Need Help Getting Ready

OK, the moment of truth will soon be here for me. I'm suppose to get my DVC-500 installed tomorrow. Of course they picked this weekend to install and I'll be up north hunting/scouting which doesn't thrill my wife since she'll be home dealing with the installation. Anyway, I've read all the posts on getting the stove lit, and I've read the manual off the internet, but I've never burnt coal, I'm an X-woodburner. Anyway, I've read about making a half-moon out of some old stove pipe to get them started and act like a dam to block the coal while it burns. Does anyone have a picture of this? How long do you leave it in there? Also, in the manual it says you can start it with some wood pellets, so I bought a bag in anticipation, will these work, sounds like most people use the mice or charcoal. I'll have to order the mice of the internet if I have to get them and don't really like to buy stuff off the internet. It says to make an inch layer of rice, dig a little furrow towards the back of the grate and put the pellets in and set the torch on them to get them start, should I then close the door and turn it on to get air in there and get it started, or leave it open and let if burn and then ad a little coal on top? Anyone have any pics of the entire process? I know this has been covered a million times I'm sure, and probably jumping the gun since I haven't even tried it yet, I just know though that when I come back down on Sunday and my stove is sitting there, i'm gonna want to play around with it, I can't wait...sorry for the repetative post, just never done this and don't know anyone who has. Thanks for any help.

Yes, it has been covered a million times, do a search on LIGHTING A STOVE or STOKER. MATCHLIGHT Charcoal is the easiest. Break it up into 2-3 pieces, put it on a piece of wadded up newspaper, add some coal to the top, kinda make a small mound towards the back, light it, turn the stove on, Turn the Feeder off for a while until it catches...


Just ask your dealer for a couple coal mice/starter bags.

You have most of the stuff correct, you don't want to leave the door open, light it and close it up.

It takes a while to catch and actually start burning the coal (30min to an hour) to really get going.

One of these should help....

Alternatives for Lighting Coal

Coal Mice

Keystoker 90 First Time Firing

Picture of a Coal Mouse