Fast and Simple Anthracite Fire Starting

 
corey
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Post by corey » Thu. Oct. 26, 2017 12:24 pm

Nice job Lee.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Thu. Oct. 26, 2017 3:31 pm

And the charcoal won't soot up the window like wood will. ;)

However, I picked up a bag of match light from Walmart when the heating season started. Would not light with a match, BBQ lighter or torch. The lighter fluid had dried out of it.

So, I do like William does - I use kerosene, sprinkled onto the charcoal, and let it soak in for a minute. Then it lights easily.

Paul

 
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hotblast1357
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Post by hotblast1357 » Thu. Oct. 26, 2017 7:40 pm

Exactly how I lit the eshland, took about 8 minutes..

Filled fire pot with coal, I think about 80 pounds, then put another 80 into the hopper, shoved some charcoal down into the coal from the site door, turned combustion fan on and stuck torch into charcoal, within 3 minutes had glowing charcoal, pulled torch out and walked away.

 
CDF_USAF
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Post by CDF_USAF » Thu. Oct. 26, 2017 10:59 pm

Woohoo the Lightning adventures for the year have started. That's a pretty efficient way you lit the stove, I always look forward to your post. And admire how you have mastered that furnace. We had one growing up, and burned alot of wood in that thing.


 
coalnewbie
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Post by coalnewbie » Fri. Oct. 27, 2017 2:48 am

Next time make a u yube video. Some soft background music, a beer or two and I would nod right off. See ashcats video for inspiration. :D

 
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lsayre
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Post by lsayre » Fri. Oct. 27, 2017 7:52 am

This one? It sure put me to sleep.


 
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lsayre
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Post by lsayre » Fri. Oct. 27, 2017 8:00 am

This one seems more like the Lightning method. Skip forward to the 5 minute mark:


 
KingCoal
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Post by KingCoal » Sun. Oct. 29, 2017 5:20 pm

i tried Lee's method this after noon when i got home from PA.

started at 3pm had the fire box mostly full and the IAT up 10* in an hour of lighting it up.

now just past the 2 hr. mark it's in base mode with the hopper in and filled. that alone is an amazing record.

current stove body hot spot is 543* and elbow at thimble is 105*

this turned out very well for me.

steve


 
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Lightning
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Post by Lightning » Sun. Oct. 29, 2017 6:08 pm

Awesome Steve! Yeah man, this will be how I do it from now on. :D

 
snuffy
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Post by snuffy » Wed. Nov. 01, 2017 7:29 pm

Great thinking! Used a handful for the Keystoker 90 with rice sprinkled around and lit with a broad spread propane torch. Full bore in minutes and no smoky basement. Also used a shovel full for the Harmon SF250 using the same method today and again up and running in minutes.

 
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Post by ddahlgren » Thu. Nov. 02, 2017 4:55 pm

I have had real good results with a wood fire from cut up pallets nice dry hardwood.. I also save the cardboard roll center from paper towels and stuff it with newsprint to get a good draft going quickly if that is any help. I do put coal around the outside of the wood fire and once the wood fire is burning well start salting the top of it with coal until a bed is started the start using a scoop on both sides with center open once burning do the center and build up until coal is a couple inches above fire pot in center and rear. In all 45 lbs or so for first fire in the 404

 
k-2
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Post by k-2 » Thu. Nov. 02, 2017 7:02 pm

Been doing something similar for about 3 years. To start my stoker boiler i take about 3 regular charcoal brickettes and break them into small pieces ,same size as my rice coal. place them on the grate between the fresh coal and the ash ,and hit it with my soldering torch. About 10 to 15 seconds its going ,turn on the fan and wala ,scoop a few ounces of rice coal on top when its going good. between 1 and 2 minutes its up and running.

 
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Post by Scottaw » Sat. Nov. 11, 2017 8:22 am

I light the Hitzer with about 10 pieces of match light, then just surround it with coal. After it catches I later on top, eventually filling the hopper. I’ve been scared to fill it right away in case it doesn’t catch and have to shovel it back out. Takes about an hour, once a year.

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