The most recent formula, and the one I think I'll stick with is also the easiest. I use the coarse sawdust from the second formula and still use the cheap candle wax. I had started to scrape off the candle wax with a steak knife to make it melt easier when I realized I could mix the powdered wax with the sawdust before melting the wax. I'd try to guess a proportion of wax to sawdust but it would be just that. I put enough wax so when I squeeze a handful of the mix it holds in a ball. Then I grab one sheet of blue shop towel and put a ping pong ball size handful of the wax/sawdust mixture in the towel and crumple the towel around the mixture. Then just put it under the chimney and let it go. It burns just as well as any other and might be cheaper (I haven't calculated it but at least it keeps me away from the TV). This formula is my favorite because it works and I don't have to make a mess in the house or risk burning the house down.

[crazej36]

I started a thread on this and tried most of the ideas . the cubes win hands down as far as cleanup , speed, cost, safety with out using propane. cut them in half and they work just as good.

[Thunder71]

When using a charcoal chimney dryer lint on its own works just fine, so does newspaper...

Maybe I'm missing something here, but aren't we taking something that was easy and making it challenging?

[1buckie]

Yes, it's called Pole Vaulting Over Mouse 'Turds (PVOMT)......common symptom of Weberitis.......


Just check any thread having to do with Weber hubcaps for confirmation of this aspect of the disease............

[KsDan]

When using a charcoal chimney dryer lint on its own works just fine, so does newspaper...

Maybe I'm missing something here, but aren't we taking something that was easy and making it challenging?

Challenging was the point for me, during the winter I used it as an occasional weekday night project.

[DirectDrive]

I've been using newspaper under the chimney, but what a smoke screen !
The past couple of cooks I lit lump directly in the sheet metal holders using 91% alcohol as a starter.
Clean and works.

[1buckie]

I've been using newspaper under the chimney, but what a smoke screen !
The past couple of cooks I lit lump directly in the sheet metal holders using 91% alcohol as a starter.
Clean and works.

For years I used 99%, sometimes 91%.....works grate, burns clean, ready quickly, be careful adding any in after it's ablaze......

[dazzo]

C'mon buckie - you're always at 110%

       

[Cuda Dan]

I like to use a paper bag. See this thread
Grilling & BBQing / end of pg 3 pictures of bag being lightRe: chimney lighting?

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/chimney-lighting/msg102300/#msg102300 

[Sramsey]

Good tips I'll try. Should have a stickey on this seems others have brought up this topic. Guess I used the wrong search words.

[TheDirtyGrill]

Used to use firelighters, as most of my cooks are at home I recently bought a Looftlighter for $40 at the hardware store, plug into the electricity point. It works great and I don't have to continue with the firelighters.

http://www.looftlighter.com/

There is another one by Bison that is a similar thing though was about $100....

[Mark Schnell]

You can also tear off pieces of the Kingsford bag, separate the layers the best you can and light them up. As long as you don't stuff them in there too tightly they do a great job too and you're using something that you've got already anyways.

[Troy]

i make my own.

dryer lint stuffed into empty egg shell cartons (cardboard ones, not foam)
then i melt paraffin wax and put a few spoonfulls into each 'egg hole'

they burn for a good 8 minutes. no funky smell. cheap. fun.

[eccj]

i make my own.

dryer lint stuffed into empty egg shell cartons (cardboard ones, not foam)
then i melt paraffin wax and put a few spoonfulls into each 'egg hole'

they burn for a good 8 minutes. no funky smell. cheap. fun.

Sounds very practical. I use plain  newspaper, or newspaper with vegetable oil on it. I always grab a stack of free newspapers for this purpose when I see them out and about.

[Troy]

I've used newspaper before. That weird ash that blows around bothers me though. Plus I rarely have any newspaper around.

Phone book is brilliant, I wish I had thought of that!!

Paper towel with some oil (i use coconut) splashed on works great as well.