Firestarters from Old Candle Wax and Sawdust

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 "The ***damn Germans got nuttin to do with it" Sheriff Buford T Justice

Tim -

Great idea!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

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

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

..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

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

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

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

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.

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

Nice!

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

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 †

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

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 from Michigan - mwurm13@yahoo.com

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

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

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

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/

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

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

-- Michael A. Brailsford

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

Thanks for the info

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, http://www.heirloomwoodshop.com/

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.

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

-- Put the mouse down and step away from the computer----Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

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?

Instead of using voltive cups as molds try using the paper tubes left over from toilet paper or paper towels. Fill with the mixture and let cool then cut to whatever length you wish.

-- Curtis, Texarkana, Texas