LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Router Table Foot Pedal at Rockler  |  DeWalt Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler at Tool King

Firestarters from Old Candle Wax and Sawdust

Project by itsme_timd posted 704 days ago 4617 views 17 times favorited 23 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I posted a blog entry on making these and naturally someone asked for pics. I decided to post this as a project with instructions and pics. Hope this is useful to someone!

SUPPLIES LIST:
  • Wax (old candles work great)
  • Sawdust
  • Something to melt wax in (double-boiler method is best and safest)
  • Something to mold them in (paper cups, paper egg carton, cupcake cups)
  • Craft paper and string if you want to wrap them.

1) Here are the materials I used. Since my wife makes candles we’ve got plenty of wax around the house – I’m using a few melting tarts, an old jar candle and some various scraps. I also have a melting/pouring pot and some votive cup molds.
Firestarter supplies

2) Next, it’s time to melt the wax. NOTE: Wax is flammable (duh…) so it’s best to use a double-boiler if possible. Otherwise use low heat and keep a close watch on the wax until it’s melted.
Metling the wax

3) After the wax is fully melted it’s time to add the sawdust, mix enough in to make a heavy sludge. It should be pretty thick when mixed together.
Adding the sawdust

NOTE: Pouring these can be very messy, it’s probably best to let the mixture cool down some and thicken. Then, when pouring, you can use a spoon or stick to make the process a little neater. I prefer to have a lot of sawdust and enough wax to bind everything together.

4) Now it’s time to mold the starters, simply pour or scoop them into whatever you’re molding into.
Pouring into candle molds

5) After a couple of hours these will set up, if you’ve used a metal mold you can pop them out now – if they stick a little you can put them in the fridge for a few minutes and they should come right out.
The finished starter

6) Now you can finish these if you want to. I like wrapping them in brown paper and tying the ends. You can stack these by the fire and they look nice.
Wrapped and ready for use

7) When you’re ready to get a fire going just drop one of these below the wood pile. Light both ends and the center and it should burn for 15 minutes or more – plenty of time to get the fire going!
Lighting the starter
Starting to burn
Fully involved!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA


23 comments so far

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

1192 posts in 835 days


posted 704 days ago

Thanks for the how to! I wanted to make some of these for my fire pit after I read your first post.

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

View David's profile

David

1982 posts in 1016 days


posted 704 days ago

Tim -

Great idea!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1184 days


posted 704 days ago

Thanks for the pics, Tom will be happy now….ha. They look great.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1184 days


posted 704 days ago

..and I guess that there would be some saw dust you would not want to use, like maybe treated lumber dust for example? Any others?

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View scrollsaw's profile

scrollsaw

131 posts in 732 days


posted 704 days ago

Great idea!I am going to make some,so when I go hiking overnight or camping I will have something to start camp fire with.

-- Todd from KY

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14089 posts in 1038 days


posted 704 days ago

how wonderful of you to do this and get pictures!!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Betsy's profile

Betsy

2378 posts in 773 days


posted 704 days ago

Excellent, excellent, excellent. These will be great by the fireplace and to boot, you can make little gifts of them for people you know. Thanks for sharing.

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.

View itsme_timd's profile

itsme_timd

675 posts in 708 days


posted 704 days ago

Rob, I can bet there are several types of wood that would not be well suited for this. If anyone has some info as what we’d want to stay away from I’d appreciate it!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

View mot's profile

mot

4901 posts in 914 days


posted 704 days ago

Nice!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 704 days ago

Nice job.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

921 posts in 760 days


posted 704 days ago

Wow, blast from the past. My sisters and I used to make these and sell them door to door when we were little (back in the Stone Age). We would plane down cedar planks that my Dad got for us and mix the shavings with old melted candles. We used muffin tins for molds, and included the wick. I still remember trying to say “Wanna buy some Cedar Scented Fire Starters” while shivering during a Minnesota winter. Thanks for the memories. I’ve got to call Sis tonight.

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

7222 posts in 1124 days


posted 704 days ago

Great Idea. I got to make some for my wood burner in my shop. That and a blowtorch and would really do the trick in a short time. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View Keen1's profile

Keen1

68 posts in 724 days


posted 703 days ago

Would these work on a grill? I’m curious about the wax. Would it just end up all over the bottom of my grill or does it burn up?

-- Dad to 5, Son of The One

View itsme_timd's profile

itsme_timd

675 posts in 708 days


posted 703 days ago

Keen-

When these first start to burn they do make a ‘melt pool’, however if the mix includes a lot of sawdust with enough wax to bind them then the pool will be fully consumed during burning – about 15-20 minutes in my experience.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

View Mike Shea's profile

Mike Shea

149 posts in 872 days


posted 701 days ago

probably would not be good to use any dust from MDf, Particle Board, or certain exotic woods that have natural oils that are toxic when inhailed. but nice idea i have never heard of that im gonna have to try that for when i go camping

-- i can do all things through christ who strengthens me

View scottb's profile

scottb

3386 posts in 1205 days


posted 634 days ago

I knew you could make these with dryer lint and paper egg cartons. I’m impressed to learn that these sawdust ones will burn for 15 minutes.

Oh I have a shopvac full of christmas presents in waiting!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View ryno101's profile

ryno101

231 posts in 542 days


posted 523 days ago

Just came across this… Love it!

I’ve made these in the little paper cups you put cupcakes in as well… instant mold and instant place to light to get ‘em going.

Nice!

-- Ryno

View Michael Brailsford's profile

Michael Brailsford

212 posts in 471 days


posted 444 days ago

This is a great way to get rid of some of our waste.

-- Michael A. Brailsford

View Joe 's profile

Joe

5 posts in 184 days


posted 184 days ago

WOW! just what I was searching for. I make wood ASH & Maple Baseball bats, business is growing, not sure what to do with so much waste. I didn’t want to throw it away and I couldn’t find anyone to barter with me. So I am gonna start making firestarters. Heading over to A.C. Moore for wax molds, great addition to earn extra dollars from waste material. 100% kiln dried and very clean.

Joe
www.lumberkings.biz

View a1Jim's profile (online now)

a1Jim

15523 posts in 455 days


posted 178 days ago

Thanks for the info

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

View Joe 's profile

Joe

5 posts in 184 days


posted 178 days ago

Purchased Bees-wax today, mixed in ash and maple shaving. Made first batch of firestarters came out perfect.
I filled Ice Cube trays. perfect. Thank to all.

View Rustic's profile

Rustic

1220 posts in 474 days


posted 18 days ago

Just saw this today and am going to give it a try

-- There is no such thing as a mistake. Its called a design modification Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

View dustygirl's profile

dustygirl

730 posts in 606 days


posted 17 days ago

I just saw this today too and love it.Thanks for the step by step and photos.I have fires all the time in our outdoor acorn fireplace and sometimes it’s hard to get it going.I am going to make some of these for sure.Thank-you.

-- Dustygirl..Hastings,Ontario.. How much wood can 1 gal chuck if 1 gal can't cut wood?

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase