Easiest Way to Light Coal!

I wrote this in another forum. But this idea is good enough that I want everyone to see it, so I copyed it here.

With this method I can start a coal fire in 10 minutes or less guarenteed!
All you need is a hot air paint peeling gun, get one at your local hardware store, it looks like a girls hair dryer.There are many brands, I got the cheepest one I could find.The temprature range of these guns is from 750 deg. on the low setting to 1000 deg. on high. Use the high setting, turn it on and point the tip at a small pile of coal (baseball sized) in the middle of the burn grate, just behind the combustion air holes. Hold the tip very close to coal about 1/8 away. Hold the gun there until the coal is white hot. You have to use your own judgement. Once you think the coal is burning, plug in the stove.
Thats it!
I'll never use mouse starters again!

I am burning anthrasite coal and tried a torch in my hand fed stove and it still didn't light....Any suggestions???

I have a couple of heat guns, I just might try that on my hand-fired.

MPeck wrote:I wrote this in another forum. But this idea is good enough that I want everyone to see it, so I copyed it here.

With this method I can start a coal fire in 10 minutes or less guarenteed!
All you need is a hot air paint peeling gun, get one at your local hardware store, it looks like a girls hair dryer.There are many brands, I got the cheepest one I could find.The temprature range of these guns is from 750 deg. on the low setting to 1000 deg. on high. Use the high setting, turn it on and point the tip at a small pile of coal (baseball sized) in the middle of the burn grate, just behind the combustion air holes. Hold the tip very close to coal about 1/8 away. Hold the gun there until the coal is white hot. You have to use your own judgement. Once you think the coal is burning, plug in the stove.
Thats it!
I'll never use mouse starters again!

Very good info for a Stoker Stove!
Not so good for a hand fed.....

Ladies the best way to light your coal stove is get a bag of match light barbeque charcoal. Put a light layer of r rice coal on the grate and make a V- grove in the coal towards the back of the stove place about 4 to 6 brickets of coal in the v-grove and light, when the bickets are lit turn on your stove to the settings you normally would when you light it. Now sit back and relax as your coal fires up.

turnawrench wrote:Now sit back and relax as your coal fires up.

But don't relax too long, remember that now you will need to wash every single piece of clothing, bed sheets, couch covers......etc..... But hey, I guess in between wash loads you can sit back, relax--------> and watch your electric meter turn!!!!

I'll try the 'hairdryer' next time!!!

I still prefer the "mouse" Lights up quicker than any other method I've tried, it's clean, doesn't stink, and only costs between $1-$1.50. I've only used 2 so far this heating season (Initial startup and shut it down to clean it out).

MURDOC1 wrote:

turnawrench wrote:Now sit back and relax as your coal fires up.

But don't relax too long, remember that now you will need to wash every single piece of clothing, bed sheets, couch covers......etc..... But hey, I guess in between wash loads you can sit back, relax--------> and watch your electric meter turn!!!!

I'll try the 'hairdryer' next time!!!

I haven't a clue as to what your are talking about. I only use match lite to start my fire in the fall and I've never had to "wash every single piece of clothing, bed sheets, couch covers......etc." Maybe I have a stronger draft which pulls all the nasty stuff outside. Overall, I find it to be quick and convenient; too each their own I guess. Take care, Lisa

Yep, it strikes me that a chimney would eliminate all those problems,plus closing the door And yep,match-lite works real well for me, once a year & we're good for the season

Yup I use charcoal, if I'm out I use scrap pine lumber. Regular propane torche won't ignite coal, maybe this paint peeler thing would though.

I took the charcoal provided with my Keystoker 90K put some in a sheet of newspaper or a paper towle with a little firestarter gel. I put it in the coal on the grate and lit it. Worked like a charm.

This should be merged with the already existing how to light my stove thread. Mapp gas torch will light coal in about 3 minutes with no nasties released into the house. Cowboy charcoal with mapp gas torch also works in about 2-3 minutes. I can't imagine holding a heat gun inside the stove for 10 minutes, but if you like it, then more power to you.

HI: I've been burning Pea coal for 3 seasons and found an easy way to get my coal fire going. I lay in a bed of Pea coal then place wood pellets on top of it, followed by a sparse sprinkling of coal. Then I give the pellets a shot of liquid charcoal lighter fluid. Strike a match to it and shut the door. I make sure the bottom air intake is open and in 10 or so minutes I have a nice solid coal fire.

On the down side, there is sometimes a hint of the lighter fluid in the air, but that dissipates quickly.

The easiest way..... is purchase a house that has a coal boiler in operation and simply never let it go out!

I used my last 3 "mice" one sunday afternoon and got no coal burning. Went out to the garage and got some kingsford hardwood charcoal. Put a handfull on the slide, sprinkled on some Ultrapure lamp oil, then sprinkled on some coal. Lit the charcoal/oil and closed the door. Turn on the motors and in ten minutes all was hot and fully lit.