# What About Paraffin Wax Fire Starters And AMNPS?



## daricksta (Sep 2, 2013)

I've been igniting the wood pellets in my AMNPS with a propane torch but I got to wondering today: why not use my Weber Paraffin Wax Fire Starters? They're good for a strong flame that will last 30 minutes or so--why couldn't one of them--even half a cube--work well enough to light the AMNPS? The flame is strong and hot enough to light a chimney full of charcoal briquettes so why wouldn't it work with wood pellets?


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## bear55 (Sep 2, 2013)

If it were me I'd call Todd and ask.


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## JckDanls 07 (Sep 2, 2013)

if it were me..  I would just lite a half a one and put it in and see...  Yesterday we had a cookout at the wife's son's house...  I took all my stuff over and forgot my torch...  so i just ended up using a lit briquette on the end of the row...  worked perfect....


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## daricksta (Sep 2, 2013)

JacDanls07, A lit briquette worked? That's yet another idea. And thanks, Bear55, for the suggestion to call Todd. I always forget he's made that an option for us.


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## rookie177 (Sep 3, 2013)

Just wondering, but why would you want to use anything other than a torch(unless it was an emergency, forgot the proper tools, etc)? 

I use a my small pastry torch. Works great, will fit in your pocket, and is cheap to refill.


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## daricksta (Sep 3, 2013)

rookie177 said:


> Just wondering, but why would you want to use anything other than a torch(unless it was an emergency, forgot the proper tools, etc)?
> 
> I use a my small pastry torch. Works great, will fit in your pocket, and is cheap to refill.


I didn't know that pastry torches existed so I got a propane torch from Home Depot with a large-ish propane gas container. I now follow Bearcarver's method of lighting the AMNPS and letting it burn for 20 minutes while blowing back on the glowing coals to get the ones behind them glowing red. Yesterday, the flame kept going out and I had to relight it with the torch. Because of this I was thinking it would be easier to keep the flame going with half a paraffin cube.

Just wanted to say that twice I've followed Bear's method of lighting the AMNPS and twice now I've had smoke for hours. I also filled the water bowl with play sand and covered it with foil to use a heat sink--which also worked like a charm. The problem I had with the AMNPS going out is a thing of the past.


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## ozsmoker (Feb 22, 2015)

i know this is an old thread, but the amnps pack i bought came with One Match Gelled Firestarter (which I think is just alcohol in a gel format)

Since I'm new to the amnps, I don't have a torch yet and will try the gel in a few days


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## daricksta (Feb 23, 2015)

I was just thinking that perhaps the paraffin wax cubes won't burn hot enough to ignite the pellets. I'll try some alcohol or the jellied alcohol (after I buy some) at some point.


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