Coal Mice

 
jrn8265
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Post by jrn8265 » Tue. Sep. 22, 2009 9:46 am

I get them from my coal provider and am told they burn up to 4000 degrees. I did not know this before. From now on I'll be putting them on top of a 1" pile of coal instead of directly on the grate. I would think this type of sudden heat can damage the grates if the mouse sat directly on it!


 
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009to090
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Post by 009to090 » Tue. Sep. 22, 2009 9:56 am

jrn8265 wrote:I get them from my coal provider and am told they burn up to 4000 degrees. I did not know this before. From now on I'll be putting them on top of a 1" pile of coal instead of directly on the grate. I would think this type of sudden heat can damage the grates if the mouse sat directly on it!
Jeez, yeah, no kidding! Wow, thsta hot. :shock: 4000F is ok for the short term, how long do they burn?
I always use a cup of wood pellets and I squirt some jelled alcohol on them to start. push the coal right up to the sides of this pile, and it catches in about 2 minutes.

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Tue. Sep. 22, 2009 11:41 am

usually just stick them in the middle of the coal, it ignites nicely.

Homemade mice from broken down matchlight charcoal pieces and some good hardwood shavings wrapped in piece of newspaper, works pretty slick.

 
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eelhc
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Post by eelhc » Tue. Sep. 22, 2009 2:59 pm

I'm going to fill a lunch bag with some paper waste from my shredder, lump charcoal, rice coal and wood pellets. Should be just wide enough to fit across my grates.

 
WissaMan
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Post by WissaMan » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 11:24 am

I got some from a local hardware store. He actually referred to them as "stoker starters." I tried one out and it didn't exactly look like it was burning 4000' (doesn't iron melt way below 4000?) but it did work well and got the coal going a hell of a lot easier than the times I used charcoal briquettes.

On the down side, the guy at the hardware store said he was getting them from a guy in Frackville PA that made them himself and that the guy recently passed on an he's having trouble finding a new source. When he told me that I bought out most of his inventory :oops:

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 11:48 am

I think the mice are a lot like road flares, which burn at about 1000-1200* if I am not mistaken.

 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 1:36 pm

Road flares work too. Just cut them into a small piece and light it and bury it in the coal....


 
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coalkirk
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Post by coalkirk » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 1:39 pm

So does regular old lump charcoal. You don't need no stinkin' coal rodents!

 
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218Bee
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Post by 218Bee » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 5:42 pm

I've had great luck with self lighting charcoal and a propane torch.

Bust a few bricks up with a hammer..dump on grate...hit the charcoal real good with the torch...cover with coal...turn the stoker on.

Kachowww..lit stoker.

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Wed. Sep. 23, 2009 10:21 pm

So does regular old lump charcoal. You don't need no stinkin' coal rodents!
Amen!
All Natural...
You can say you are 'GREEN" :nana:

 
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coaledsweat
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Post by coaledsweat » Thu. Sep. 24, 2009 7:15 am

Black, it is the new green. :)

 
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ablumny
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Post by ablumny » Thu. Sep. 24, 2009 7:35 am

Ya, my stove supplier said to lay them on top of the pile, not the grate. Not sure how hot they get but I suspect its not good to lay them on the grate.

I used Coal Mice when I first picked up my DVC-500. Drop the box on top of the pile, light it and forget it. Worked every time with ease. Since I was new to the whole coal thing and it was still September (last year), we were starting and stopping the burn many times. so I ran out fast and couldn't get anymore by the time the real season began.

I tried the lump coal in the bag filled with shredded paper and starter gel and while that worked most of the time, I had to baby sit it every time to make sure it did. Now, save your critical rebuttals!! :) I know this method works but i'm lazy!

I then tried the flare thing and documented that on youtube. Worked but not as easy as the prepared coal mice. So this year I went back to the Coal Mice, picked up 20 pcs and will start up later in the season. Worth the convenience!


 
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009to090
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Post by 009to090 » Thu. Sep. 24, 2009 8:20 am

ablumny wrote:Ya, my stove supplier said to lay them on top of the pile, not the grate. Not sure how hot they get but I suspect its not good to lay them on the grate.
Hi Ablummy, I think I see your problem. The entire grate must be covered in coal, (or ash) so the under-air gets pushed up thru the coal pile you are trying to lite. If you see holes in the grate, then most of the under-fire air will escape thru them. Cover them all, about 1" to 1 1/4" deep. Also, start the fire over the coal that is on the grate. All the way in the back where you are trying to start the fire, there is no holes in the grate. Move that "flare" another 3 inches closer the the glass door, and it would have worked better/quicker. But place it on a THICK layer of coal.
I just use a cup of wood pellets, topped with gelled alcohol, and it starts every time.
The secret is to keep all the holes in the grate covered. All the way down to the front where it drops off. I usually leave 3" or 4" of ash near the front, just to keep the holes covered, until I can start the new fire.
I hope this makes sense....

 
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ablumny
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Post by ablumny » Thu. Sep. 24, 2009 9:37 pm

DVC500 at last wrote:
ablumny wrote:Ya, my stove supplier said to lay them on top of the pile, not the grate. Not sure how hot they get but I suspect its not good to lay them on the grate.
Hi Ablummy, I think I see your problem. The entire grate must be covered in coal, (or ash) so the under-air gets pushed up thru the coal pile you are trying to lite. If you see holes in the grate, then most of the under-fire air will escape thru them. Cover them all, about 1" to 1 1/4" deep. Also, start the fire over the coal that is on the grate. All the way in the back where you are trying to start the fire, there is no holes in the grate. Move that "flare" another 3 inches closer the the glass door, and it would have worked better/quicker. But place it on a THICK layer of coal.
I just use a cup of wood pellets, topped with gelled alcohol, and it starts every time.
The secret is to keep all the holes in the grate covered. All the way down to the front where it drops off. I usually leave 3" or 4" of ash near the front, just to keep the holes covered, until I can start the new fire.
I hope this makes sense....
THx. Yes it makes sense. If I run outta mice this year, I'll try this again with your advice.

 
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2001Sierra
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Post by 2001Sierra » Wed. Sep. 30, 2009 11:08 pm

Good info! Going from a hand fed to a stoker has a learning curve. I did not think about the holes on the end of the grate "leaking" all the combustion air out. I will cover the entire grate with a thin layer of coal and target the rear area for my fire starter. A few inches of good coal being pushed off will not bankrupt me.


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