They look wonderful. When you use less than a full load of charcoal are you still laying them level and lighting with fluid, or are you using another arrangement of charcoal?
i just fill the basket 1/2 way and light w/ lighter fluid. i am going to change that though. from now on i'm just lighting a chimney and dump hot coals on top of the 1/2 filled charcoal basket. wife wants no food cooked w/ lighter fluid charcoal. fine. chimney to the rescue. no more lighter fluid for old sparky.