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Author Topic: Best lighter for smoker?  (Read 5372 times)

Offline omnimirage

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Best lighter for smoker?
« on: May 04, 2016, 05:49:52 am »
I've been using standard lighters from ordinary supermarkets, which hasn't been a pleasant experience: they're not powerful enough, and I burn my fingers too often.

What's the best tool/lighter?

Offline Barhopper

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2016, 07:41:50 am »
Use a small bottle torch.

Offline Wombat2

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Offline Acebird

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2016, 09:04:23 am »
I use an ordinary propane torch and a rolled piece of corrugated cardboard as a starter.  The cardboard is cut about 3 in long to cover my hand.  Holding the roll upright I start burning the center with the torch and carefully work to the outside.  When you pull the torch away the flames will burn upward for a few seconds and then go out.  That is when you turn it over and put it in the smoker.  On top of the burning cardboard I use sawdust.  Do not pump the smoker when putting in the sawdust.  It can be explosive.  Put a handful of sawdust in and then pump the smoker.  You can shake the smoker like a flour sifter to get some of the sawdust into the flutes of the cardboard.  I may put another handful in, but don't put too much because you will smother the fire.  This will last 20 minutes, usually longer then I need unless I am doing spring splits / cleaning.  You can add another handful to extend the time.  You just have to be careful not to add too much and smother it.
I usually dig a shallow hole in the yard and bury the contents when I am done.  Sawdust goes out instantly.  Cardboard takes a little more effort.  If the cardboard is not totally chard it flames up and I let it burn out before stomping it out and then burying it.
For those that don't have exposed dirt it might be good to dump in a bucket of water.
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Online Michael Bush

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2016, 09:23:30 am »
For decades I used strike anywhere matches.  Fire isn't about how long you hold the flame on it, it's about building the fire and then lighting it.  When I tried regular lighters I was not impressed.  Then the BBQ lighters came out.  You could reach to the bottom of the smoker.  Much better.  But then I got a self igniting torch... no need to build a fire, just torch it for a few seconds and you have a roaring fire going...
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Offline Rurification

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2016, 09:51:40 am »
I use a long lighter like for lighting your grill or fireplace.   Keeps my hands away from the hot and works like a charm.   Easy to find at most stores around the midwest.
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Offline rwlaw

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2016, 10:20:36 am »
My old school bk'n bud will use a piece of newspaper and a match, some broken sticks or a handful of dried grass and work like a madman to get some smoke going. Me, I'll fill the can half full of cedar shavings and set it off with a propane torch. Go big or go home LOL.
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Offline KeyLargoBees

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2016, 10:51:10 am »
+1 on self lighting propane torch.....but more than once I have singed the hair on hand and arms on that first compression of the bellows.....we should modify that statement  "go big and go hairless" ;-)
Jeff Wingate

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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2016, 01:04:09 pm »
I use a long lighter like for lighting your grill. I have a self lighting torch but I usually use a long lighter. I have several of them in various places to keep them handy.
Jim
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Offline flyboy

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2016, 01:38:37 pm »
Thanks for the thread. I always use matches and always get burned and spend gawd only knows how many matches to get it lit some days. Never occured to use anything else.
Cheers
Al
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Offline GSF

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2016, 01:51:10 pm »
I had a 15 year old teach me the other day about the cedar bark. He didn't use shavings but just got some bark off of a nearby cedar. remarkable.
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

Offline omnimirage

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2016, 06:20:58 am »
Figured the regular lighters I've been using were poor. These self-ignition lighters intrigue me, I'm not exactly sure what they are. They seem to be expensive, from what I can see.

Maybe I'll just get myself a BBQ lighter. When I initially started beekeeping, I bought the only BBQ lighter available from my local hardware store. After not too long, it stopped working, seemed to release gas but lost it's spark mechanism. Bought another one. Shortly after, it broke again. My uncle saw me using the crappy ligher and saw that I was burning my fingers often, so he bought me a BBQ lighter.... the same one I already had, and of course, it broke again. Not sure if they're just very poor quality, or if they're not supposed to be lit for the duration I was doing them for. I gave up and have been using lighters since this event.

Now that I'm looking, I can see that I can purchase a Creme brulee torch for $20-30 online. Is this a self ignition lighter?

Offline Acebird

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2016, 08:38:47 am »
After not too long, it stopped working, seemed to release gas but lost it's spark mechanism.

