WTF??? My chimney starter exploded!!!

fired up · Mar 31, 2010

Filled my weber chimney starter with royal oak lump charcoal, like I always do.
Put 2 sheets of crumpled newspaper in the bottom and lit it with a stick lighter, like I always do. Set it on the concrete driveway and waited for the coals to grey over, like I always do.

But this time for some reason after about 15 minutes it made a loud bang, knocked the chimney over, and blew a 8" diameter 1/2" deep hole in the concrete.

Seriously, WTF?

torchrider · Mar 31, 2010

I am no expert, but could it have been the heat sitting on the cold concrete, caused the concrete expand and give? I have heard of other instances of hot items causing concrete to crack.

placebo · Mar 31, 2010

Bingo +1. There was a post here some time ago describing this exact same occurance. Do not use your chimney starters on concrete as it can explode.

fired up · Mar 31, 2010

Alright then, lesson learned lol.

placebo · Mar 31, 2010

Thank God nobody got hurt! Here is the post I was referring to:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...light=concrete

mgwerks · Mar 31, 2010

It definitely was the concrete. Never combine fire and concrete, especially concentrated like that.

jirodriguez · Mar 31, 2010

Dang and I was gonna run home and give it a try... lol... just kidding.

Glad to here nobody got hurt! That is why I bought a $20 Weber Kettle on craigslist - gives me somewhere to light chimneys... and occasionaly grill.

chisoxjim · Mar 31, 2010

that is the one of the craziest things I have heard.

Thanks for the warning. I typically use the cooking grate of my Weber kettle to put the chimney on while it is lit.

rdknb · Mar 31, 2010

Well you live and learn, glad no one was hurt. Makes for a good story when no harm no foul

grogger27 · Mar 31, 2010

My brother darn near lost an eye using a cutting torch on a piece of metal sitting on the concrete sidewalk. The concrete just started snapping and popping. There was shrapnel everywhere.
Lucky no one was hurt.

ak1 · Mar 31, 2010

Definitely the concrete. Too much heat.
what I do is use my hibachi to rest the chimney starter on.

ozark rt · Mar 31, 2010

An air pocket expanding due to the heat. This happened on a larger scale back in the mid 70's when Interstate 30 from Little Rock to Fort Worth had been completed. A couple of years later during one of those long stretches of days where the temp was over 100* the concrete lanes started exploding. Talk about some major potholes.

roscoe dog · Mar 31, 2010

I use a 14 inch square path stone with a couple of bricks and set the starter on the bricks to get air under the starter.

athabaskar · Mar 31, 2010

Wow, I never even thought about such a thing happening. I have always set my chimneys on a couple of firebricks spaced apart, but only to get better airflow. Recently I switched to using the propane fryer to start them. Another example of a fool dodging a bullet without even knowing it.

polishmeat · Mar 31, 2010

Just found this on the virtualweberbullet.com site regarding this. Scroll down to the peach colored box:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/chimney.html

This should definitely be on the "have to know" list.

dangermouse · Mar 31, 2010

holy crap! I always start my chimey on my concrete patio, I had no idea it could explode! Well there you have it, SMF not only saves bbq, it saves LIVES!!! :p

would starting the chimney on a stack of bricks on top of the concrete work? or do the bricks transfer heat?

rickw · Mar 31, 2010

Been there done that. Extreme heat and concrete is very dangerous.

jirodriguez · Mar 31, 2010

Bricks should be fine, something to keep it from getting in direct contact is the main thing.

Bearcarver · Mar 31, 2010

DUCK !!!

I think you have to put it on something else, or quit your Chef job & go into demolition---More money in Demo.
I set mine on a short cut-off of an I-Beam.

Bearcarver

coffee_junkie · Mar 31, 2010

I use my weber smokey joe, used to use flat rocks but those break also...

WTF??? My chimney starter exploded!!!

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