Help, I'm scared of the Banjo Cooker

[jlanier01]

I'm setting up my Banjo Cooker and going through the instructions. Just about every page has a warning that you can blow yourself to pieces. I bought a fresh propane tank for tomorrow's brew session with this monster.. but now I'm seriously concerned about lighting it up for the first time. I heard you want to burn off the paint for about 15 min. the first time you use it. I'd love to hear your experience on lighting this up the first time.

Thanks,
JT

 

[burninmules]

It really is no big deal. Crack the regulator untill you hear the hiss of gas, light the burner, adjust your flame. I haven't blown myself up yet.

 

[wildwest450]

Instructions? Good god man, it's a hose that goes from a propane tank to a burner. Get a hold of yourself and stop being a weenie. Light that ho up and get to brewing.


_

 

[Mermaid]

They have to put warning labels on products like that to prevent complete morons from blowing up their house and then suing the company who made the burner for not warning them against being a complete moron and not paying attention to how to hook the damned thing up.

It's the same as the "do not use while bathing" instruction you might see on a hairdryer.

What wildwest said.. just DOOO EEEET!!

 

[biggubba]

Honestly whats the worst that can happen? Hook it up to the propane tank and fire it up. Be careful, very easy to have a boil over when you roasting your water with 150,000 btu's

 

[Stevo2569]

Instructions? Good god man, it's a hose that goes from a propane tank to a burner. Get a hold of yourself and stop being a weenie. Light that ho up and get to brewing.

_

That's what I say. Light that ho up!!

 

[IrregularPulse]

yep, you'll be fine. Just open your tank valve all the way, then open the regulator until you hear it hiss a bit, then light. You'll get the tiniest little flames you've ever seen. Then turn it up until you get the flame you want. Then you can adjust the air intake to get a blue flame. You don't want a big tall yellow flame.

 

[jlanier01]

Thanks for all the replies, . When the weather is not conducive for brewing outside, how many of you are using this in your garage? How snug is your air intake, I've already taken it apart, because it was a little tough to spin with a screwdriver. Thanks!

 

[burninmules]

I use it in the garage always. When it's cold outside, I leave the door open a little. When it's hot out, I open the door all the way. I have a lot of maple trees and I feel better with a roof over my brew kettle.

 

[mariojr]

If you only have the air intake open slightly when you light it there will be less chance of it blowing itself out too.

 

[Yooper]

While I think the "warnings" should be scanned and some heeded (Don't use this product in an unventilated area for one!), common sense is all that is required.

Did you ever read the back of your shampoo or bubble bath labels? I mean, kids' bubble bath has all kinds of warnings too. Even McDonald's has a warning saying that their coffee "is served hot". If you read the warnings on your toaster's manual, you'd never even plug it in.

Be smart, but don't worry unnecessarily!

 

[jlanier01]

Finally fired her up! Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[BrewMoreBeers]

Is that a Carboy handle on the floor? Do you have any idea how dangerous carboys are... And they don't have warning labels.