The barbecue lighter really wasn't intended to be turned upside down to light the bottom of a smoker.  I suspect the electrode is getting sooted up and that is why it malfunctions.  If you can find a way to clean the electrode either by compressed air blast or a spray of carb cleaner it might work again.
Some people have used theirs so much on a gas grill that the fuel gets used up.  The igniter still works and that is all you need for the gas grill so I don't through mine away.

Now back to the smoker; if you get yourself a torch and just use the igniter from the barbecue lighter you have the best of both worlds.  The igniter will never soot up and you can light the torch in considerable wind.
Brian Cardinal
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Offline Wombat2

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #13 on: May 07, 2016, 07:13:07 pm »
.

Now that I'm looking, I can see that I can purchase a Creme brulee torch for $20-30 online. Is this a self ignition lighter?

Yes -self ignition is the piezo spark like on gas stove etc. squeeze the trigger and it makes a spark. I have found cheap is just that and they fail quickly - a cheap torch I had wouldn't shut off the gas and had a slow leak that needed refilling every use.  Go for the Creme Brulee torch  works well
David L

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #14 on: May 07, 2016, 09:47:05 pm »
I used cedar shavings from my planer. The oils in cedar burn quick to get it started and then pack it and it will hold for two to three hours. Just give it a puff every once and a while.

John

Still have two fifty gal trash bags full so good for three or four years.

Offline omnimirage

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #15 on: May 08, 2016, 09:15:10 pm »
Okay, I'll buy a Creme Brulee Torch off ebay. Any thing I should be looking for when buying one?

Offline Roteli

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2018, 01:14:40 pm »
I never had one of those Colibri types, but I do agree the Zippo is more rugged; I dropped my butane one on a hard floor, and it broke the internal plastic gas tanks, so that was that. Might be able to drive over a Zippo and still have it work afterwards.
What was it that failed on yours? The piezo ignitor or did the jets get clogged up or something?

As in pens and watches, BIC and Timex do the job, no doubt, but just without the fun factor- these other types are more for the non-smokers in it just for the novelty

If you want a real torch, check out the one from Amazon for under $20 https://coolerexp.com/best-torch-lighter-review/ it's a microtorch that runs on butane, piezo ignition. Not pocketable, but it's a really nice item that can be locked on for long duration use, probably something that none of the lighters offer. It's freestanding on a stainless steel base, so you don't have to hold it when using it. Very techie looking, and works very well. If I had a choice of one, I'd stick with that, since I don't carry it around anyway.

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #17 on: September 03, 2018, 09:05:52 pm »
I stuff my smoker full of pine needles or whatever fuel that is handy and light it with a propane torch by burning a hole down the center of the fuel. When the top of the fuel in the smoker is fully lit I close the lid and give it a few puffs to settle it in. I've a pine tree that's been dripping sap onto the pine needles under it, once that stuff gets lit the smoker is good for 2-3 hours. Got tired of trying to light the smoker nicely with matches and went medieval a few years ago using a propane torch. 
   At the end of the day I plug the spout of the smoker with a wooden plug and it goes out within a few minutes.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #18 on: September 04, 2018, 01:28:46 am »
I stuff my smoker full of pine needles or whatever fuel that is handy and light it with a propane torch by burning a hole down the center of the fuel. When the top of the fuel in the smoker is fully lit I close the lid and give it a few puffs to settle it in. I've a pine tree that's been dripping sap onto the pine needles under it, once that stuff gets lit the smoker is good for 2-3 hours. Got tired of trying to light the smoker nicely with matches and went medieval a few years ago using a propane torch. 
   At the end of the day I plug the spout of the smoker with a wooden plug and it goes out within a few minutes.

I plug my smoker when finished also, goes out fast and usually makes for an easy start up the next time.
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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Best lighter for smoker?
« Reply #19 on: September 04, 2018, 07:35:27 am »
BeeBoy,
You say you pack the smoker and then light it from the top. What you are making is a flame thrower with very hot smoke coming out of the top and if you puff it hard enough, flames also. You can easily burn the wings and legs off of the bees.
Put some fuel in the bottom, light it and get it hot. Then add tightly packed fuel above it and slowly pack it down while puffing it. Then add tightly packed fuel until it is full. This will give you cool smoke and will last up to 4 or five hours.
Jim
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