How do yall light your charcoal baskets?

[Jon]

There is a simple process for repairing charcoal grates that are sagging from the Performer gas assist:
1. Remove charcoal grate and place top-side down on ground.
2. Step on it.

[jolayiv]

There is a simple process for repairing charcoal grates that are sagging from the Performer gas assist:
1. Remove charcoal grate and place top-side down on ground.
2. Step on it.

This literally made me laugh out loud. I was expecting something totally different. Well done Sir.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Was aware of that but last time I tried it my 180lb frame didn't budge it. I'll try again on another one I picked up; grate is resting on the Performer's burner tube!

[SmokenJoe]

Performer TnG for ease and convenience in starter, Weber cubes in starter when Perf is busy.  Got sagging grates on several kettles, but @ $15 for new grates, come'on.                     SJ

[addicted-to-smoke]

... Got sagging grates on several kettles, but @ $15 for new grates, come'on.                     SJ

I hear you, but that's not an option on the last-generation 26er unless a new source of charcoal and cooking grates has appeared.

Nevertheless I just stepped on the charcoal grate for the 26 I just picked up. Bad idea.

[colin.p]

Sometimes I use Doritos ....

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/used-some-doritos-to-get-charcoal-going/

Interesting idea, however the price of chips is pretty high. Must be 4 bucks at least for a bag of Doritos and that guy in the video dumped a whole bag in. Those little fire starter cubes would be a lot cheaper.

[SmokenJoe]

ATS, the char grate on my older 26r was pretty good, didn't even have a cooking grate until Tom (@indy82z) set me up with a brand new grate (thanks again Tom, may the kettle Gods treat you well).  Anyhow, I try to never use brute force on any kettle especially an older one.   Try some heat from a low torch and the gentle pressure from a vice grip or some such.  It's not covered in porcelain so can't do to much harm.                         SJ

[CharliefromLI]

I needed some New style dark gray handles for a mod.i  grabbed two compact chimneys from Amazon  and swapped handles out and had chimneys as bonus. Now I use the two compact chimneys with gas assist  on perfomer. Each chimney holds a baskets worth of fuel and the two Smaller chimney gets coals lower to the burner and give more surface area which lights coals very fast.

If I am using my 26, I've been using A J 850 weed torch that came with a recent Craig's list score. Works fairly well too

[swamprb]

weed burner