Not all of us are skilled fire starters and the last thing I want to do when I’m camping is spend a ton of time trying to get a fire started. B and I always seem to get at least one rainy day every time we go camping so being able to start a fire quickly and easily is a must.
While most stores that sell camping supplies sell fire starter sticks, B and I have found a way to make them at home with things that most of us could get our hands on they are are completely free!
What You Will Need:
- Egg crates ( the cardboard / papery kind, not Styrofoam)
- Old candles for the wax
- Wood chips, wood shavings, saw dust
- Some way to melt wax and pour it.
What to Do:
1. Start by Melting your Wax:
We used some old stick candles that were dirty and black; ones we wouldn’t use for decorating anymore. For faster melting we broke the candle wax up into small chunks but you really wouldn’t have to. Once we had some chunks broken up, we put them into a container to melt. [We made ours while camping and forgot an old saucepan or something to melt them in so B being the engineer he is, rigged up an empty beer can to melt over our camp fire.]
2. Prep your egg crates:
While you are waiting for your wax to melt, set up your egg crates by removing the lids. Fill, each “cup” with your wood chips or saw dust. It’s ok for the wood to heap over a bit.
3. Pour Your Wax:
Once your wax is melted and your egg crates are set up with the wood, pour your wax into each little cup filling as much as you can. Try not to overfill the cups with wax.
4. Repeat as Necessary:
Once the wax has cooled, push the wood / wax into the cups and add more wood and wax as needed. Don’t push too hard because you don’t want to compact the mixture too much.
5. Separate your Fire Starters:
Once complete and cool, use a utility knife, heavy duty scissors or even a band saw to cut your fire starter cups apart.
6. Store In Dry, Air-Tight Container:
Once your starters are cut apart, store them in a dry, air tight container until ready to use.
When you are ready to start a fire, you simply stack your kindling around one of your starters, light it on fire and then add wood as necessary to grow your fire. These little things work like a dream and we’ll never buy another pack of fire starters at the store again. I’m guessing after this, you wont ever either!
Whether you are planning to light a campfire or hanging out around a fire pit in the back yard, starting a fire can take a lot of time and buying fire starters can get expensive. By taking a little time to make your own with things you already have and may otherwise throw away, you are not only saving yourself money but reusing something too!
I hope you enjoyed this fun DIY project!
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