EASY-TO-MAKE firestarters with some common materials

[leeave96]

Not so common materials...

When I was growing-up, $$$'s were VERY tight. My parents made do with all manner of stuff. We had a garden, burned firewood, always ate made from scratch meals vs going out. vacations were to visit family vs. going to the beach. My Dad was very creative in taking stuff and transforming it into useful things. One time we made a trailer out of scrap wood on a front axle of a '37 Chevy and for fenders, we cut down the ends of a 50 gallon drum. It looked like something from the miltary with those fenders and hauled tons of firewood, towed by an old Ford Falcon (anyone remember those?) My Dad found a couple of steel wheel caps that were used on horse drawn waggon wheels - very large in diameter. He fashioned them into a beautiful wood rack.

But... one of the most interesting and useful items he made was firestarter.

Being that times then were tight, no chips and dip at our house, but rather popcorn. Not the store bought stuff, we growed it in our garden - a lot of it. We dried it and shelled it out to pop.

Soooo, what to do with the cobs? We did have TP, so no need in that department.

My Dad took a metal coffee can and poured about 1 inch of kerosene in it and took the popcorn cobs and packed them into the can like a bunch of cigars. Of course, they soaked up just the right amount of kerosene and when we needed a firestarter, grab a corn cob with a bit of kerosene on it and you had a long lasting firestarter. I've got the super cedars and when I use them, I always think of those kerosene soaked corn cobs!

Bill

 

[kd460]

Not so common materials...

When I was growing-up, $$$'s were VERY tight. My parents made do with all manner of stuff. We had a garden, burned firewood, always ate made from scratch meals vs going out. vacations were to visit family vs. going to the beach. My Dad was very creative in taking stuff and transforming it into useful things. One time we made a trailer out of scrap wood on a front axle of a '37 Chevy and for fenders, we cut down the ends of a 50 gallon drum. It looked like something from the miltary with those fenders and hauled tons of firewood, towed by an old Ford Falcon (anyone remember those?) My Dad found a couple of steel wheel caps that were used on horse drawn waggon wheels - very large in diameter. He fashioned them into a beautiful wood rack.

But... one of the most interesting and useful items he made was firestarter.

Being that times then were tight, no chips and dip at our house, but rather popcorn. Not the store bought stuff, we growed it in our garden - a lot of it. We dried it and shelled it out to pop.

Soooo, what to do with the cobs? We did have TP, so no need in that department.

My Dad took a metal coffee can and poured about 1 inch of kerosene in it and took the popcorn cobs and packed them into the can like a bunch of cigars. Of course, they soaked up just the right amount of kerosene and when we needed a firestarter, grab a corn cob with a bit of kerosene on it and you had a long lasting firestarter. I've got the super cedars and when I use them, I always think of those kerosene soaked corn cobs!


Nice story, fond memories...I bet your Dad never thought you would look back on those memories so fondly. Thanks for sharing and good idea on the cobs. KD

Bill

 

[Treacherous]

Not so common materials...

When I was growing-up, $$$'s were VERY tight. My parents made do with all manner of stuff. We had a garden, burned firewood, always ate made from scratch meals vs going out. vacations were to visit family vs. going to the beach. My Dad was very creative in taking stuff and transforming it into useful things. One time we made a trailer out of scrap wood on a front axle of a '37 Chevy and for fenders, we cut down the ends of a 50 gallon drum. It looked like something from the miltary with those fenders and hauled tons of firewood, towed by an old Ford Falcon (anyone remember those?) My Dad found a couple of steel wheel caps that were used on horse drawn waggon wheels - very large in diameter. He fashioned them into a beautiful wood rack.


Bill

Cool story.

Parent's used to have a '64 Falcon station wagon (three on the tree) that my grandfather purchased new as well as a '69 sedan (auto).

 

[maverick06]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I also bought a box of the wax log firestarters from BJ's, i think it was $14... I use a chisel to cut them into 1" cubes, they work great, and at the rate I am using them, its enough to last forever...

