types of fire starters....

Hey guys. I can start a fire just fine, but thats always been in a fireplace. I always used newspaper and some kindling and that was that. I do however also use junk mail, paper bags, anything paper and non colored that can burn. I use the cardboard paper towel things, pallet wood, and one thing I found that works really well is the shredded paper from my office paper shredder.

Are the above things ok to use as I move from fireplace to wood burning stove or do I need to fine tune my list?

I think I will try and make my own wax firestarters with sawdust this year too if thats a good way to do it? I wonder about the wax creating any problems.

Thanks!

You inhumane beast !!

The poor ferrets!

*Forgive me Father, for I have just sinned*

Some of you will probably disagree and this may not be for everyone but here goes.I take homosote cut it into 4"x4" squares on the tablesaw.Take a sheetrock bucket and add a gal. of #2 fuel.Fill the bucket with the blocks of homosote,let them absorb all the oil.Use them one at a time to light your fire.They work great!

Well congratulations....for the first time in a long time, I don't know what to say. lol

What is homosote?

All I know is that I'm stayin' away from Fossil's place.

I picked up a pack of "Fatwood" at Menards last season and really liked it. I think it's some sort of resinous softwood that lights really easy. It works great for helping kick off the rest of the kindling.

My fire starting method used two pieces of newspaper, two sticks of Fatwood, and some small kindling. I used a pseudo "top down" method. Not exactly what was shown in the video, but but bigger stuff was on the bottom of the stack in the stove.

-SF

Yep Fossil, they sucked my in.

I beat you and have tried their little round pucks. They work great so I ordered the box of 100. A little more than the firestarters I have used but a lot cleaner. The other firestarters had to be cut into smaller pieces to use for starting and they often left lots of debris after stabbing them with a screwdriver. These round pucks have split lines on them and break up easily into four starters. I think for the four little individual chuncks to start a fire you would need some kindling with them. With the other brand I didn't need any kindling but broke them into larger pieces. If you used a whole puck I don't think you would need any kindling with it either.

Thought for once I would support an American business and felt good about it. Got them right away after ordering and will know more by spring. I carry one in my car just in case I get stranded and need a fire.

I have a lot of white cedar so have alredy cut and split a full garbage container full for the winter. Plenty more to split if I need more.

I made some sawdust and wax fire starters. I think they work good.

I have found a great fire starter is made from waxed cardboard boxes. I pick one up from the grocery store and cut it into about 3" x 6" pieces and use a couple of these among the wood sticks. It's tidier and more compact than newspaper and works great. It's also much easier to cut than plain cardboard.

P.S. NHFarmer: Pay no mind to the Homosotephobes.

Waxed pieces of card board have long been a staple of fronteersmen and scouts alike. They do burn wonderfully. I do burn all my plywood scraps but refuse to burn particle board or PT lumber as the former has formaldehyde in it while the latter has inorganic arsenicals in it. I also will use as kindling pieces of scrap with one latex painted side..

paper and sticks, rub 2 boyscouts together...
wait- that didn't come out right

I do about the same thing works great

if i got coals i dont need k2 and this its for most people iam sure of that

Thats why nhfarmer said peolpe would disagree

The best thing I have come across is those coffee cup holders, we call them Tim Trays up here in Canada, they are recycled cardboard and they are used to place coffee cups in, four per tray

Lay the tray upside down in your wood stove and then lay small kindling across the tray and light the tray. The air holes in the try work perfect for funneling up air and ignite the kindling that is resting above, and a tray will burn about 1-2 minutes.

I have quite a stash of trays in my shed, people drop the off at my desk at work...

I mostly use credit card offers and bark/splitter trash. Works great.

I use Pallet wood and newspaper. This year I will be trying small chunks of a duraflame log along with pallets.

I must have a grasp on it,Iam still here and sure wont use it unless i was starting with nothing (new fire)