> Do I understand this right, you light the top of the stack of pellets?

Yes. You need to keep the torch on the pellets till a few pellets glow red 
and will stay red for a bit after the torch is removed. Then the pellets 
will burn until the fuel is gone. Even burning slow the wood gives of smoke 
as a normal fueled wood smoker would.

If not lit well at the start the smoker can go out so we take care to see 
coals before placing in the smoker box.

You need a screen inside to keep a hot pellet from falling out the spout 
*if* you fill the smoker full of pellets or often lay the smoker on its side 
like a few beekeepers do.

I am not sure exactly what the smoker rack at Kona Queen looked like or if 
they fired the smokers from the top or bottom. I fire mine from the top. If 
I am in a hurry I might fire a smoker with my oxygen/acetylene torch which 
is faster than propane and only takes seconds.


I have stood around with beekeepers fumbling trying to light a smoker and 
keep a smoker lit all my life.

Lighting a smoker is not rocket science! Done properly the smoker lights 
fairly fast.

With burlap ( being discussed) you take a piece of paper and get the paper 
flaming in the smoker. ( a few seconds to flame up) and then slowly add the 
burlap till the burlap is flaming and close the lid and pump the bellows.

Hopefully I will not get a beekeeper in this discussion saying its faster to 
simply light the burlap?

If you are a burlap lighter instead of a paper first (before adding the 
burlap) please try the paper first method before commenting.

bob 

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