Home Made Fire starters

AlnAnnie

AlnAnnie

Newbie
Hi Does anyone know how to make home made fire starters? Or is there already a topic on this subject that I cant find??
 
I make them once a year & use them for starting my charcoal for DO cooking as well as starting a campfire.

I posted this earlier this year when AJ asked me how I made them.
Betsey said:
You need: Cardboard egg carton, wax, dryer lint, cotton/cotton balls, sawdust or a combination of any of these.

I save up the cardboard egg cartons (you only need the bottom part) or the bigger flats, until I figure I have enough. I have a small container that I put dryer lint in when I clean out the lint trap. If I think of it, I have Craig bring home a bit of sawdust from the shop. Have another container that I toss candle stubs into. Also, I find candles pretty cheap at yard sales, thrift shops, even the dollar store. Sometimes, I have people give them to me (they know I make fire starters.) If all else fails, you can buy bars of wax in the canning section of Walmart, the grocery or hardware store.

Just stuff some dryer lint, sawdust, cotton or combination, in each section of the egg carton. Set the egg carton on some newspaper, wax paper, foil, etc. so you don't get wax on your counter top or table. Melt the wax*, pour on top of lint. You only need to coat/saturate the lint, not fill the cup with wax. Once they have cooled & hardened, you can put the egg carton in a zip lock. This works especially well if you use sawdust - helps keep things neat.

When you want to start a fire, or charcoal, just tear off one of the egg sections, set it in the fire pit or under the charcoal & light. It will burn even if it is raining because they are coated in wax.

Another way to make a firestarter, is to just dip cotton balls into melted wax.

I usually make these once a year, in the winter, & then we are set for the next year.

*For melting the wax, I use an old sauce pan & a #10 can (like a metal coffee can - or you could use a large juice or veggie/fruit can). Put about 1 1/2" of water in the sauce pan, put the wax in the can & set can in the sauce pan. Heat over medium until wax is melted. I also use an old wooden spoon to stir the wax as it melts. You don't want to use your regular cooking pans/utensils, as they will get wax on them & it is a pain to remove. I keep my pan, can & spoon with my other "stuff" to make fire starters.
Click to expand...

:cool:
 
Fun, but I was going to do all that with the milk carton but tried to find the wax and it was pretty darn expensive...

So, I now use Toilet Paper/Paper towel cardboard roll tubes, stuffed/packed with Lint and can wrap 3-4 tp tubes with natural string or packing rope, or not.
If I have left over wax, I'll stuff that in the tubes also...

Then, the cheating part, just before lighting I'll spray some charcoal lighter fluid down the tubes on the packed lint then put the wood over the fire and light.

So far, so good, but it is a little cheating with the fluid... while not much is used, it does help... I'd use the wax if I could find it, but it was expensive..

HTH..
 
fpoole said:
So far, so good, but it is a little cheating with the fluid... while not much is used, it does help... I'd use the wax if I could find it, but it was expensive..
Click to expand...

Wax isn't too expensive here but I haven't had to buy it in a very long time...lucky enough to get old candles. :)

I'm not a fan of lighter fluid...had to use it on my fire batons in high school & kind of got burnt out on it (no pun intended :D ).

:cool:
 
Betsey;
What or where are you getting the wax. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place, but it was like $15 for small block of it.. for candles.. do you have a brand name? I can find on the internet??

thanks.. Don't like using the Fluid, but.. hmmm it does help the cause.. heheh..
thanks..
 
Frank,
"you can buy bars of wax in the canning section of Walmart, the grocery or hardware store"

Gulf brand wax, comes in a package about the size of 4 sticks of butter.
 
Ok, thanks, I think I know what to look for now, just found Paraffin 1lb blocks for $2 a lb at Amazon... which is a lot cheaper than what I was finding before... Will check Walmart's...
Thanks Jean...

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I was looking an Arts & Crafts store, more pricey..
 
Paraffin works really well, but use sparingly and watch out for flare-ups. That stuff goes up like a chimney on fire.

Used to help my grandma make baby shower candy holders with crape paper and paraffin. Had some grand conflagrations on the Wedgwood.

Sue
 
I've used old candles, parafin, and beeswax and had good results with all. I've never used egg cartons though, I either roll corrugated cardboard in a tight roll three to four inches long and tie with cotton string. Dip these rolls into melted wax and let it soak in and then cool. Easy and works great. We have also done the same thing with cheap particle board, it's porous enough to soak up the wax so we break it up into 1"x1" to 2"x2"pieces and soak. Either way it's a one match fire.
 
Yah, I'm slowly..., or I guess I should say quickly, accumulating TP rolls...
Game plan as noted earlier, is to stuff them full of Dryer lint, then pour wax into them or something like that. haven't figured it out yet, but need to soon as I'm accumulating too many of them and the lint is stacking up.
Also got some "Twine"?? to tie a few together if that doesn't work.
or a wick if needed, but the idea is the lint is the wick.

A project, soon to be tried....
Film at 11...

ps. also looking for scented oils to put in there just for affect.. I"m sure some Crafting Stores have the scents, but thought it might be a little different and fun... for camping..
 
Colton wall rubbed in Vaseline jelly

Cut a drinking straw down to about one and a half inches

Stuff the cotton wool in the straw

Seal the ends with melted wax from a candle

Result great waterproof fire starters

When you want to use one break off the wax at one end and apply a light to the wool you get a slow steady burn

The secret of a good fire is kindling
 
and this has always been my favorite from tent aka air mattresses before the timberline? (self inflating ones).

Use this like bellows, works great using the foot, just becareful the plastic tip doesn't get too close...
It's easy to carry/pack and simple..

81iIlobPd6L._SX342_.jpg


They're great to get wet wood back up and burning... sorta.. heheh
 
I heard somewhere, though I can't seem to remember where (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), thin shavings of plastic explosives will get your fire going. Exactly what was meant by that I fear to ask.

And I don't think the ATF would be so hot on the idea, either. (Yes, yes, lots of puns and all intended)

Stick to fat wood.

Sue
 
Fill a jar with tight fitting cover 1/2 full of denatured alcohol. You could use vodka but that's a waste of good vodka! Save your used wine bottle corks. The real corks not the plastic ones. Drop the corks in the jar and screw on the lid. Let them soak for a couple of days. When you want a fire pull out a well soaked cork and place it below your fire tinder to start. We always seem to have more corks than fires.
 
You can try out below ways to make home made fire starters.
  1. Cotton pads dipped in melted wax.
  2. Pieces of cardboard dipped in wax.
  3. Twisted and tied newspaper.
  4. The Girl Scouts standby – egg carton, shredded paper, and wax.
 
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