How to fix a chimney starter handle?

[TxQGuy]

Hi y'all. I bought a new chimney starter last week. My old one is a cheapy, smallish one that is looking a little worse for wear. Well, the fancy new Weber one I bought has a plastic handle, unlike the wooden handle on my old one. Turns out...it is incredibly easy to completely melt away that entire plastic handle. Ask me how I know. :icon_blush::redface:

So, now I have just a piece of metal for the handle, which gets...incredibly hot even with the welding gloves I use. Anyhow, do any of you have any suggestions as to how to rig up a replacement handle? I was thinking it might be handy to throw on one of those spring-type handle covers that you sometimes see on pits, but wasn't sure how to do that.

For reference, it is this model I believe:

https://product-images.weber.com/accessory-images/7416.png?fit=fill&h=950&w=1000&trim=color&trimtol=10&bg=0FFF&pad=50

[ebijack]

If you are able to weld a spring handle on. You could do that.
Be easier to cut some wood and make a new handle and bolt/rivet that on.
Buy a piece of 1/2X1 flat wood/molding from HD. Cut, drill and bolt to your weber. One piece on the inside, one on the outside.
Doesn't have to be fancy unless you want to go that route.
Buy a cheap chimney at a dollar store, drill out the rivet and put on your chimney.

[effinUker]

I might make a Weber wooden handle. This link takes you to a schematic from The Virtual Weber Bullet website - this is not my work, just a link for info purposes.

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/woodenlidhandle.pdf

[Stlsportster]

MY suggestion.

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7429-Rapid-Chimney-Starter/dp/B07B5BHKDZ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2UB93336L62QL&keywords=weber+chimney+starter&qid=1568892188&s=gateway&sprefix=Weber+chimney%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-4

[El Ropo]

My suggestion https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7447-Compact-Rapidfire-Chimney/dp/B009IH0ICG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=weber+chimney+starter&qid=1568920228&sr=8-2.


The compact Weber chimney starter lol.


OK I have to ask, what were you doing to melt the handle? I started literally hundreds of fires with my original weber chimney before it rusted out and never came remotely close to melting the handle.

[TxQGuy]

My suggestion https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7447-Compact-Rapidfire-Chimney/dp/B009IH0ICG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=weber+chimney+starter&qid=1568920228&sr=8-2.


The compact Weber chimney starter lol.


OK I have to ask, what were you doing to melt the handle? I started literally hundreds of fires with my original weber chimney before it rusted out and never came remotely close to melting the handle.

Haha, I just used it how I normally use my other wood-handled one...rest it on the bottom charcoal pan of my Old Smokey and fire it up! A few pages ripped out of a phone book and sprayed with PAM underneath. Done it for years with the other one with no problem. :laugh::shock:

[KClandcruiser]

Dang, that's wild that it got hot enough to melt. I have the same starter and can light a full chimney and the handle stays cool enough to dump it with my bare hands. I usually light it on the cooking grate of the kettle that I'm not using. I wonder if having it down on the charcoal grate caused enough heat flowing around it and caused your problem. Your starting method certainly seems like a fairly standard method

[TxQGuy]

Dang, that's wild that it got hot enough to melt. I have the same starter and can light a full chimney and the handle stays cool enough to dump it with my bare hands. I usually light it on the cooking grate of the kettle that I'm not using. I wonder if having it down on the charcoal grate caused enough heat flowing around it and caused your problem. Your starting method certainly seems like a fairly standard method

I know! It was pretty interesting coming back to the grill and seeing a lump of melted plastic. Took me a good few seconds to realize what had happened. :shock:

[dward51]

If you only had it a week, return it. Plastic is clearly defective. Heck call Weber. They either have a batch of bad plastic or someone is selling knockoffs with faulty plastic.

I have 2 with the plastic handles and I've been using one of them since 2005. Not single issue.

[Radrob]

Cut a piece of 1 1/4" oak dowel in half long ways and bolt both sides on.

[kd4gij]

I would cut the aluminum at the top and bottom of the oil handle. And drill a hole in each end. get an oak dowel and screw it on like this.

[angryelfFan]

I have 2. The one time I melted part of one is when I had them both in a Weber 18". I caught it early on and learned my lesson.

[Smoking Piney]

How did you melt it?

I have 2 Weber chimneys that get used regularly and I've never come close to melting the handles.

[drunkenmeatfist]

I can see where leaving a chimney full of hot coals in the bottom of this thing would melt the handle. Not very much space for heat to escape. I'd say you learned a $20 lesson and you should just buy another chimney.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0261/0379/products/02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1446929725

[FrankZ]

I have one with a melted handle. I think I got it too close to a fire that was going. It still lights charcoal just fine.

I wear gloves when I handle the chimneys so I don't know how hot the handles get.

[TxQGuy]

I can see where leaving a chimney full of hot coals in the bottom of this thing would melt the handle. Not very much space for heat to escape. I'd say you learned a $20 lesson and you should just buy another chimney.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0261/0379/products/02_1024x1024.jpg?v=1446929725

It's already in my Amazon shopping cart, awaiting another $6 worth of goods to qualify for free shipping. :laugh:

[TxQGuy]

Update to this: I ended up buying a new one. :laugh:

[FrankZ]

Update to this: I ended up buying a new one. :laugh:

Just one?

[TxQGuy]

Just one?

I still have my crusty rusty old cheapo one as backup. If I melt the handle on this new one though...then I'm giving up completely and will stick to my cheap, grocery store chimney starters. The wood handles have never melted. :redface:

[El Ropo]

FYI, I've always set my lit chimneys on a top grate of either a UDS, Weber Kettle, or Weber Smokey Joe, so they are fully exposed to winds etc. I think setting it down inside of a cooker would increase the temps close to the plastic handle drastically.


I just recently had to replace my Weber chimney due to neglect, it rusted out being outside unprotected for 8 years. I opted to replace it with the mini Weber chimney and love the crapola out of it. Easier starts for Minion cooking for sure, I highly recommend it.

[SonnyE]

My suggestion: Bernzomatic torch. (https://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-TS8000-Intensity-Trigger-Start/dp/B0019CQL60/ref=asc_df_B0019CQL60/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312039830589&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=789867869359002007&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031165&hvtargid=aud-801738734305:pla-382754673802&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63202739518&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312039830589&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=789867869359002007&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031165&hvtargid=aud-801738734305:pla-382754673802)

You aren't likely to walk off and forget it.
There ain't no plastic handle to melt.
And it can do a heck of a lot more than light your Barby. (Ants bothering your BBQ? Burn em. Got a Black Widow spider in your charcoal, pop her. Got weeds growin around your cookin area? You know what to do.
And you can light your cigar wif it. (I also light my Walmart citronella candle with mine. It's my "Camp Match".
I just screw on a green 1 pound can of propane on mine.

I know I'm old school, but I just make a pile of charcoal, blast it with the torch, and wa-la!

Put a piece of shovel handle on your FUBAR'd starter. Or a Pick Axe handle.
Lots of ways to fix stuff.