Alternatives for Lighting Coal

mikeandgerry wrote:Lisa,

are they the ones that are cardboard or the ones that are like gray paper mache?

I'd guess you'd say it was the gray paper mache kind. It's a very loose pressed cardboard, clearly a recycled material. It's about a 1/8 of inch thick. It tears easily and has a nice long burn with no smoke or flying embers, unlike newspaper. I really like it along with the Match Lite as a fire starter. It makes my life easier. Good luck, Lisa

I do what many here have said that they do and use Matchlite Charcoal briquetes.

When I shut down in the spring, I take the coal that is left in the hopper (about a 2 gallons worth) and set it aside all summer so that it is nice and dry for my winter firing.

When it is time to start up, I take about a dozen lumps of charcoal and grind them into a powder. Mix that with the dry charcoal, put it on the grate, turn on the Keystoker and hit the mess with Mapp gas. Will be burning in under 2 minutes.

The only two items that i found that will start the anthracite are the startes specifically for that. One looks like a firework, it has a fuse on it and the other is a bag with swdust and i believe it has the magnesium in it. I tried using a propane torch just to see if it would light and it will not.

a little newspaper and cowboy charcoal i get mine at walmart its royal oak brand 100% natural

to get a coal fire going you need to get a draft going first, i always heat the chimney with a good burn of newspaper before i start the reg fire.

Jeff

Use match lite if I'm feeling lazy in my Harman hand-fired.
If I'm out of match lite, I just go in the woods and gather some dry kindling, which also works good.

Good thing is, that I've finally gotten to the point that I can keep the stove running as long as I want now.
Will only shut it down when the weather changes, or I want to give it a good cleaning. I'm not re-starting it much anymore

ruger44 wrote:The only two items that i found that will start the anthracite are the startes specifically for that. One looks like a firework, it has a fuse on it and the other is a bag with swdust and i believe it has the magnesium in it. I tried using a propane torch just to see if it would light and it will not.

For starting pea coal, cut 2 feet of 2X4 into 6" lengths and split into roughly 3/4" squares. Spread a thin layer of coal on grate and stack about half the kindling on it with plenty of room for air flow. Light the wood with your propane torch. When it is about half burnt, add a little coal and then the remainder of the wood. When that wood is half burnt add a little more coal. By the time the wood is all burnt there should be enough coal burning to keep it going. Works for me

AL-53 wrote:

coalkirk wrote:I've found that lump type charcoal, not briquets, works really well. You generally have to buy it in larger bags but it will last forever if you keep it dry. A few very small pieces of dry oak with a few pieces of lump charcoal and hit it with the propane torch for about 20 seconds. Do this with the combustion blower off. then once it's lit, close the door, turn on the blower and in a few minutes, you've got some nice glowing coals. Then sprinkle some rice coal on top, wait another couple of minutes and turn on the feeder. This works very well and yoou don't have the stink of the match light fuel.

yes..the lump charcoal..I call it cowboy charcoal..is a natural charcoal...made in beehive kilns....looks like chunks of wood.....we have a place near me that makes it..I go get all the small stuff....it lights fast and is hot...I put it on a bed of wood pellets...little lighter fluid..and lite ..starts coal very nice.....I have use stove mice also and it works fast....

AL

Exactly what I do .... pellets, wood, lump charcoal, then once the charcoal is burning then start slowly layering the coal on ~ 2 hrs to complete the filling of the box with coal

Our local supplier for the "mice" is now limiting each customer to 3 or 4 mice per visit. They say the company that produces them burned to the ground recently. So whenever we drive by we grab a few, so we have a stockpile for when the stores inventory dries up.

ottawadriver wrote:Our local supplier for the "mice" is now limiting each customer to 3 or 4 mice per visit. They say the company that produces them burned to the ground recently. So whenever we drive by we grab a few, so we have a stockpile for when the stores inventory dries up.

When you run out of all other options, just grab some wood sticks, I went visiting my buddy, and I had a nice beer and a good fire show !:

Next time, I am taking my Hottie girlfriend with me to convince her it's easy to start, and we'll take our Hooka with us, of course some beer too.

We need to have a thread on starting Hookas as well

Very cool! I like it.

I use CATS ... 2 or 3 they run around and around and get the coal started...

I use MAP gas in a plumbers torch to light mine 3x hotter than propane.