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[Anonymous]

FIRESTARTERS

You only need 4 things:

cardboard egg cartons (use just the bottom part)
wood shavings/curls
old wax
old cookie sheet or something to set the egg cartons on

Put the egg carton bottoms on the cookie sheet … any extra wax will then go onto the cookie sheet and not on the counter.  Stuff about 1/4 cup of wood shavings into each “egg”.  Melt the wax and pour it over the wood shavings.  Let dry over night and the next day cut the egg cartons into individual “eggs”.  

When you want to start a fire, just put one of the eggs at the bottom, add kindling and a couple of pieces of wood and start the egg/shavings on fire.  It will burn for about 10-15 minutes and by that time the fire will go going very well.

This is a good way to recycle old egg cartons, wood shavings and wax (old candles etc); and elminiates the need for paper when starting a wood fire.  I melt the wax in an old tea kettle on top of the wood stove.  

[Anonymous]

We used to gather pine cones on our camping trips, then dip them in wax & use them as firestarters next time we went. Good for gifts, too, if you use scented wax.

[imported_vlozano]

Dried (used) coffee grounds can also be added. I just lift the filter right out of the basket and dry them as is. The roll them into cigar shapes.

[imported_janniwanni54Participant]

My husband and I found a good way to start fires in our wood burning furnace.  I made pillars for my daughter's wedding out of pizza boxes and carpet tubes.  (another recycling story).  Well, I had some carpet tube remnants left over.  My husband was just going to burn them in the trash pile, and I suggested he use them to start fires in the wood stove.  They work great.  He lays a couple sections in the stove, with some wadded newspaper.  He used to buy the compressed firestarters in the store.  I asked him, “Isn't cardboard just a compressed wood product?”  So now that's all he uses, and the tubes are free.  We called our local carpet seller, and they recycle them anyway, so we take them and cut them to size.

[imported_TeroParticipant]

On days when you can not hang your laundry, dryer lint is a WONDERFUL fire starter. It is one of the most flammable things in our homes. Adding it in the great egg carton recipe or in the tubes and it is almost as good as fat lighter. :)

[imported_rfrankParticipant]

To make fire starters, mix turpentine with a batch of sawdust and pack inside a 20 ga. shotgun hull. Slide a 12 ga hull over the 20 ga. and dip in melted wax to seal. These can be carried in your pocket and they will stay “fresh” for years. To use, simply empty part of the contents and presto, a hot fire!

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