Charcoal to Light a Coal Stove.

I just dump a layer of Kingsford across the grates, soak the hell out of it with lighter fluid & light it off. You'll get some smell in the house .... but I usually have gas, diesel or kerosene fumes coming off my clothes ... so a little lighter fluid here is no biggie. All depends on how you live & what your used to.

This method gets my Mark III full to the top & burning in 40 minutes or less.

I haven't tried the gel. Isn't it expensive?

Gell is pretty cheap 8-10 dollars...
But you just need a little squeeze...
Should last several years...
Unless you are a coal stove collector...
It burns slower so no woof...

I was just looking it up. Looks like Ace Hardware carries it and also Lowes. I've seen prices from $5 to $18.

Jeff

I don't like the matchlite charcoal smell in the house.
1. Layer of crumpled newspaper, with a little poked down through the grates
2. Layer of broken up cedar shingles, cheapest you can buy, one bundle will last years
3. Layer of regular charcoal, about half a bag
4. Some more crumpled newspaper

Light the newspaper on top of the pile, to get a draft going
Light the bottom layer of newspaper sticking down through the grates
Ash door open for lots of draft
The cedar and the charcoal will be roaring in a couple minutes
Add light layers of coal, waiting for the fire to be roaring again between each layer
Up and running in no time

I used charcoal to lite my Leisure Line stoker all the time, as did my mother, as she had the same model. Once when I wasn't paying attention and the stove went out, she gave me her charcoal and charcoal liter fluid and said she used it all the time. Maybe I used too much (thought I was very careful not to) or didn't have it vented well enough, but it ignited, robbing me of eye lashes, brows, lots of hair from my head, and gave me some very nice blisters on my right ear, right cheek, and the back of my right hand. Not saying it's a bad idea, just be very careful!

wow! bad story! glad youre alright! are you sure that was charcoal lighter and not say... zippo lighter or something? either way thanks for posting. it definitely keeps things in perspective that just because most people didn't have an issue doesn't mean its not potentially dangerous. I use wood chunks like the cedar shingle guy, only no paper... never used liquid fuel ever, but I have a propane torch which I believe is indispensible in lighting fires without paper.

Ohabanero, Yeah it was charcoal lighter, although I accused Mom of playing a bad joke and putting gasoline in the jug , I think it was either heavy air or a bad draft that night but it really blew back at me. After that, I did think of the propane torch deal and used straight charcoal and purchased a torch for Mom also and threatened her NEVER to use the fluid again. What I always did was cut a small board a smigen too long and wedge it in between the sides of the burner. I would then pile about 6 pieces of charcoal behind it, get it going with the torch, then feed a little coal (rice in my case) to the charcoal, and then crank the feeder tray up high until it got going good, and then adjust accordingly. The small piece of board would burn out about the time the coal was going good and everything would just push itself into the ash pan. Worked great!

Everyone please learn from my mistake!

I'm sorry to get on to a stoker stove here but please use my experiance about the charcoal lighter fluid.

I've been burning only one season but I've found it very easy to light the fire. I just fill one side of the fire box with coal actually about 80% of it. Then put a few small twigs and a few broken up sticks in the remaining side. About two good hand fulls. I light this with a torch. When they are burning bright. Leaving the door open I start to add coal. A little at first. Then more as it starts to catch.

Takes about 20 min. to have the coal burning well. Up to heat in about 40 min.