Super cedars sound, well, super...... maybe when I need something new I will give them a try.

 

[CTYank]

Whenever I clean off oily chips around chainsaw clutch cover:
1. sheets of newspaper underneath.
2. scrape accumulated poo with small wood scrap.
3. bundle & fold that like it held a flounder.

B&c oil slowly seeps into the paper, so the whole thing burns. Store them where seepage is not a problem.

Of course, I still start fire inverted. Generally these greasy bundles are close to enough for the season.

 

[ScotO]

My Dad took a metal coffee can and poured about 1 inch of kerosene in it and took the popcorn cobs and packed them into the can like a bunch of cigars. Of course, they soaked up just the right amount of kerosene and when we needed a firestarter, grab a corn cob with a bit of kerosene on it and you had a long lasting firestarter. I've got the super cedars and when I use them, I always think of those kerosene soaked corn cobs!

Bill

Great memory there.....and that is a great idea.....I may have to steal this one too...lol...

 

[ScotO]

I work at a school and there are two things that I have access to a LOT of. That is shredded paper and crayons. The shredder in my office is one of those cross cut deals. Wonder if that could work at all like candle wax (prob not).

I don't know if crayons burn or not.....never tried it!.....may have some redneck experimentin' to do this weekend after reading this one....lol!

 

[mecreature]

I have a bucket of sawdust from the saw and some noodling I did on some bigger rounds. and a bag of old wax from candles.

might just whip me up a batch of these things.

My son and I made several batches of "emergency" fire starters using cotton balls and petroleum jelly. We put them in old baby jars I kept from when he was a runt. He got a kick out of it.

I bet he will enjoy making these too.

Hat of to your ole buddy.

 

[shmodaddy]

When I was a kid we used to go to the park every year and pick up grocery bag after grocery bag ( u know the brown paper type ) of pine cones. They worked great. Two or three of them under some kindling and bingo good fire. Dad had a insert wood stove that kept us HOT all winter. It was like the sap or resin in them made them little dudes burn hot and they stuck around too, didn't just go up on flames. Worked well for us.

 

[Biff_CT2]

When I was a kid we used to go to the park every year and pick up grocery bag after grocery bag ( u know the brown paper type ) of pine cones. They worked great. Two or three of them under some kindling and bingo good fire. Dad had a insert wood stove that kept us HOT all winter. It was like the sap or resin in them made them little dudes burn hot and they stuck around too, didn't just go up on flames. Worked well for us.

I've used pine cones for the last two seasons.

The trick is to gather them after a dry spell - when they're open. I usually fill at trash barrel or two which gets me through the winder.

Two or three pine cones and a handfull of twigs usually get the fire going great.

Very cheap, and beats having the trash guy haul them away.

 

[midwestcoast]

I work at a school and there are two things that I have access to a LOT of. That is shredded paper and crayons. The shredder in my office is one of those cross cut deals. Wonder if that could work at all like candle wax (prob not).

I don't know if crayons burn or not.....never tried it!.....may have some redneck experimentin' to do this weekend after reading this one....lol!

Unless they've changed the recipe for crayons since I was a (rather pyromaniacal) kid, they burn great. Paper around the outside works just like a candle wick.
Dunno if there's anything nasty in there or not. I doubt it, or the wierd kids would stop eating them. I say it's worth a go.

I made a bunch with the sawdust+wax in an egg carton last year. It was fun & they work great, but I used up all our spent candles. Doesn't make sense to go buy wax to make'em if I can just by starters. I've bought fatwood from Menards before & it's okay, but I guess since the wise (and tight-waded) elders here swear buy them, I should just order some Super Cedars.
Unless I can get hold of some old crayons... :coolhmm:

 

[ScotO]

I have a bucket of sawdust from the saw and some noodling I did on some bigger rounds. and a bag of old wax from candles.

might just whip me up a batch of these things.

