Comments on: Homemade Fire Starters

By: sal

sal — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:33:04 +0000

Great ideas, nothing warmer than a wood fire. A friend I had used walnut shells in her fires. She said they burned forever. Gee, I hope I win this time. ;o)

By: Angelina

Angelina — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:06:42 +0000

I made these with the cardboard egg cartons. One set with wood shavings, newspaper, and melted wax. The other set with wood shavings, Dryer Lint, newspaper, and melted wax. They both worked excellently! A single egg cup burned for 10 minutes! These work Great! Thanks for the idea!

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:40:46 +0000

Love your fire starters!! We made the egg carton/lint/wax ones when i was in girl scouts a LONG time ago! So much fun and easy to make! They work wonderfully, dont they?! I really like the pine cone idea too!

By: SuzzyQ

SuzzyQ — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:24:27 +0000

Great idea, as usual. After reading your post, I was pondering what else I could use that I already had saved and I came up with walnut shells. I just smack them on the countertop and they crack open as two complete halves, not a bunch of little pieces. You can also just crack them slightly using a nut cracker and then using a pick, pry it open. They would be small, but with enough dryer lint and wax, would probably work just fine. I’m adding some dried orange peal per your suggestion. Funny, I had saved them to help the fire along, but hadn’t thought of adding all the yummmmy smelling stuff. Very clever, you are!

By: Bill

Bill — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:10:44 +0000

I used to have to worry about having some sort of fire starters on hand…..wood heat is my primary heat at my 3 acre piece of heaven.
One day outside I lit a waxed produce carton and the flames shot 7 feet into the air. I instantly knew where my neverending source of FREE and easy fire starters was….any grocery store produce dept.
Even if wet, the waxed cartons dry soon and are great starters as they are parrafin treated, and just a small strip works. I cit the boxes into strips about 3 by 12 inches. I have never had a store unhappy at my request for these cartons, either, as they have to go in the dumpster otherways.

By: josie9395s

josie9395s — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:43:51 +0000

Try mixing sawdust in with your wax and then filling the egg cups about 1/2 to 2/3 full. A lot of sawdust and enough wax to hold it together I would say, not soupy.

By: Donna O'Brien

Donna O'Brien — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:06:23 +0000

I dont generally have a difficult time starting the fire, just a lack of kindling, so thanks for the great idea, have pine cones and lots of dryer lint and candles.

By: Mrboo8

Mrboo8 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:45:07 +0000

Chestnuts roasting on a open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.

The fire in the fireplace makes me feel so lazy .

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:45:56 +0000

Chickens need vacations too, y’know! Actually, I think it is just this time of year. Dark early, cold, sun comes up late, lots of cloudy days…I wouldn’t want to lay an egg either! Just watch, end of this month or early January, things will pick up and you will be back in the egg business!

By: cheryl

cheryl — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:47:11 +0000

I was at Sam’s oen day last week and saw bags of pinecones that were wax covered and scented to use as fire starters and they were like $19 a bag!!! Instead of drizzling the wax over the pinecones they emerged the entire pine cone and coated them with probably three coats of wax…..they were almost too pretty to burn!!