An Observation

[3970010]

Yall know I am new to the BBQ scene. Yesterday when I fired up the Gator I used a combination of coal and wood just to try it. I normally do not do this. Well this morning I get up to light the pit and just put wood as I normally do. That damn wood would not burn for the life of me. I have gas assist but when I would turn it off it would just smolder.

I store my wood supply in my garage. Is it possible that the wood acted like a sponge even though it is kept in my garage and soaked up the last two weeks of rain. The wood is just wet like I had kept it outside. I just got back from Walmart picking up 10 bags of B&B. I really need to get this brisket cooked ♂

[Bob n Humble]

Mike it sounds like you got some real green wood. Since you store it in the garage it will still pick up some moisture from condensation but not that much. Looks like you are just going to keep going with the B&B. Unless you can get some seasonerd wood. Just my 2cents worth. Good Luck
Bob

[Zeeman]

Sounds like you mad your pit mad by putting coal in it :lol: .
I've had the same problem with well seasoned wood. I keep it under cover but I think all the rain we've had dampened it somewhat. A few minutes on top of the firebox fixed that problem :wink:
z

[3970010]

Its seasoned pretty well. I do have some inside the firebox warming up. I need to make a small modification to the gas assist so that I can get me a slide out charcoal basket. I will tackle that after Ritch and his crew do their magic on the sink next week.

[cappy]

Probably the humidity, and wouldn't help no matter how seasoned the wood was. If you'd newspapers around the wood they would have probably felt dampish. I know I used to have that problem with some wood kept in my parents' concrete-floored garage - probably ended up being like a terrarium once it got hot AND humid.

Here in Houston the humidity is bad enough without the constant rain we've been getting the last couple weeks. I remember seeing Houston comedian Bill Hicks once say that, "Houston's humidity is like have Dan Blocker (Hoss) from Bonanza sitting on your shoulders saying, 'How ya doin' little buddy?'"

[Cobia]

Had the same problem yesterday. I had sesoned Mesquite in the garage and it smoked like a steam engine when I fired it up. Fought with it all day yeserday. Drying on the firebox helped, but didn't completely cure the problem. I agree with these guys that it just absorbed moisture during all the rain.

[3970010]

The nice thing about this firebox is that it is large enough to stack about four pieces of wood in it for drying purposes while the fire is going.

[Oli]

My charcoal Started fine yesterday.... :lol: :lol: and Today :lol: :lol:

[3970010]

My charcoal Started fine yesterday.... :lol: :lol: and Today :lol: :lol:

*******

[Bowhnter2]

I had the same problem with RO lump yesterday.

[vinman]

I often have that problem with charcoal up here. We get more precipitation than Seattle so there's just some days when that charcoal refuses to light.

Although I don't really sympathize with you #'s
Gas assist...sheesh :wink:

[HFD26]

Did you over stuff the fire box? Were all your doors and vents open for air flow? You need a little air space in the box. Just a thought.

[david brace]

Yall know I am new to the BBQ scene. Yesterday when I fired up the Gator I used a combination of coal and wood just to try it. I normally do not do this. Well this morning I get up to light the pit and just put wood as I normally do. That damn wood would not burn for the life of me. I have gas assist but when I would turn it off it would just smolder.

I store my wood supply in my garage. Is it possible that the wood acted like a sponge even though it is kept in my garage and soaked up the last two weeks of rain. The wood is just wet like I had kept it outside. I just got back from Walmart picking up 10 bags of B&B. I really need to get this brisket cooked ?
B&B!?!?!? This is what I think of when I hear B&B:

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o126/davidbrace/BB.jpg

DB

[rstcso]

I've noticed it takes much longer sometimes than others to get the wood to fire up nicely and start making coals. Any more, I just put several pieces of wood in the firebox, light the log burners and go off doing other stuff for a while. The gas gets the wood burning good after a while and also helps get the pit up to temperature. Depending on the temps and my wood, I'll usually put some on top of the firebox when I first fire it up. Once I have a good bed of coals, I'll put another log or two in the firebox, then replenish my supply on top of the firebox.

[peps]

Mike, i think you need to turn that new pit over to me, that should take care of your problem... :twisted:

[serialgriller]

well, i'm glad to see i wasn't alone. my bandit, and the wood, has been sitting in a covered boat stall since the first of december. i didn't think she was ever going to get up to temp yesterday. i finally got tired of jacking with it and hit the gas. gas assist is a wonderful thing.

[Dustaway]

Yea I second that it sounds like it might be to much for #'s to handle :twisted:


Mike, i think you need to turn that new pit over to me, that should take care of your problem... :twisted: