Hi all!   Here's a great way to make some firestarters to get your campfire going fast!   You only need a couple things, and they're fun to make with the kids when it's cold outside and you're just dreaming of camping!   Here's what you need:

Dryer lint or shredded newspaper
Small paper cups  (about 8 oz.)
Melted Wax

All you have to do is fill the cup about 1/2 way with dryer lint.  Pour melted wax to cover (usually about 1/2 way up the cup).  Set the cups aside until the wax hardens.    When you need to start a fire, simply put the cup under your campfire wood and light it.   The wax and dryer lint (or shredded newspaper) will keep the cup burning long enough to get your fire going, even with wet wood!

Now, for a couple of tips.  Rather than spending a lot of money on wax, I go to "garage" or "tag" sales to buy candles.  To melt the wax, I fill a large kettle halfway with water and put the candles in a coffee can.  I then put the coffee can into the kettle of hot water until the candles are melted.  (I call it a homemade double boiler.)   I then use a fork or something to scoop out the wicks and throw them away.  Then I pour the melted wax into the paper cups.    Using a coffee can for this is great, as you don't want to get wax all over one of your good pots, and you can bend it to make it easier to pour out the hot wax.  

Like I said, this works GREAT!   For larger fires, I may use two firestarters, but for most, one is more than enough to get your fire going.  

Have Fun!

Julie

Wow, thats neat.  Often thought there should be some use for all that lint from the dryer.


Derek

I know its always blue, but would navel lint (fluff) substitute?
OK, I know.......!!
cheers mikel

Sigh it had to happen
Mikel you have been eating too many of those crawdads out at that opal mine of yours surely it couldent be the wine

My mate has a tin, with a bit of kero in it, he drops all his tea bags in it with the strings hanging over the side, when he gets a few he also dunks them in melted wax, the wax stops the kero smell while they are being stored or carried camping etc. & as Mrs Mick said the wax slows them down, so they last a while.
Trev
Aus

The used tea bags are  a really neat idea!   :D

Never thought of that -- course I don't drink tea, so that's not a surprise!   ;D

This is a gold mine of good ideas, here's a couple more of fire starters, use an old egg carton cut up into twelve with the wax etc recipe of Mrs Mik. The wax cartons (used to transport lettuces) from your fruit market cut up into squares are good and if all else fails buy Firestarters from your favourite Two Dollar Shop like I do.

pd

Also you can use cotton balls and petroleum jelly. Keep in a closed container till ready to use. Fine steel wool and a 9 volt battery will also work. Heard of a fella once that used a large packet of steel wool and jumper cables of his truck. Said it worked well but the flash gave him quite the burns on his face and arms.Said he will try smaller quanties when he leaves the hospital!

Hey Bull_Sholes
Where does one get steel wool?
From hydraulic Rams

The Roosel

one method Iv'e used for a while is saw dust from the chainsaw soaked in kero or metho the saw dust slows the burn rate & works a treat!! ;)
Mick.

Trev aus wrote on Dec 3^rd, 2007 at 7:47am:

My mate has a tin, with a bit of kero in it

I have a friend who does similar only she uses metho and she keeps them in a glass jar.

I use the egg cartons and dryer lint with wax. However, I recently made a big batch of them and ran out of the lint. So as I was cleaning up I was using a paper towel and an idea hit. I dug in the trash bin and pulled out all of the used paper towels and found that half-a-towel fills one egg cup. So I made a dozen more starters.

I haven't used sawdust as I have no supply of it. :(

And the wife still thinks of me as crazy.  :D

Best, Duncan

Derek wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2007 at 12:30pm:

Wow, thats neat.  Often thought there should be some use for all that lint from the dryer. Derek

it does well in a compost pile too. ;)


for fire starting i use natural stuff i find laying about. the best are sassafras sticks and birch bark. both will burn v. hot even when green and in a downpour.

Hey guys

Great tips. Have any of you used these for starting heat beads in a chimney? Do they burn long enough? Let us know.

Robbo

Robbo wrote on May 25^th, 2008 at 10:12pm:

Hey guys Great tips. Have any of you used these for starting heat beads in a chimney? Do they burn long enough? Let us know.

Greetings Robbo,

Yep, I use mine all the time to start my heat beads. By the time the starter has turned to ash, the heat beads are lit and ready. They also work good in the fireplace. No small bits of wood required, just two big logs and the fire is lit in 10 minutes.  8-)

Best, Duncan

Thanks Dunc :)

Thats good to know and a great use for the old lint, what about the teabag firelighters, anyone?

Robbo

Duncan MacDuff wrote on May 9^th, 2008 at 4:47am:

And the wife still thinks of me as crazy.

HAHAHA dont know why Dunc  :-?
cheers George

does belly button fluff work as well

skiproosel wrote on Jan 8^th, 2008 at 9:03pm:

Where does one get steel wool? From hydraulic Rams

ARRRRGGGHHHHHH  That was groanworthy.....

We use a piece of river flint and steel to start a fire some times . When we go camping.The reb.USA

I live by these:

http://www.light-my-fire.com/209-147-swedish_firesteel%C2%AE.htm

Rastas000 wrote on Sep 26^th, 2009 at 7:34am:

I live by these: http://www.light-my-fire.com/209-147-swedish_firesteel®.htm

Yep good gear Rastas. A bit of news paper / dunny roll and away ya go.

Keep one in my kayak incase of emergencies.

I love those ideas.... especially the lint and tea bags.

Not very enviromentaly friendly... petrol tipped into sand will work a treat and isn't as explosive.

Cotton wool balls soaked in lamp oil works well, bonus is if you use one with citronella to keep the mozzies away...I have also found it works if you soak a couple of the heat beads in the lamp oil.