{"id":4044,"date":"2021-08-04T00:20:23","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T00:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/?p=4044"},"modified":"2021-08-04T01:00:32","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T01:00:32","slug":"making-firestarters-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/2021\/08\/04\/making-firestarters-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Firestarters — photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although over the past few weeks I have continued cooking a number of dishes from my collection of recipes<\/a>, for this post, I decided to highlight another obsessive hobby of mine: Making firestarters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I make these firestarters in such large quantities over time that I have few hard numbers quantifying “how much wax” or “how long to allow cooling” or “melt to what temperature”; it is a matter of experience and “feel”, although it is a process which could easily lend itself to measured amounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process allows for me to do many of the steps below separately, as well prepare “for the next batch”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although I used to regularly sell these at craft fairs and flea markets, I now just liberally give them out to my neighbours at the cottage, as well as of course using them myself to light fires in the fireplace at the cottage during heating season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparing the egg carton wells:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flats from eggs sold in bulk were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Egg carton flats taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Egg carton flats taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Each flat is brought up to the light and checked for holes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Flat checked for holes in the light. This flat has three wells with holes in them.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wells with holes were cut out of the egg carton flat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wells with holes cut out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Flats were then trimmed around the edges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Flat trimmed around the edges<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Trimmed flats are stacked together for future cutting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Trimmed flats stacked<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Trimmed flats stacked<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Flats were cut into pieces to be further cut:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Flat cut into pieces to be further cut into pieces<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The flat pieces were again cut into manageable pieces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Flat cut again into pieces<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pieces were cut into individual sets of wells of varying formats (2, 3, or 4 wells) for making the firestarters: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Flat cut into formats of 2, 3, and 4 wells<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The cut wells are stored in a box:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cut wells stored in box<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Making the firestarters:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melting the wax:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A portable electric countertop stove was turned on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Stove turned on<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some old candles were placed in a pot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Old candles placed in a pot<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pot of old candles was placed on the stove:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pot of candles placed on the stove<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wax was melted:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Melting wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When “enough” wax was melted …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Melted wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… liquid wax was poured off into a coffee can, which is a convenient size for dipping the filled egg carton wells and soaking them in wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Liquid wax poured into a coffee can<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Liquid wax in coffee can<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Large unmelted pieces of wax were put aside for the next batch, and some solids such as a metal wick base and a wick were transferred to another coffee can where solids from the melting of waxes is collected, to be later rendered for its wax value, and the solids burned in the fireplace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Solids from candle meliting saved in a coffee can<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Preparing the egg cartons<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut egg carton wells were laid out on a tray:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cut egg carton wells laid on a tray<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Using a sawdust and wax filler:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, a sawdust filler is used, which I normally create after the current step; hence here, I used sawdust filler made during a previous batch. If you have not done so , see the sections (lower down) on making the sawdust and wax filler.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cubes of sawdust and wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wells of the cut egg cartons were filled with the sawdust and wax mixture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Egg carton wells filled with sawdust and wax mix<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Dipping the filled egg carton wells in the melted wax:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A grouping of egg carton wells filled with sawdust and wax mix was picked up with a pair of pliers, and brought over to the coffee can of liquid wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Egg carton wells with sawdust and wax picked up with pliers, brought to coffee can of liquid wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wells were dipped in the liquid wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wells dipped in liquid wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The dipped wells were lifted out of the liquid wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dipped wells lifted out of liquid wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The dipped well was returned to the tray:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dipped well returned to tray<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The rest of the wells were dipped in the liquid wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
All wells dipped in liquid wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The tray of firestarters was placed on the lawn outside my shed where there was a light breeze to help cool the firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Firestarters placed in the breeze to cool<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Trimming the firestarters:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mostly cooled firestarters were picked up, in order to trim the solidified wax from the bottoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Mostly cooled firestarters picked up, to trim solidified wax from bottoms<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The solidified wax was trimmed off the bottoms of the firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wax trimmed off bottoms of firestarters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wax trimmings were placed back in the pot with the unmelted candles, to be melted during the making of a future batch of firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wax trimmings placed in pot<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Making the sawdust and wax filling:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sawdust was taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sawdust taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sawdust was placed on a tray:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sawdust placed on tray<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The liquid wax, which at this point had started cooling and hardening, was placed back on the stove to remelt the wax: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Melted wax placed back on stove<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The remelted wax was slowly poured over the sawdust:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Melted wax poured over sawdust<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Melted wax poured over sawdust<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sawdust not having absorbed any liquid wax was shifted on top of the rest with hot wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sawdust covering the rest with hot wax<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

