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How Make Wax Fire Starters

How Make Wax Fire Starters

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Many commercial fire starters are made out of a combination of wood and wax. Why not save some money and make your own version at home? These fire starters will burn for five minutes or longer, giving you plenty of time to ignite the tinder and get the fire going.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Wood Shavings

Things You’ll Need:
  • Paper cups
  • Baking tray
  • Sawdust
  • Wood shavings
  • Muffin wrappers
  • Muffin tray
  • Wax
  • Metal pot
  • Tin can
  • Large metal pot
  • Oven glove
Step 1
Set up paper cups or muffin holders as fire starter wrappers. If you use paper cups, place them facing upward in a baking tray to guard against accidental spills. If you use muffin wrappers, place them in a muffin tray.
Step 2
Obtain wood shavings. Buy animal bedding made out of wood shavings at the pet store. Fill your fire starter at least 1 inch full with wood shavings. If you prefer to use sawdust, skip this step.
Step 3
Gather old scraps of wax from candles, crayons and craft projects. Place them in either an old metal pot you don't mind getting wax on or inside a large tin can such as a coffee can.
Step 4
Place the pot inside a larger pot. Pour water inside the larger pot until it covers at least 4 inches of the small pot.
Step 5
Boil the water until the wax melts.
Step 6
Put on an oven glove and carefully remove the wax canister from the boiling water. Pour wax into each of your containers so that it barely reaches the top of the wood shavings. Leave the containers sitting until they cool completely.

Sawdust

Step 1
Perform steps 1 through 5 from Section 1.
Step 2
Add sawdust into the melted wax and stir with a stick. Keep adding dust until the wax can't hold more sawdust.
Step 3
Carefully pour the sawdust/wax mixture into your fire starter holders, using an oven glove. Allow the cups to cool completely.

Article Written By Isaiah David

Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has over five years experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.

Write for Trails.com

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