Fire starting methods...thank you A.S.!!!

[woodbooga]

I wasn't aware that starting a fire was such an ordeal. I must be doing it wrong.

:hmm3grin2orange:

3 crumpled broadsheet sized pieces of newspaper and 6-10 1" wide pieces of white pine is all we need. Toss on a few slightly bigger sticks and we're good to go.

 

[Basso]

Paper Shredder

Hello,
I have a criss-cross paper shredder and the resultant cut paper makes a good base to throw some kindling on. It burns kind of weird but works good !!!!!

Basso

 

[litefoot]

My grandfather would say (with a Southern USA accent), "Ain't yaw never heard of a thang called diesel?"

 

[KsWoodsMan]

For years I've been using Trioxane fuel bars (used in Esbit folding stoves, burns for close to 5 minutes) for starting my fires (sometimes two bars to start it). Cost in bulk roughly 50 cents a bar. Stack splitter mess for kindling, progressively larger pieces over the next half hour, etc etc.

BUT, Thanks to this site I discovered two things. 1) Noodling logs lengthwise makes for fabulous tinder to start kindling. Dry it and fill a trash can with lid to keep it dry and you spent maybe 10 cents in fuel to make it!
2) the top down firestarting method completely eliminates any chemical or processed firestarter for a truly "green" heat source, and provides an instant fire...wonderful!!

Thank you folks for the wealth of knowledge I've gotten in the last two months or so!

What I like about being here is the fact that there are so many different ways to accomplish the same end result. I get some insight on ways of doing things that I might not have picked up, on my own. I get to add to the numerous ways of doing things too. I'll try it a different way , just to see how it goes. If it works great ! If it doesnt it might be because my situation wasn't exactly like theirs or I was too used to doing it my way. Never too old to learn something new, sometimes to wise to do the things I did as a youth.

For the most part, no one way is right or wrong. When I add my 2 bits in the pot it is because I see something that might help me if I was working on a similar project. Something to save a step in the process or to save some (back breaking) effort. There are many great minds here with plenty to offer. I/We get to sit back relax and read what everyone else is up to, taking in lots of information and get to try it next time we run onto the same thing. Or to give our own experiences to help out the next guy that reads any input we share. Some of it we agree with and some we don't. Even if we are on different pages we share a common interest.

 

[Upidstay]

I have an almost endless supply of wood pallets. They're mostly pine boards. I also have a ridiculous amount of white pine trees on my land (former owner was tree-happy) so my pine stick supply is almost unlimited too.

I just ball up a few sheets of newspaper, add some sticks, a few split pallet boards (1" or so). Toss a match and they get going nicely.

 

[coppermouse]

When I replaced my catalytic converter, the guy at the converter company send not to use those fire starter logs you get at wallmart or home depot, the wax stuff in them clogs the converter if you have a cat stove

 

[mranum]

When I replaced my catalytic converter, the guy at the converter company send not to use those fire starter logs you get at wallmart or home depot, the wax stuff in them clogs the converter if you have a cat stove

I had heard that too along with not to burn any laminated papers. Thats why I didn't want a Cat.

 

[laynes69]

I make my own starters. I use recycled paraffin from work and I mix it with dry sawdust, bark bits, and pine cones. Then I compress the mix in a 1" thick slab and cut them with my saw. I have had them 2" squares burn for 45 minutes before. I put 1 on top of 2 large logs, then put 2"to 3" diameter pieces of wood and light it and forget it. Works well for me, and costs me nothing.

 

[fletcher0780]

for my inside stoves I have one of these little beauties:

Works really well, just fill the pot with odorless kerosene, soak the stone on the end of the wand in the pot, and you end up with about 15-20 minutes of burn time to start your kindling.

 

[ktmsooner]

I use fat wood that you get at Lowe's or Walmart. Two or three slivers under some dry small pieces of wood and off it goes.

 

[ktmsooner]

Oh, forgot to mention I sometimes just use my trigger operated mapp gas handheld torch. It will get it going fast.

 

[Moss Man]

Crumple up several pages of newspaper and place them in stove, put a piece of cardboard on top of that and then put kindling over that. Torch that up and close the door almost all the way to increase cold chimley draft. As the kindling drops to the bottom, ad bigger and bigger wood.

 

[cunrya]

diesel or used motor oil, both if the wifes fired up about no hot water.

 

[Marc]

Just a few balled up pages of newspaper, I use the free local paper, no coated paper (glossy print). Small dry stuff on top of that, since I save all but the smallest brush when I cut a tree (everything down to ~1" dia). Wood match, and away we go. Not rocket science.

 

[greengiant]

Two years ago a small sawmill near me put out a GIANT bundle of kiln drying boards by the road with a free sign on it. My neighbor told me about them and said he used them to get coals burning again in the morning. The boards were all hardwood, 7-8' in length, and 1"x1.5". I wish I had taken the whole bundle, but I only took about 100 boards, as they are great at starting fires, and for restarting when you are down to a few coals. To cut them up,I took about 30 of the boards, ratchet tied them together in a tight bundle, and cut them to 12-16" length. I still have enough for this season, but am hoping to score something like that again soon. I also have some hemlock slabwood that I can hold in one hand, and drop a 14lb maul on and split into tiny kindling very easily. I've never tried that with pine, but it sounds like that is what some others do. I can easily get White Pine around here, I'll have to grab a couple pieces and see how it does. I'm new to the site, but really enjoying the wealth of knowledge that is spreading around. Hope this helps.....greengiant

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Although not anywhere near as "green" as your methods I load the owb with rounds, throw in 2 road flares and close the door. No need to even check it, it's raging in 10 minutes.opcorn:

I have some expired SOLAS parachute flares do you want to buy them? I can't use them since I do not own a boat anymore. Although it may be difficult to ship them out.

 

[rsscully]

I use these, there are especially good for camping or backpacking and are completely waterproof and free if you eat eggs, use a clothes dryer and burn candles.


http://www.solareagle.com/PREP/FSTART.HTM

They burn for about ten minutes.

 

[skid row]

I rake up all the wood by product that falls to the ground after running the splitter. I place it in black 55 gallon drums loosely covered to keep the rain out.
Drums are placed in the sun all summer long so the moisture escapes.
Makes great fire starting kindling.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Oh, forgot to mention I sometimes just use my trigger operated mapp gas handheld torch. It will get it going fast.

+1 :agree2: Works like a charm!

But the dryer lint with wax is something I've used in the past - it's just hard to get hold of excess paraffin or candle scraps.

Dirty shop rags to a great job too - especially if you've been cleaning carburetors. WOOF! There go my eyebrows! :greenchainsaw:

 

[Scootermsp]

Actually they were free

Somebody is paying for them....your employer, the government, the railroad.....or us taxpayers.

They were being disposed of due to their age....so they really were FREE, but thank you Mr. Smartypants you're quite the taxpayer advocate.