Monday, January 4, 2010

Ugly Fire Starters

Our very first Project of the Week* is the much anticipated (on our part if not yours) Ugly Fire Starters. When I was relating the not so successful attempt with the pine cones to my brother, he gave me this idea. Since they aren't supposed to be pretty, I figured we could handle it.
1. Fill the holes of a cardboard egg carton with dryer lint. DH works at an industrial lumber supply company, so our dryer lint is usually full of saw dust; which I figure makes it superior quality for fire starters. Aren't you jealous of my dryer lint now? Notice the foil covered counter top this time. Now when the wax dribbles all over the place I can just peel it off and put it back in the melting pot. (Thanks for the tip, Brother!)
2. Fill the holes with melted paraffin wax.
3. When it hardens, cut the egg carton apart.
4. To use the fire starter, light the cardboard edge and place under kindling.

These would be great for camping, cookouts, etc. Supposedly they are waterproof, but we haven't tested that aspect yet. I imagine that even if the cardboard were to get wet, you could still light them by melting off some of the wax and exposing the dryer lint to use as your wick.

The best part about this project? We have actually found a practical use for all of that cat hair. The irony though, is that I have spent the last week sorting, organizing and throwing away stuff we don't need and now I'm saving lint.

*I have tried my very best to come up with a clever acronym by which to identify our Project of the Week in the post titles. POW seems offensive. Got any suggestions?

8 comments:

  1. But . . . we already know that you don't produce any dryer lint! Nice try, Nitrocat!

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  2. I'd suggest "Venture of the week" -- but VOW is a bit intimidating, wouldn't you agree?

    "Weekly Home Improvement Projects" . . . bummer . . . I'm usually pretty good at this. ;-(

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  3. How 'bout 'Mess Maker of the Week'? MMW - that's not offensive, eh?

    I don't know, I kinda like WHIP, myself. :-P

    Actually, this sounds like an interesting project. Does the wax seep down into the hair, er...lint, or just make a crust on the top?

    Another question: how are you melting your paraffin/wax stuff? Do you just get it at the craft store?

    :-)

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  4. The wax soaks into the lint and some of the cardboard.

    I'm still working on using up the 10# glacier of paraffin we bought at the craft store, but in the future I might just get the Gulf Wax from the grocery store. We melt it in a tin set in water in an electric skillet.

    More on wax in the days ahead...
    S

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  5. Great idea! How 'bout 'Winner of the Week'- WOW?

    I'm curious as to what you'll think of next!

    :o)

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  6. It is your "Carefully Researched Art For Today", or CRAFT.

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  7. I have gulf wax, if you want to try some!

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