Camp Fire Starters

[rockwood06]

What do most campers use when starting a camp fire besides a matches, paper and kindling? Well how about a thing called a fire starter. Fire starters can be bought in camp stores for about a buck a piece, but you can make your own. All you need is a cardboard egg carton, wood chips and hot wax. You take an empty cardboard egg carton fill all the chambers with wood chips or wood shavings, melt old candles in a coffee can on the stove and poor it over all the chambers, let the wax cool then place them in a plastic Wal-Mart bag ( that's what I use ) and now they are ready. To start a camp fire remove one chamber and place it under some kindling and light the chamber with a match. You will found that the chamber will burn for a good while til the kindling catches fire. The other good thing about the fire starters is that they are water proof because of the wax....Caution when pouring the hot wax over the chambers DO NOT ATTEMP THIS OVER YOUR STOVE, place the egg carton on an old cookies sheet and do it out side, the wax will penetrate the egg carton and with the cookie sheet or a metal sureface the wax will come off easy. I also use sented candles as well, it make the storage compartment smell good as well.

[chevy02]

That sounds like a good idea. i have been told to save dryer lint and put it in paper bag and light it in your fire ring with some kindling but i have never tried it, i usually just use a little kerosene . i have some friends who pioneer camp and he starts it with a flint rock and what looks like shredded wool or burlap a little too much work for me lol

[spepi]

I use the firestarters. I bought a box of 72 last year, and gave my brother in law half for his birthday. I paid 18.00 or something like that...they work great.

[Joe Falco]

We make the egg carton versions with dryer lint and old candles. They work extremely well. We save the old candles from the house and have one old pot just for the melting--which we do over a campfire when we have enough to make a batch of egg carton starters.

Joe

[Wahoo]

We use cotton balls with a little vaseline coated on them. Works great!

[670johndeere]

I just use a fusee.

[NDJollyMon]

I always use some leaves, or paper...sticks, and this atop a propane cylinder.

[eandsphotography]

Ive found the easiest way is to use the artificial fire logs. just light the paper and it burns for 3-6 hours depending on which one you get. I then just throw the real wood on top of it and it'll catch everytime without any work.
I also have a chimnea that this works great in also. i usually just put the artificial wood log in it by itself and it fits great and burns almost completlyso not much cleanup.

[MRimmer]

Same here works great!
[QUOTE=eandsphotography;15798]Ive found the easiest way is to use the artificial fire logs. just light the paper and it burns for 3-6 hours depending on which one you get. I then just throw the real wood on top of it and it'll catch everytime without any work.
QUOTE]

[Grand Surveyor]

I used to use a bit of boy scout water (gas drained out of the dune buggy) until I melted a friend's tent set too close to the mushroom cloud of flame.

Now, as I use the campfire ring as a grill with the tripod, I put four good size logs around a mound of charcoal. After dinner is done the charcoal makes the perfect base for adding firewood. The logs around the charcoal give off good smoke during cooking to add to the flavor of whatever is being grilled.

[NDJollyMon]

Great ideas....well, except for the gasoline method! YIKES!

I have also used the Duraflame logs.

[vanessa]

i use sawdust mixed with melted parfin wax then pore that in cupcake papers
works good

[rockwood06]

The egg cartons that I get were free, I came across them by accident, we were in PA buying meats at a country type store, the egg cartons hold 18 eggs and they were piled up about 3' from the floor. I enquired about them, the store manager said all they do is burn them up, but I could have all I could carry so I did. I have enough to make over 8,000 starter.

[milzat]

I sometimes place a small pile of Match-Light charcoal in the fire ring, then stack my fire wood on top. Light it with a match or gas lighter.

Sit back and enjoy.

[Rockinwood]

I used to use diesel, and now at 4.30 a gallon no way in he double hockey sticks, now it is a little 2 cycle, of course this is on damp wood.

[jmyers]

C-4 works great, if you can find it. Wally World doesn't seem to carry it.

[NDJollyMon]

I've actually seen the explosive, C4 burn. It was on top of a burning drum of diesel fuel. It was the only time I've had to abandon a fire truck...and RUN! (when you see the bomb squad running...you know you are in the wrong place!)

[rockwood06]

With the type of fire starter I make, there is very little cost involved, I thought I would past the Idea and the savings on and it's safer then fuels.

[dimurrrw]

My method is to cut/chop up a Duraflame log (or a similar item) and store the pieces in a plastic bag. Works for me and it is a lot less work.

[quiltertess]

I use the cardboard egg cartons with dryer lint and candle wax too. We used to make these in girl scouts. I keep the egg carton on my dryer and when I do a load of laundry I just empty the lint right into the egg carton. Then I just need to add the wax.