| Project by itsme_timd | posted 1997 days ago | 24718 views | 60 times favorited | 36 comments |  |
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA
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36 comments so far
Brad_Nailor
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2450 posts in 2128 days
#1 posted 1997 days ago
Thanks for the how to! I wanted to make some of these for my fire pit after I read your first post.
-- http://www.facebook.com/pages/DSO-Designs/297237806954248
David
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1970 posts in 2310 days
#2 posted 1997 days ago
Tim -
Great idea!
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
RobS
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1331 posts in 2477 days
#3 posted 1997 days ago
Thanks for the pics, Tom will be happy now….ha. They look great.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
RobS
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1331 posts in 2477 days
#4 posted 1997 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
scrollsaw
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2340 posts in 2025 days
#5 posted 1997 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
MsDebbieP
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#6 posted 1997 days ago
how wonderful of you to do this and get pictures!!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Betsy
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2826 posts in 2067 days
#7 posted 1997 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.
-- Like a bad penny, I keep coming back!
itsme_timd
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687 posts in 2002 days
#8 posted 1997 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
mot
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4912 posts in 2207 days
#9 posted 1997 days ago
Nice!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Karson
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34370 posts in 2571 days
#10 posted 1997 days ago
Nice job.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
SPalm
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4116 posts in 2053 days
#11 posted 1997 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
-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon
jockmike2
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10636 posts in 2418 days
#12 posted 1997 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
-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -
Keen1
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102 posts in 2017 days
#13 posted 1996 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
itsme_timd
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687 posts in 2002 days
#14 posted 1996 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
Mike Shea
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152 posts in 2165 days
#15 posted 1995 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
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