More sawdust was added to cover the wax soaked sawdust:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
More sawdust added to cover the wax soaked sawdust<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The sawdust was pressed down with my hands to spread out the hot wax:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sawdust pressed down with my hands<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The wax and sawdust were put aside in order to cool for a few hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Wax and sawdust allowed to cool<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The rest of making the filler can be found at the end of this page, after the section on bagging the firestarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutting and trimming fireststarters:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The firestarters, now having cooled, were brought into the house, and placed on a working surface, a piece of plywood board on the floor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Firestarters placed on a cutting surface<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A knife with a serrated blade was taken out to cut the firestarters into individual units:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Knife with serrated blade taken out to cut firestarters into individual units<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The firestarters were cut into individual units:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Firestarters cut into individual units<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Firestarters cut into individual units<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Firestarters cut into individual units<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The protruding bits of sawdust and wax were trimmed with a pocket knife:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Protruding bits of sawdust and wax trimmed with pocket knife<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Protruding bits of sawdust and wax trimmed with pocket knife<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Protruding bits of sawdust and wax trimmed with pocket knife<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, an individual firestarter does not need to be trimmed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Firestarter not needing to be trimmed<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Here is the pile of trimmed firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pile of trimmed firestarters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Trimmings from the firestarters were placed in the can, for use in a future batch of firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Trimmings placed in can, for use in a future batch of firestarters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Bagging the firestarters:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trimmed firestarters were grouped in dozens (in this case, three dozen):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Trimmed firestarters grouped in dozens<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Seven inch by eight inch sealable bags were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sealable bags taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Sealable bags taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Firestarters were placed in bags, a dozen per bag:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Firestarters were placed in bag<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Prior to making this batch of firestarters, printed out labels were copied, four to a page (and for this post, my phone number was blacked out in the pictures):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Printed out labels, four to a page<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Labels were cut:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Labels cut<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Labels cut<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Labels cut<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Labels were folded over (note that I live in a predominantly French-speaking area, hence the text is in both English and French):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Label folded over<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A folded over label was placed in each bag:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Folded over label placed in bag<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And here are the three bags of firestarters made in this batch, ready to give away or sell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Three bags of firestarters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The bags of firestarters were placed in a plastic crate with other bags of firestarters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Bags of firestarters placed in a crate with other bags of firestarters<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Back to making the sawdust filling:<\/em><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A while later, when the sawdust and wax mix had completely cooled, excess sawdust on the tray was transferred back into the bucket of sawdust:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Loose sawdust transferred back to bucket<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Loose sawdust transferred back to bucket<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Excess sawdust was brushed off of the cooled and solidified sawdust and wax mix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Excess sawdust brushed off cooled and solidified sawdust and wax mix<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The cooled and solidified sawdust and wax mix was brought to my work surface:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cooled and solidified sawdust and wax mix brought to work surface<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some of the pieces of solidified sawdust and wax mixture were placed on the work surface to cut into smaller pieces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pieces of solidified sawdust and wax mixture placed on work surface<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pieces of sawdust and wax were cut into fairly small cubes (about half an inch) :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Solidified sawdust and wax mix<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some of the sawdust and wax pieces were sliced into lengths …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Some pieces sliced into lengths<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… which were then cut into about half inch cubes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Slices of sawdust and wax cut into half inch cubes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the cubes and crumbs were placed into a container, to be used as filler for a future batch of firestarters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cubes and crumbs placed in container<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you came from the top section to see how to make the sawdust filler, return to the section on filling the egg carton wells.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although over the past few weeks I have continued cooking a number of dishes from my collection of recipes, for this post, I decided to highlight another obsessive hobby of mine: Making firestarters! I make these firestarters in such large quantities over time that I have few hard numbers quantifying “how much wax” or “how … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Making Firestarters — photos”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-camping"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4044"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4142,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4044\/revisions\/4142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}