would this work

[motley que]

when i am doing smaller cooks on my drum, i know some people recommend having a smaller fire ring. what if i took an old chimney and loaded it with coal and then just lit the top.

seems to me it would work.

 

[Kevin]

Mini Minion? Not to be a naysayer, but heat travels up. How would you light the top?

 

[Steppenwolf]

I don't remember ever trying to light the top (probably too drunk) but I'd guess that eventually it would go down, very slowly at first. But you'd still end up with a chimney effect and it would get very hot quick after it get's about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Mini Minion? Not to be a naysayer, but heat travels up. How would you light the top?

Heat traveling from the top to the bottom IS the Minion method, no?

He would light the top by placing X number of lit briquettes on top on top of an unlit chimney of coals

 

[Bill-Chicago]

But you'd still end up with a chimney effect and it would get very hot quick after it get's about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down.

The interesting part to this experiment (for me) is this statement.

I thought that too, Wolf, but then I wondered the effect of the restricted air flow in a drum.

It would make an interesting test, I think

 

[icemn62]

Are you considering using your chimmney as a "firebasket"? at some point when I light mine, I get a flame thower. I lite it, get comfortable and forget it for about 30 mins. During that time, I may look up from my pre cook rest and I will see flames shooting out of the thing a few inches. I would think not only would it be difficult to light a fire and get it going on the top, but that there is not a good way to control the fire when it does start.

my $0.02 worth. I may be wrong though, it won't be the first time.

 

[motley que]

Heat traveling from the top to the bottom IS the Minion method, no?

He would light the top by placing X number of lit briquettes on top on top of an unlit chimney of coals

Bingo. I just dont see how this would be any or much different than making a smaller ring or basket, especially since some of the baskets i have seen have solid sides, unlike my fire ring which is all expanded sheet metal.

 

[Kevin]

Good points all. Only one way to tell!

 

[G$]

Are you considering using your chimmney as a "firebasket"? at some point when I light mine, I get a flame thower. I lite it, get comfortable and forget it for about 30 mins. During that time, I may look up from my pre cook rest and I will see flames shooting out of the thing a few inches. I would think not only would it be difficult to light a fire and get it going on the top, but that there is not a good way to control the fire when it does start.

my $0.02 worth. I may be wrong though, it won't be the first time.

Yeah, but that chimney is not sitting IN an air restricted drum. I think it will work.

 

[VitaminQ]

I think it would work, especially with Bill's clarification. Light 5-6 briquettes, then put them on top of a chimneyfull and let them ignite on down. I don't think it would get the inferno effect that way. I also don't know if the heat in the drum from this would be enough to fark up a wood or thermoset handle, though.

 

[Steppenwolf]

I've never used coal (never seen it for that matter); If you heat briquets too slowly, you can get some bitterness in taste I believe. Is coal different?
It certainly will work for a while, just not sure about the long run. How tight are these drums?
"Let's" try it. Burn a dry run for a few hours, and tell us the results

 

[Smokin Gator]

Yep it will work... I drilled a bunch of holes in a coffee can for the same reason/effect. It worked perfectly. Got my temps up to 230 but didn't waste a bunch of charcoal.

 

[Pyle's BBQ]

What was your burn time on the coffee can mod?

 

[Steppenwolf]

Yep it will work... I drilled a bunch of holes in a coffee can for the same reason/effect. It worked perfectly. Got my temps up to 230 but didn't waste a bunch of charcoal.

Coffee cans are what I used in the 70's . Instead of drilling holes, I used a church key to punch them and the phlanges woulld kind of hold up briquets a bit off the bottom. Used a short piece of 12 inch dia. galvanized ducting for larger fires.
How long did it last? Did it increase in temperature after about an hour or so?

 

[Scrooge Fan]

This is the way I light my Big Green Egg for a long burn. Fill the chamber and light the top. It ignites slowly and burns down, keeping a well- controlled and long-burning fire. It should work well in barrell cooker.

 

[swamprb]

It will work, just fire it up like you normally do.

 

[QansasjayhawQ]

Good points all. Only one way to tell!

I agree! Fire that puppy up and see what happens!

 

[Smokin Gator]

What was your burn time on the coffee can mod?

It was a couple of hours... I forget who Pmed me (may have been Swamprb) with this idea but it works well when I want to do chicken or something that doesn't take too long.

 

[Napper]

Will work just fine!
I have done it.

Remember, you have total control of oxygen in the drum. Does not really matter if you have 2 lbs. or 20 lbs. of charcoal in the drum. Burn rate is based upon oxygen flow rate.

Burn TIMES will be vastly different but burn RATE will be the same.