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December 14, 2006
Fire Starter
Otherwise known forever as the post that made people believe she had gone insane.
I have noted before that although my husband was in the jr. scouts as a boy a firestarter he is not.
It can be frustrating (and irritating) to watch him battle with lighting a fire and steadfastly refusing to allow me to just do it already.
I decided to make him some fire starting aids to help the work along. They work wonderfully! He can build a fire now the same as I can.
Take any old candles or a box or two of gulf wax. Over boiling water gently melt the wax.
Save the lint from your drier and any sawdust or wood chips you might have.
Using toilet paper or paper towel tubes pack the tubes with the wood shaving with each end filled with a little gob of lint. carefully pour a bit of the wax into each end and allow to cool.
You can also use empty cigarette boxes with the cellophane and foil removed. Stuff them with wood shavings and pour over some of the melted wax.
The wax is a clean burning fuel and will burn long enough to ignite the wood of your fire.
Because a basket of toilet paper tubes is ugly I have let the kids wrap the little boxes and roll the tubes like firecrackers with brown paper christmas wrap.
Please be aware that you should not burn christmas wrap in your fire place. The fumes can be toxic. The paper these are wrapped in is brown paper printed with vegetable dye. We only used the scraps left from wrapping other gifts.
If you know someone with a fireplace and it is used for their main source of heating or used on a regular basis these firestarters can be made along during the year. Also pinecones dipped in wax work great as well. If you put them in a decorative cello bag or a pretty fireside basket they can be a real nice gift.
Yes, firestarters can make a great Christmas gift that can be made by your child with a little supervision from yourself. Making them look decorative only takes a few minutes. Kids love to wrap anything in Christmas paper, too.
Posted by Angie at December 14, 2006 09:39 AM
Comments
You are far too crafty. I'm jealous!
Posted by: Ang at December 14, 2006 10:37 AM
That's a wonderful idea, Angie. We hardly ever burn a fire anymore, but if we did, I would be making those!
Posted by: kenju at December 14, 2006 09:37 PM
Although I would never sit there and do those they are really cute. I am way to hyper to focus long enough to do that. Darling though!
Posted by: MIss E at December 14, 2006 11:00 PM
hi, i have made fire starters for years, but my source for quantity inexpensive wax has dried up.
do you know where i can get some.
i do large quantities for my mother in law.. she heats with two fire places.
Posted by: larry at March 6, 2007 02:27 PM