DIY Fire Starters (pics)

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CarbonNeutral

CarbonNeutral

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Jan 20, 2009
1,132
Nashoba Valley(ish), MA
I really like the Supercedars as well as the woodchip/wax ones my local Ace carries, but I'm also very cheap. I decided to make my own with the dead remnants of candles and hardwood chips from the chainsaw. Melted the wax carefully, added lots of chips until it was really stodgy - I was surprised by how many were needed, poured it out and let it cool.

I tried a section last night - it worked well, lighting it was a little trickier - it wasn't a great test as this was dry pine (!) and some kindling, but they performed in a similar way to my Ace starters. Pics below:
 

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Very interesting...... I think I may give this a shot since all the materials are free left overs, and I like being as self sufficient as possiable.
 
Works pretty well. I make them in cardboard egg cartons. A little more convenient, and one or two 'eggs' is all it take. They will burn for a good 10-15 minutes.
 
jeff_t said:
Works pretty well. I make them in cardboard egg cartons. A little more convenient, and one or two 'eggs' is all it take. They will burn for a good 10-15 minutes.
Click to expand...


Yessss, I may have to resort to a circular saw to cut up the rest of the slab.......
 
The egg carton ones are easy to use, but I think they're a PITA to make. I like Carbon's method and will give it a try. If you have a band saw you can cut them any size you want. I have a mega supply of canning paraffin that we inherited when my MIL passed. Might as well put it to good use.
 
That is a great idea, a couple years ago my wife got rid of a bunch of candles we had stored in the attic. The attic was too hot for them and they were all disfigured. I should have saved the wax, great project.
 
I do basically the same thing except I use a minni muffin pan that makes 24 individual fire starters at one time, after they cool I just turn it over give the pan a wack and voila, 24 firestarters
 
Minni muffin pan works wonders, along with the paper liners, easy to remove. I purchased a bag of 50 tea cup candles from the dollar store (2.00 actually???). these cheapy candles were perfect cause they didnt have the wick supports in them. pulled the wicks out, and melted all the parafin down. filled the mini cups with saw chips and dust from the mitre saw collection bag. then pushed the wick in, and filled each cup with parafin. the sawdust seems to help spread the flame faster. just light the wick and let it go! made 30 of these last year, and still have about 10 left! I didnt use them, wifey did, I just use two matches or the propane torch (burnin pine here, starts just by staring hard at it)
 
I tried making a big cake and then cut it up, but it was pretty messy. I used to fill the egg carton with sawdust, then pour the wax on top, but that's a pita too. Now I melt the wax in an old skillet, then add the sawdust, then scoop it into the cartons with a paint stirring stick. Pretty quick and easy, made 12 dozen the other day. I should be set for a while. I also use them for campfires, and lighting the charcoal chimney.
 
Although I never tried it, I recall reading here that some fellow burners add dryer lint to the sawdust and wax. Been wanting to try making them but bought the mini firestarters and just cut in half or thirds.
 
glassmanjpf said:
Although I never tried it, I recall reading here that some fellow burners add dryer lint to the sawdust and wax. Been wanting to try making them but bought the mini firestarters and just cut in half or thirds.
Click to expand...
Mmmm... talking about additives... I have a big chunk of scrap magnesium... maybe I could make some mag shavings and put them in firestarters, bet that would get things hot quick!
 
I cut the top of an aluminum can and pour the wax in and mix in saw shavings and sawdust. When it cools, you simply peel the aluminum can away and you have a large can shaped starter. I have cut them into 1/4s and they have gotten any fire going that I have asked. I think, when I lit an entire one, it burned for half hour- 45 minutes.
I picked up an 8" three wick candle for cheap at the end of christmas and have just chunked it up to melt.
 
I remember my father used to make fire starters from pine cones! He would take the muffin paper liners and parafin wax and small strips of rope for the wick. They worked great, I think I will try to make some!
 
CountryBoy19 said:
glassmanjpf said:
Although I never tried it, I recall reading here that some fellow burners add dryer lint to the sawdust and wax. Been wanting to try making them but bought the mini firestarters and just cut in half or thirds.
Click to expand...
Mmmm... talking about additives... I have a big chunk of scrap magnesium... maybe I could make some mag shavings and put them in firestarters, bet that would get things hot quick!
Click to expand...