My son and I made several batches of "emergency" fire starters using cotton balls and petroleum jelly. We put them in old baby jars I kept from when he was a runt. He got a kick out of it.

I bet he will enjoy making these too.

Hat of to your ole buddy.

You Bet!....I'm like you when I saw up those big crotch pieces (esp. the ash and oak) I end up with a pile of "fettuchine" ...I usually take it and put it in with the chipping junk, but I may just save that stuff up from now on....thanks for your idea!...thats what I love about this site....

 

[ScotO]

Unless they've changed the recipe for crayons since I was a (rather pyromaniacal) kid, they burn great. Paper around the outside works just like a candle wick.
Dunno if there's anything nasty in there or not. I doubt it, or the wierd kids would stop eating them. I say it's worth a go.

I made a bunch with the sawdust+wax in an egg carton last year. It was fun & they work great, but I used up all our spent candles. Doesn't make sense to go buy wax to make'em if I can just by starters. I've bought fatwood from Menards before & it's okay, but I guess since the wise (and tight-waded) elders here swear buy them, I should just order some Super Cedars.
Unless I can get hold of some old crayons... :coolhmm:

You got a point about the wierdos eatin crayons....they're still eatin' 'em and still livin' so I bet they are OK to burn....lol

 

[HeatsTwice]

I hear they are fortified with vitamin C. Same as Elmers glue and Playdoh.

 

[ScotO]

I hear they are fortified with vitamin C. Same as Elmers glue and Playdoh.

and all those years my mom told me I wasn't eatin right......lol....

 

[karl]

I made some saw dust and wax fire starters the first year. Then I realized that a few card board boxes and a plastic tub of bark will last all winter.

 

[firefighterjake]

Unless they've changed the recipe for crayons since I was a (rather pyromaniacal) kid, they burn great. Paper around the outside works just like a candle wick.
Dunno if there's anything nasty in there or not. I doubt it, or the wierd kids would stop eating them. I say it's worth a go.

I made a bunch with the sawdust+wax in an egg carton last year. It was fun & they work great, but I used up all our spent candles. Doesn't make sense to go buy wax to make'em if I can just by starters. I've bought fatwood from Menards before & it's okay, but I guess since the wise (and tight-waded) elders here swear buy them, I should just order some Super Cedars.
Unless I can get hold of some old crayons... :coolhmm:

You got a point about the wierdos eatin crayons....they're still eatin' 'em and still livin' so I bet they are OK to burn....lol

Wotcha talking about . . . I ate lots of crayons as a kid and I'm perfectly normal . . . I mean so what if I talk to my imaginary friends, spend hours staring at the wall or insist on splitting wood horizontally.

 

[MasterMech]

Imaginary friends = Hearth.com members (Ok we're all real enough.) ;-P
Wall = You must have a BIG computer screen, or a projector hooked to your computer, cool! :coolsmirk:
Splitting Horizontally = Well that just makes sense now doesn't it? :coolgrin:

:snake: :snake: :snake: :snake: :snake: :snake: :snake:

 

[kettensäge]

When I was a kid we used to go to the park every year and pick up grocery bag after grocery bag ( u know the brown paper type ) of pine cones. They worked great. Two or three of them under some kindling and bingo good fire. Dad had a insert wood stove that kept us HOT all winter. It was like the sap or resin in them made them little dudes burn hot and they stuck around too, didn't just go up on flames. Worked well for us.

I've used pine cones for the last two seasons.

The trick is to gather them after a dry spell - when they're open. I usually fill at trash barrel or two which gets me through the winder.

Two or three pine cones and a handfull of twigs usually get the fire going great.

Very cheap, and beats having the trash guy haul them away.

X2, just filled 2 barrels yesterday afternoon.

I have used small pieces of a duraflame log as well but 3 dry pine cones are easier to light and don't cost anything.