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Making your own firestarters

jhl192
jhl192 Posts: 1,006
edited September 2012 in EggHead Forum
I normally use the BGE Electric Firestarter but the other day it was raining and I thought better to drag out the extention cord.   A small box of BGE firestarters are $6 or $7 and it seems like they are just sawdust and parafin wax.  Does anybody on the forum make their own or have a better source.  I would like to place 3 or 4 around the charcoal pit and get a more distributed burn in lass time.  Any ideas?  I used my weber chimney starter the other day and that worked good but does not really fit too well.   
XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    if you want to save money on the sawdust wax starters, buy a whole duraflame type log and chip off what you need. even cheaper and already found in your house is paper towell and a very light drizzle of veggie oil
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    A paper towel, with a couple teaspoons of cooking oil, folded in quarters then twisted into a wick. Cheap and works better than the parrafin squares.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669

    This is faster 

    image 
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    If I'm in a hurry, I use a heat gun to start a few spots then hit the bottom vent with a gas leaf blower (idle is plenty good).  Pretty nice fire after a few minutes.  Then I have to make sure the deck isn't burning as well.
    :D
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • I use 60 ml of 99% isopropyl then I hit the coals with an air matress pump for about 30 seconds.  It's good to go in about 5 minutes. Sometimes it gets a bit sparky but it's usually not that bad.

     

  • KingtUT
    KingtUT Posts: 157
    I have had absolutely no luck with the paper towel and oil.  Does it have to be veggie oil? Is it a very , very light amount of oil, like a fine mist all over the towel, someone help!
  • KingtUT
    KingtUT Posts: 157
    Too much oil = no burn??? , not enough oil = towel burns to quick??
  • Backpackers make firestarters by soaking cotton balls in vaseline. Might need a couple to fire up an egg. Also, you can fill the compartments of an egg container with drier lint and then poor in melted wax.
  • Outcast
    Outcast Posts: 112
    30 weight motor oil.

    Just kidding.  I've used plain old veggie oil just until the paper towel was damp.  It worked fine.  I would compare it to a wick from an oil lamp.  Its just burning the oil until its all used up, then the paper burns.
  • The paper towel & oil route has worked perfectly for me.  I can see getting an electric starter tho.
  • I've been using these that I get at Ace Hardware.  They work great.  144 squares for $14.00.  I cut a square in half and start the lump in two places and have yet to have a single issue getting my fire started.

    image
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    Welcome to the Swamp.....GO GATORS!!!!
  • DonWW
    DonWW Posts: 424
    This may take the discussion down a different path, but I bought a Looft Lighter and have been using it for the past few months.  Very happy with it.  Downside is the $80 ticket price.  Upside is a really quick start.  60 seconds is all it takes for a really nice glow to be generated.  For hot cooks (300+ degrees) I start 3 different spots in the lump.  For low/slow, only one or two.  
    XL and Medium.  Dallas, Texas.
  • I like the Diamond Strike-a-Fire sticks. They are $2.09 for 12 at my high-priced grocery store. I break them in half and get 24 starts.

    I saw another brand at Wal-Mart, but I haven't tried them yet. I intend to.

    Tim
  • KingtUT said:
    I have had absolutely no luck with the paper towel and oil.  Does it have to be veggie oil? Is it a very , very light amount of oil, like a fine mist all over the towel, someone help!
    I tear a full size paper towel in half, put it into a plastic tumbler, and pour a few table spoons of oil on it.  I like it saturated.  I have not had a problem lighting them even when they were dripping in oil.  Sometimes i will need another half sheet to get the fire going.  Veggie oil, canola oil,  any oil will work, as long as it burns (just not motor oil ;) )
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102

    DonWW said:
    This may take the discussion down a different path, but I bought a Looft Lighter and have been using it for the past few months.  Very happy with it.  Downside is the $80 ticket price.  Upside is a really quick start.  60 seconds is all it takes for a really nice glow to be generated.  For hot cooks (300+ degrees) I start 3 different spots in the lump.  For low/slow, only one or two.  
    This Harbor Freight heat gun works great for starting - 1500 watts, and only $14.  I've used this one and my expensive digital DeWalt heat gun, and the cheaper one works better.

    http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-dual-temperature-heat-gun-572-1112-96289.html
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..