Fire help!

[mattyts]

So i tried to light a fire for a forge in my bbq with a mixture if coke/charcoal and lit it using some wood/newspaper and some lighter fluid but it didnt light? the paper just burned then it started smoking and then it went out

what would be the best way to light it?

 

[Perrari]

The same as any fire, get it burning good & strong using wood before you put the coals on.

 

[Perrari]

Also if your BBQ has air vents open them to give the fire some air.

 

[Laurentius]

Use a blow torch, not very PC not very bushcraft, ce n'est pas elegant mais ca marche

 

[Adze]

A heatgun paintstripper is a pretty good way to start them - doesn't need anything else.

 

[grey-array]

I'dd go with a small wood fire every day of the week, and god know most smiths do too
yours sincerely ruud

 

[Silverhill]

Three layers of newspaper folded into the middle and scrunched into a ball is a good start. Add wood, then charcoal and finally coke once the fire is producing enough heat to burn the latter. Add air from your blower only when the fire is capable of sustaining itself naturally, otherwise you'll probably exhaust whatever fuel is burning at the centre of the fire before the surrounding material gets chance to burn. I've seen smiths light the fire with a gas poker, which is novel and quite fast, but when starting out I'd advocate learning the hard way. It takes a few attempts, as it did with me when I first used coke, but you will get the hang of it soon enough. My advice is to spend an hour or so chopping small (6-8") kindling of varying thicknesses so that you have enough fuel to start with and don't get caught short.

 

[Laurentius]

Three layers of newspaper folded into the middle and scrunched into a ball is a good start. Add wood, then charcoal and finally coke once the fire is producing enough heat to burn the latter. Add air from your blower only when the fire is capable of sustaining itself naturally, otherwise you'll probably exhaust whatever fuel is burning at the centre of the fire before the surrounding material gets chance to burn. I've seen smiths light the fire with a gas poker, which is novel and quite fast, but when starting out I'd advocate learning the hard way. It takes a few attempts, as it did with me when I first used coke, but you will get the hang of it soon enough. My advice is to spend an hour or so chopping small (6-8") kindling of varying thicknesses so that you have enough fuel to start with and don't get caught short.

Reminds me of the old days setting a good old fashioned coal fire. A pig to light but once you had got it going and if the coalhouse was full you could keep it going forever. Good old fashioned pre smokeless house coal, who would put up with it today?