The only safety requirement you will need is a video camera. Carry on.
 
Wingman said:
I cut the top of an aluminum can and pour the wax in and mix in saw shavings and sawdust. When it cools, you simply peel the aluminum can away and you have a large can shaped starter. I have cut them into 1/4s and they have gotten any fire going that I have asked. I think, when I lit an entire one, it burned for half hour- 45 minutes.
I picked up an 8" three wick candle for cheap at the end of christmas and have just chunked it up to melt.
Click to expand...

I found that my Fiskars was great for chunking the candle up
 
an old buddy of mine used dryer lint with egg cartons and wax, that stuff lit hot and fast and burned for a good while. invaluable when we were lighting slightly unseasoned wood while camping :D

for now I just use supercedars...
 
CarbonNeutral said:
jeff_t said:
Works pretty well. I make them in cardboard egg cartons. A little more convenient, and one or two 'eggs' is all it take. They will burn for a good 10-15 minutes.
Click to expand...


Yessss, I may have to resort to a circular saw to cut up the rest of the slab.......
Click to expand...

I use a cookie sheet lined with foil (to make the clean up process easier) and just before the wax/saw dust hardens completely, I use a pizza cutter to cut them to size.
 
I get paraffin from work from our processors for free. That block weighs 20 pounds. I ended up cutting one side of a section of pvc pipe. I mix my shavings, wood chunks and paraffin and clamp the pipe. I then compress them and when they cool, I cut them with a power mitre saw. They burn for a half hour or more. I used to use the pan method, but the discs cut easier. I make some for friends and family. I don't always use them, but they sure make for easy starting when im in a hurry.
 

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sullystull said:
CarbonNeutral said:
jeff_t said:
Works pretty well. I make them in cardboard egg cartons. A little more convenient, and one or two 'eggs' is all it take. They will burn for a good 10-15 minutes.
Click to expand...


Yessss, I may have to resort to a circular saw to cut up the rest of the slab.......
Click to expand...

I use a cookie sheet lined with foil (to make the clean up process easier) and just before the wax/saw dust hardens completely, I use a pizza cutter to cut them to size.
Click to expand...

You are, what we call, wicked smart
 
As a newbie, I don't understand.... You use these in your stove to help light it? Doesn't the wax get all over the bottom of the stove? I am getting a Lopi Freedom, could I do the same thing to make fire starters?


Scott
 
They burn hot and long and save you having to use paper/cardboard/small kindling/petroleum based starters. They also work much better than fat wood starters, which may or may not be environmentally unsound anyway.

No worries about the wax - any that doesn't burn off will do so very quickly.
 
Scoooter said:
As a newbie, I don't understand.... You use these in your stove to help light it? Doesn't the wax get all over the bottom of the stove? I am getting a Lopi Freedom, could I do the same thing to make fire starters?


Scott
Click to expand...
The temps in the stove are more than enough to evaporate and burn any wax that may melt and get on the bottom of the stove.
 
CarbonNeutral said:
sullystull said:
CarbonNeutral said:
jeff_t said:
Works pretty well. I make them in cardboard egg cartons. A little more convenient, and one or two 'eggs' is all it take. They will burn for a good 10-15 minutes.
Click to expand...


Yessss, I may have to resort to a circular saw to cut up the rest of the slab.......
Click to expand...

I use a cookie sheet lined with foil (to make the clean up process easier) and just before the wax/saw dust hardens completely, I use a pizza cutter to cut them to size.
Click to expand...

You are, what we call, wicked smart
Click to expand...

Can you tell my wife that? :)
 
This thread is encouraging me to give this a try. (Especially since I just bought a box of DuraFlame starters and *then* read some reviews saying that they don't work well in wood stoves. arrgh!)

A few questions:
- will any candle do or are there kinds that shouldn't be used to make fire starters?
- what are the rough proportions of wax to wood shavings?
- any tips for heating up the candle wax safely?

Thanks in advance!
 
1. Well my firelighters not only work, but smell, how can I put it, fruity to say the least - can't think of candles that would be a problem
2. I just went as stodgy as possible - I had little free flowing wax left
3. Outside. Chunk the candles with an axe so that they melt quicker without the already molten wax overheating. Don't get distracted....
 
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