Chimney smoke at 5am & Neighbors

[Rings Я Us]

Watch Kroger and Spartan Store sales. Same as RO.

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• Rings Я Us
• Sep 13, 2017

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• Rings Я Us
• Sep 13, 2017

 

[jokensmoken]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[tropics]

Thanks Richie,
That was very informative and settles it for me... I'll be stocking up on RO as the sales hit...just gotta use up the 60lb of KBB now ive got on hand...maybe on the smokey Joe or at hunt camp.

Walt.

I have 8 or more bags of KBB that I must use

Richie

 

[jokensmoken]

I'm intentionally low knowing sales are abound this time of year...I've usually got 150-200 lb on hand because I stock up when it's cheap.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

All ya alls that use a chimney to start charcoal are wasting fuel!

 

[jokensmoken]

Ok...I read your post on side lighting...GREAT TECHNIQUE.
My issue is I've got a cross between a WSM and an ECB.
It's a great bullet type smoker with more components than an ECB; mainly a top vent, a bottom vent and a small ash collector but no side vents like a WSM.
As is I can get 7-8 hour burns at 220°-260° with very good temp control so I'm not willing to drill any holes for mods (yet)
I'm thinking I might be able to light the fuel in the basket with a tourch before I place the center barrel section.
Any thoughts, advice or insights before I try it Saturday on a couple chuckies I'm smoking.

Walt.

 

[Rings Я Us]

Ok...I read your post on side lighting...GREAT TECHNIQUE.
My issue is I've got a cross between a WSM and an ECB.
It's a great bullet type smoker with more components than an ECB; mainly a top vent, a bottom vent and a small ash collector but no side vents like a WSM.
As is I can get 7-8 hour burns at 220°-260° with very good temp control so I'm not willing to drill any holes for mods (yet)
I'm thinking I might be able to light the fuel in the basket with a tourch before I place the center barrel section.
Any thoughts, advice or insights before I try it Saturday on a couple chuckies I'm smoking.

Walt.

This lighting of charcoal through a vent is a form of minion using air intake to spread the heat. You can light 6 or 8 pieces of charcoal with a torch and put them next to an empty area you leave by your intake area. Same thing. Those coals will light the others touching them.

 

[bluewhisper]

I use a propane torch to light, but I don't have a chimney, just right in the firebox. These days I work in a tool store and I am FIGHTING THE TEMPTATION to get one of those bigger weed-burning torches that work with a propane tank. 20% employee discount, even. The smaller torch is adequate, but you know how boys want toys.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

 
I use a propane torch to light, but I don't have a chimney, just right in the firebox. These days I work in a tool store and I am FIGHTING THE TEMPTATION to get one of those bigger weed-burning torches that work with a propane tank. 20% employee discount, even. The smaller torch is adequate, but you know how boys want toys.

I use my weed burner to light my UDS or if I'm in a hurry and I need a super hot fire. I wouldn't do it for a long cook though. Too much fuel gets spent.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Ok...I read your post on side lighting...GREAT TECHNIQUE.
My issue is I've got a cross between a WSM and an ECB.
It's a great bullet type smoker with more components than an ECB; mainly a top vent, a bottom vent and a small ash collector but no side vents like a WSM.
As is I can get 7-8 hour burns at 220°-260° with very good temp control so I'm not willing to drill any holes for mods (yet)
I'm thinking I might be able to light the fuel in the basket with a tourch before I place the center barrel section.
Any thoughts, advice or insights before I try it Saturday on a couple chuckies I'm smoking.

Walt.

Light the charcoal through the bottom vent.

One of the things that happens when you use the torch method with the smoker intact is you are preheating the smoker. When you light the fuel outside the smoker you are wasting fuel and energy. Its all going up into the air. Then you are adding spent fuel that takes up space of where unspent fuel could be.

With the side light or torch method all of the heat and energy stays in the smoker. On one load of charcoal in the Mini-wsm or 14.5 wsm I can keep a 265°-280° pit temp for 16-18 hours. How? I'm not wasting fuel by burning most of it out of the smoker.

