Pine needles for firestarter?

[myzamboni]

My neighbor across the street has a HUGE pine tree. It is a double-trunk (main trunk splits into 2 trunks about 10 feet off the ground). The main trunk is about 7-8 foot and the doubles coming off are 4-5. This thing drops a 5 gallon bucket of needles twice a week, so I obviously started thinking "Wow, a handful of that with some paper and splits and I've got an easy-start fire"

So, where is the flaw in my idea (because I know it is too convenient to be a sure thing)?

 

[Harley]

Other than a little bit of a mess (handling them with the pitch), and possibly some storage issues - dampness, critters, etc. I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Just keep an eye on it, and don't have a huge pile in there to start, since they can really flare up.

 

[myzamboni]

I was thinking of keeping them in a metal can in the yard. Cover the can come rainy season. To avoid the pitch I would use a piece of newspaper to grab the handful needed and put the needle/paper combo in the stove.

 

[nshif]

I use pine needles all the time when camping as a fire starter just dont do it here as I have a pile of pine fat wood. If you let the needles dry out some the pitch really isnt bad. ( At least with ponderosa and sugar pine ) But be carefull they burn like a blow torch.

 

[Gooserider]

My only concern is that pine needles burn so fast I'm not sure they'd have enough time to get the rest of the fire going before they burn out.

What I use for "starter stuff" is all the bark and wood chips that I rake up from around my splitting area. I rake up once or twice a year and store it in a garbage can - cleans up the area and gives me plenty of starter material. I use a sheet of newspaper, and a couple fist fulls of "stuff" under some of my smaller splits and I'm going full blast in just a few minutes.

Gooserider

 

[myzamboni]

Goose-

I have kindling and 'starter stuff' akin to yours, but I'm seeing another source that is currently going to our waste processing facility (and I dont' know if they are throwing the needles into the composting generation area). It might be more trouble than its worth, but I figured I would start with the right question before I even started collecting the needles.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Gooserider]

Goose-

I have kindling and 'starter stuff' akin to yours, but I'm seeing another source that is currently going to our waste processing facility (and I dont' know if they are throwing the needles into the composting generation area). It might be more trouble than its worth, but I figured I would start with the right question before I even started collecting the needles.

Thanks,
Tom

Not saying it wouldn't work, I haven't tried it and indeed it might work well, just pointing out the possible problem. However if you are using bark and chip starter like I am, then I'd think the pine needles should work to get that going.

Gooserider

 

[johnsopi]

I have found the wax cardboard boxes the vegetable's come in are for the best firestarters.

 

[myzamboni]

I have found the wax cardboard boxes the vegetable's come in are for the best firestarters.

funny you mention this as I thought about them this morning while breaking down regular cardboard boxes.

 

[Gooserider]

I have found the wax cardboard boxes the vegetable's come in are for the best firestarters.

Are you trying to impersonate DYLAN???

Gooserider