A chimney takes 20-30 minutes to get the coals hot. With a tourch, I can get the coals ready to go in about 3 minutes! :thumb:
Sure, it's fast, but I was wondering if there was some other benefit. My problem with the torch is that I'm bad about catching wood that I bury in the briqs on fire. Lately, for long smokes, I bury about 3 wood chunks in the briqs around the perimeter of the ring, and put three others around the perimeter on top...just barely touching the lit briqs that I pour in a middle depression. It works pretty good and I don't add any wood.
The torch is kind of fun though, isn't it? :-D
Michael, thanks for the suggestions, and I'll try about anything. Are you saying you wouldn't add anymore wood than the three pieces on top for a long low-n-slow cook? That's how I did it on my UDS, but since there was significantly less air to the coals, the wood lasted a lot longer than it does on my wsm...and the wsm water pan "washes" the smoke, too. Just wonderin'... Thanks for the thread. :-D
If you go to sears.com, you will see the 22.5" listed for $315 and the 18.5" for $265. Take them into Lowes or Home Depot to get them to price match them. You'll probably have to order them or you can get a pretty good price on Amazon as well, although the prices have gone up $30-55 each though in the past week it appears.
I bought mine on Amazon.
Yea...me too.
I had to, no hardware stores carry them! :crazy: