Need a suggestion

[lcbateman3]

I have been using Kingsford Charcoal for a while now. To fire up the big grill and get a temp of 225-275 (depending on weather conditions) it takes 40lbs of charcoal. Not bad, but I am trying to come up with a way to light that much without 8 chim. starters or dumping it in the grill and use lighter fluid.

Any ideas? Also thinking about switching to lump as well. Also best way to add coals to this? I have been doing the light some up and add them when the get hot, but reaching in the middle of a hot grill is not fun, nor can I breath well. Been reading on the minion method not sure if that would work for this or not.

[dmprantz]

I think knowing a bit more about "the big grill" and maybe having a picture would help ppl give better answers. Things like fire geometry, material, and insulation are all important. That being said, I have found that lump charcoal is best for getting my pit up to temp compared to brigettes since lump burns hotter. Sticks can also be a good economical way to get the fire started. Gas is a great option too, but again, it depends on your pit.

dmp

[early mornin' smokin']

weed burner

[lcbateman3]

Pictures are here (http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80614e)

I am working on converting to a dual purpose grill/smoker. It works well now, just thinking of things I can do a little better.

[1_T_Scot]

Wonder if Paper towel with a little veg oil on it in Multiple spots would work? Thats how I light lump on the Egg.

[dmprantz]

Well, I don't own a cooker like that, but I've used a few, and my experience is 20-40 lb of birquettes along with a weed burner is what It takes to get them up to temp. Lump may give you more heat for getting up to temp, but it won't last as long either in my experience. Adding a few sticks on top of a bed of coals will help, but I would think you would want to cook over coals, not a fire. A weed burner could also be used to add heat to the steel. Maybe some one who used that style cooker more frequently could give better advice (or already has).

dmp

[KnucklHed BBQ]

In your other thread jonboy posted a link to some of Donnie's (barbafunkaramaque) video's. If I remember right, one of the mods he did was added a long piece of pipe with holes in it that was plumbed to a propane tank, when fired up it lit all of the charcoal at the same time down the length of the cooker.

You could probably do something similar with couple of well placed weed burners... I know the one I have from harbor freight goes like a jet engine and puts off some serious BTU's!

With regards to your idea of adding and external fire box, I think you'll get a far better cooker by doing it, BUT, I'm not sure that using 55gal drums is the best way to go...

Here's why - although they are cheap and readily available, the steel is very thin.
That is a problem for 2 reasons: 1) every drum I've seen cut to have a door or lid, never seals up well. You end up with alot of air leaks that you won't be able to control and you'll end up with a fuel hog. Or you'll spend tons of time and materials to seal it up.
2) since the steel is so thin it won't last very long. Since the fire is no longer directly below the grates, you will have to burn much hotter fires to achieve the same temp in the pit, that's normal but look at any cooker with an offset firebox - they are made from thick steel for a reason...

I'm not an expert by any stretch, but I think you'll end up doing it all over if you do go with drums.

Just my 2 cents!:becky:

Another thought, is there room to run a steel plate (baffle) from 1 end to the other, over the fire to make it indirect? Smoke and heat like to go straight up, if you can use that to your advantage, you mght get a more efficient cooker out of it...

[lcbateman3]

Ive actually thought about get it rolled now and getting a welder to do it.

I was looking at the drums and thinking the same thing, so I will just have 4 UDS's instead of of two.

Have to look into the weed burner. My biggest thing is adding coals to this thing, tired of burning my arms :)

[KnucklHed BBQ]

Is it possible to make a charcoal drawer that slides out? When you need to add fuel you can just open a door, slide the tray out...

Or... make your self a V shaped tool that will reach to the middle of the cooker.

You fill up the long V channel with charcoal and insert it into the fire box. As you draw the V channel out you simply let the charcoal slide off the tool and into the fire... Or start cookin with logs... you can toss those toward the center with a little bit of aim and practice.

[Lake Dogs]

lcbateman, I dont have one like you're showing, but I do have a large offset cooker
that I use charcoal in. First, I lay out a fairly good (density) layer of charcoal. Then,
I add in 2 chimneys of lit charcoal. That get's it up fairly fast. Then, I put on 2 pieces
of wood on top for smoke (and, it gets it a heat jump). In your case, I suggest a good
bag or two of charcoal (if you want the whole thing in charcoal). Then, 2 or 3 good
chimneys full of lit. Let that take root for about 20 minutes, then hit it with wood.

[lcbateman3]

[QUOTE= Or start cookin with logs... you can toss those toward the center with a little bit of aim and practice.[/QUOTE]

Ive thought about that actually, just need to get a good supply of logs. Think I am going to work with a mix like Lake Dogs was talking about and go from there. Also may work on the V shaped tool you are talking about, decided at least for now I could use a flat shovel.