www.sausagemaking.org

Cheers, Brian (I assume). With the exception of using two types of dust at the same time, and two proQ's, yes I have tried this as well.

I will go home soon to check to see if my attempt at lunch time - new, bought, dust, and a blend of woods (unknown) has managed to stay asmoulder.

Found it...

My less first thread from 2013 with regards to the csg & fuel...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11205#p95494

Slarti wrote: I tried microwaving the sawdust to dry it out,

I preheat the oven to 100C and stick the loaded CSG in the oven for 10 minutes. I also don't pack it down, just pour the dust into the CSG and brush off.

Well, after another four goes - following all the advice that has been passed my way, and trying combinations of different things - I finally look like I am having some success.
It's been going over an hour now.

The only thing that I did the last time that I hadn't tried was to hold the blowtorch onto the dust for about 2 minutes, if not longer.

A long way short of 15 seconds with the tealight like in the youtube clip......


Cheers for your help Gus, and others.

Is this ProQ supplied wood? If so, I'd contact Mac about it:

http://www.macsbbq.com/

HTH

Phil

Slarti.

Thinking onward..

I find rotating the candle when lit & in place works well for me, getting an even surge of burn on the angled elevation (maze run in).

I also find I use a tiny "elevator" flat metal piece (the screw in a molten wax is a major cause of leakage & waste) ..it's cut to fit, aids insertion, adjustment & removal without any faffing about, = no burnt fingers.
estimate the metal is a mere 2 mm in depth.

I'm wary of blowtorch use based on what type of solder is utilised in the construction (& something i've discussed elsewhere) which could result in de-soldering the joints, therefore strength & stability.

That said, it's all a learning curve & you will conquer it.
My lighting to smoulder time with non macs material is around 2 minutes, which I often forget about & leave till 5 minutes has elapsed & a wee dust fire is raging

Waaahey!! Still going this morning. (and of course the bloke who lent it to me needs it back this morning....)

Gus, I will keep that in mind next time. (I assume that I will be getting a proQ myself)

Phil - no, but it is the only brand of wood supplied by the mob that the csg was bought from. It was moderately coarse - I would guess at 2-4 mm - and I put some of it through the thermomix and mixed it back with the original, as well as giving it the microwave treatment.

If they sold it as being for the CSG and it doesn't work - That's bad.

The grind of the dust seems critical to its efficient operation - I git the impression that it can be too fine.

I hope that you solve it soon.

Phil

GUS wrote:I'm wary of blowtorch use based on what type of solder is utilised in the construction (& something i've discussed elsewhere) which could result in de-soldering the joints, therefore strength & stability.

No need to worry about that I have had mine since the beginning of January and have been using then five days a week since getting them .. been lighting them with the blowtorch since day one and are still as strong as the day I got them

I have even put them trough the commercial dishwasher at work a few times just to keep clean

Slarti,
Well to save you looking anymore, this is the stuff that has never failed for me & countless others who use the firm local to us, even with courier fees its damn cost effective, ...compared to time & frustration you've experienced in the meantime.

Ok, obviousy there is macs own, but if you smoke in any real qty you'll want a few bags of this stuff (i'd recommend a 3 variety purchase to keep you truly happy.

the Raucher Gold brand dust,
Räucher Gold
E 150-750
Size 0.2 to 2.5 mm

After re-establishing it worked sometime ago, (long story in the annals of time) this is what a lot of us uk smoking spods use courtesy of Ashwood in Kettering. (lovely people)

I'll shut the hell up then Brican.

(however do bear in mind you may stress the frame longterm by subjecting it to non design behaviours)
Candle works well for me, & saves me torch gas to light the bbq lumpwood.

GUS wrote:the Raucher Gold brand dust,
Räucher Gold
E 150-750
Size 0.2 to 2.5 mm

Cheers for this. I've just ordered a sack, and even with the courier cost it'll save a LOT of money if I end up cold smoking regularly

Shame I don't still live round that area. I'd have popped over and filled the boot!

Ah bum! ..next time ask on the forum first & any amount of obliging forum members may be able to weigh out some, & get it couriered over.

I weigh & bag for just this purpose, either for lending a cold smoker out or for a variety swap. usually have a round 10 polygrip bags ready to go, (by that I mean each weighing a lb or so).

No worries, it's stall a small price to pay, and if I get bored of cold smoking I can always put it in foil and use it for hot smoking in the Brinkman

kil2k - If you're not to far from where I work in Camberley maybe we could go 50:50 when you next order. PM me when the time comes round.