chimney lighting?

[Ken Mc]

usually cubes here, but mainly i use the performer..

[saxart]

I have used every method I have ever heard or read about, and keep coming back to Weber branded fire starter cubes and a weber branded chimney. 

They are  $3.29 for 24 of them.    Sometimes, if feeling frisky, I cut them in half and use half of one, so my average cost per fire is a little over a dime or so for the cubes.

Every word of this!!  ^ ^ ^ ^

[jamesnomore]

I use the performer exclusively. I was using newspaper or the side burner but clean up sucks. The otp mod with a side burner sounds like a great idea.

[crazej36]

Some great ideas .The weed burner looks cool but I would eventually do something I shouldn't with it. I will give the paper bags and the half cubes a try.Ten cents a light isn't horrible.My problem is I've been getting the sunday paper free for a year now and they have piled up. I hate to spend money to replace something I threw away. My wife says I can use the leftover cooking oil and bacon grease jar . If I can get the grease to soak evenly ,I could create some kind of "drippings torch" that might not produce the confetti. Time for some R&D!

Thanks for all the ideas.

[AZ_MIKEY]

I use all the methods. Chimney with news paper, with cubes, with performer gas assist, baskets with cubes, with gas assist, basically you name it I do it. I keep going back to my performer gas assist with either a chimney or baskets or my all time fav the chimney and newspaper. I just make sure not use paper that has colored ads or print or the slick paper adds that come in the mail as junk ads or in some of the sunday papers. Slick paper and colored ink paper tends to stay together and create more paper ash to deal with. Also I have found believe it not using more paper is good to as the fire gets hot enough to burn the ash of the paper into a fine ash

[pbe gummi bear]

I hate using newspaper due the black confetti thing.  I love the parafin cubes, but you are right that they get a little expensive once you do the math.  I bought like 5 boxes on clearance last year for under a $1 a piece so at least I'm good for awhile.

My long term plan......I have a crappy Char-something stainless steel gas grill taking up space on my deck that needs to be scrapped.  The only thing that hasn't rotted out is the side burner.  I'm condsidering a mod to my OTP to replace one of the side tables with that working side burner.  Now all I need is some free time and a little ambition

How about some inspiration? 



from here: http://www.jimbloomfield.com/Barbecue/side%20burner/index.htm

[Lradke]

I use the lighter cubes. It's just easier and no fuss.

[SlickedBack]

I find that there is no muss either.


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[saxart]

Oh, I almost forgot....

When I only need a few briquettes lit, I have been known to use my old Coleman camp-stove to start the coals.  It's nice because the width of the burner gets them going better than just a small concentrated weber-cube.   Here's a (pretty bad) pic where you can see a chimney sitting on the Coleman stove in the foreground. 

[Fo Sizzle My Nizzle]

I use butcher paper since I usually get the big ass rolls for wrapping BBQ.

[Tim in PA]

Weber cubes. Which reminds me that I need to get more before Saturday.

[cbpeck]

I hate using newspaper due the black confetti thing.  I love the parafin cubes, but you are right that they get a little expensive once you do the math.  I bought like 5 boxes on clearance last year for under a $1 a piece so at least I'm good for awhile.

My long term plan......I have a crappy Char-something stainless steel gas grill taking up space on my deck that needs to be scrapped.  The only thing that hasn't rotted out is the side burner.  I'm condsidering a mod to my OTP to replace one of the side tables with that working side burner.  Now all I need is some free time and a little ambition

How about some inspiration? 



from here: http://www.jimbloomfield.com/Barbecue/side%20burner/index.htm

Holy crap! That's very nicely done! The table is somewhat less useful with that burner in it, but dang, that's a pro job at every detail! I'd love to see this done with a SS under the trap door, in place of the charcoal bin. 

[5280Jeff]

+1 on the cubes. Easy and no half burnt paper blowing around the yard.

[toddmog]

usually cubes here, but mainly i use the performer..

How long do you leave the gas on when using your performer?  It seems to me that the chimney sitting down in the kettle doesn't get as much oxygen as when I use a cube sitting on a concrete paver.  I may be imagining things, but it seems like I have to leave the gas on much longer than the time it takes for a cube to run out and get better results with the cube.

[RoundRockMike]

I love the Weber cubes and haven't found anything more convenient.  However, if it gets "pricey", how about the old Girl Scout fire starter method?  Save up the dryer lint and ball it up into (12) 2" pieces.  Put these into an empty cardboard egg carton and pour some melted paraffin over them, leaving a little bit of the dryer lint sticking up.  When the paraffin cools, you will have 12 home-made "cubes".