I'd have no problem drilling a hole in a smoker adding a ball valve if it meant I could use the sidelight method.

 

[jokensmoken]

A D-DE-DEE moment... I never thought of a ball valve...
Thanks for pointing out the obvious.
I'll do the mod tomorrow before my Saturday smoke.
Thanks...I'm all about fuel conservation and longer cook times between loads of fuel.

Walt

 

[hondabbq]

Mapp torch. No smoke at all.

 And really who caes if there is smoke, just toss them a couple samples of the finished product and Im sure they will go away.

 

[kcsmokefan83]

Mapp torch. No smoke at all.

 And really who caes if there is smoke, just toss them a couple samples of the finished product and Im sure they will go away.

Haha that's exactly what my mother in law said

 

[jokensmoken]

That's usually my go to response to any and all objections...that or an invite right out of the gate.
Never failed yet.

Walt.

 

[Rings Я Us]

So the every time I've lit up my charcoals in the chimney it creates an insane amount of smoke.  I've never really noticed this before because in just cooking with charcoals it's been the middle of summer day at someone else's house, so I've never really cared about the amount of smoke.  Now that I live in the suburbs and starting cooks at 5am I've seen neighbors take notice.  Some even came over and asked if there was a fire.  Nice neighbors, but I don't want to make anybody angry over it.

Is there a way to reduce the amount of smoke from the chimney when lighting up the coals?  I've read starting from the top down can really reduce the amount of smoke.  Has anyone tried that?

I'm kinda scratching my head as to why anyone is up at 5 a.m. to notice you lighting charcoal for a cook.. I would say that after a couple times they should know what is going on and get used to it.. your smoke for 10 minutes shouldn't look like a building on fire. If your neighbors are awoken from a dead sleep inside their homes by some newspaper on fire for a few minutes.. I would be surprised. I think you should just do your thing and they will know it's harmless and your just going to be smoking some food . Anyone should be able to recognize a man's smoker lighting up and being used as a routine after a couple times.. your not annoying anyone for 10 minutes.. if you are then to bad.. lol Those people need training.. that's all. Anyone should be able to see what your doing or ask.. then it's all clear to them. I would just go about my business.

 

[jokensmoken]

Right...all my neighbors know and are only being nosey to know what's for dinner cause they all know I don't run a half full smoker...when I fire up I've got 20 pounds of something going.

 

[wimpy69]

Dirtsailor-[One of the things that happens when you use the torch method with the smoker intact is you are preheating the smoker. When you light the fuel outside the smoker you are wasting fuel and energy. Its all going up into the air. Then you are adding spent fuel that takes up space of where unspent fuel could be.]

Even though i dont use my torch, i've been using my ol'can w/alcohol placed in my ash drawer with my Dyna glo. Yes, preheat's smoker along with unlit briquets and wood. Really cuts down on time. Good point there.

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• wimpy69
• Sep 15, 2017

 

[Rings Я Us]

Dirtsailor-[One of the things that happens when you use the torch method with the smoker intact is you are preheating the smoker. When you light the fuel outside the smoker you are wasting fuel and energy. Its all going up into the air. Then you are adding spent fuel that takes up space of where unspent fuel could be.]

Even though i dont use my torch, i've been using my ol'can w/alcohol placed in my ash drawer with my Dyna glo. Yes, preheat's smoker along with unlit briquets and wood. Really cuts down on time. Good point there.

20170914_153630.jpg

• wimpy69
• Sep 15, 2017

A simple can of sterno under the charcoal in the chimney.. not a bad idea [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[gmc2003]

This is one problem I've never had a issue with. Living in the country everyone has a burn-pit in there yard and someone has bonfire going almost every weekend. The smoke from a chimney starter is going to go unnoticed(unless their hungry).

Chris 

 

[jokensmoken]

I, on the other hand, have the EXACT OPPOSITE situation. There is only 10 feet between mine and my neighbor's house on one side and less than that on the other and we (we residents and home owners) are all like that for about a half mile stretch on main street...my neighbor's house to the north actually sits six inches over onto my property.