Waterproof Dryer Lint Fire-Starter

Step 9 Step 9 - Light Your Fire-Starter

 Now that they have dried, your fire-starters are ready to go.  Just light a corner and bask in the glory.  My initial test had a burn time of 15 minutes.



I'm a long time lover of this site and it's my first post..  The goal here was to take items around the house that would have otherwise wound up in a landfill and turn them into something useful.  Hope you enjoy.

Comments

[Myklknife]

I've used these for years. The longest burn time I've gotten out of them is 22 minutes. The one thing I do different is as it's cooling I add a bit of dry lint to the top to take a spark from a firesteel more easily.

[fantasyfunfaces]

Just made these after seeing your post...going camping next weekend and can't wait to use them! Thanks!!

[Aaronius]

Good Firestarter. I add sawdust as well for a hotter burn.

[jwystup]

These are A-MAZ-ING! Started the fire like magic. I mean, we weren't so much "roughing it", we were just camping out at a campgrounds with dry wood and a fire pit and these were stored in the car. But it was so easy!! When I was making them, my boyfriend thought I was crazy. But after it started the fire on the first try, he was telling his friends all about how awesome it was ;) Great instructable!

[At29035ft]

love it.

[holderar]

I made a dozen last year when I first saw the article. They worked so well I saved so much lint this year that I could make 36. This time I used leftover bits of yarn to tie them up since my wife has an unlimited supply.

the heavier the rain the more of them you use at once I guess :)

[dlarribas]

Yarn is a great idea. I don't have a lot of floss, but my mom has literally a shed full of yarn.

[shirley ujest]

I love this! I always have lint and various old candles. Dixie cups would work too.


Thanks!

[brickman93]

i made these, and had some left over wax. try rolling up some cotton t-shirt, and dunk it in the wax, works great.

[johnnypanic13]

Thanks, I'm going to give these a shot. I tried something like this with empty toilet paper tubes and lint. But they didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Maybe I'll try those again with wax too. The toilet paper tube version (sans wax coating) just kinda smoldered and smoked even when i used a bic lighter on it. It sounds like these give a steadier flame, looking forward to trying them. I wonder if there would be any variant that would start with a striking steel spark. now that would be something. hmmmmm....

[bobthebanana]

great instructable, one tip would be to pour wax all over the lint before closing it up, it would soak up a lot and last a lot longer.

[At29035ft]

Yes indeed, you want to make sure the lint soaks up the wax.  Fortunately, "closing it up" doesn't really create a full seal but it does make a helpful enclosure once the wax hardens.

[FabFab888]

Just made these but with sawdust because I always have tons around. Doesnt sop up the wax as good but burned for 10 minutes and got my fire going. Cool idea

[sisar]

So why cant we just carry a candle instead of this? it can start a fire and lights up just fine under damp conditions. nice inscrutable none the less! ~ cheerio

[At29035ft]

A candle will certainly start a fire, but then again, so will a Bic lighter. The idea for this project is to create a flame with some substance, a flame that will ensure an easy light. As you can see from the photos/video, you get a significant flame to work with here, essential to success in damp or less than ideal conditions.

[brickman93]

also, this is using materials that will just end up in a land fill if not put to a better use. i plan to make these ant take them camping.

[phthalanx]

I agree, that this is more useful to humans. However, I doubt that the environment would be better served if we light the stuff on fire, as opposed to allowing microorganisms to consume it (obviously excluding the wax), possibly producing nutrients for life.

Regardless, I was looking for a good recipe for waterproof firestarters, and this one worked perfectly.

I'll be taking these camping for sure, too.

[phillyrocks]

This is pretty awesome I got a 10 minute burn time. The only problem is it doesn't take a spark from flint and steel.

[Militant.Jester]

Just made two of these! (All I had the materials for.) 
Used drier lint + wood shavings. Coated in leftover candle wax.
They are drying right now. The cardboard really absorbed the wax - I was expecting it to more like make a coating. Is this what other people experienced? 
Next time I'm going to use something other than dental floss...

Going camping next week. Will tell how they work out!

[SMBonante]

I've made these before, and they do work on damp kindling. If you stack the fire right, a light to medium rain can be worked around. Downpours require a bit more ingenuity.

I have a suggestion for an "Improvement" that makes lighting them easier.

If you put 1" of Tiki torch wick, treated with the wax, so that it sticks out of the top, will give you a better "light point." It might also increase burn time, as the wick will draw melted wax up for a time before burning away.

[neonix]

This is really cool. I think one improvement that can be made is to use a thin rope in place of the dental floss, and then it can be used as a wick in the final product. Or you could put an actual wick in place before waxing them.

Very nice guide, and cool end result. I may have to make these some time.

[At29035ft]

I agree that a basic twine would make for a great starting wick.  I struggled between buying twine or going the "using only household items" route.  Good stuff.

[Oldbear]

   We pour the wax in before cutting them apart.  And I tear them instead of cutting - the rough edges light easier.  

   But, this is NOT me complaining...  I've sent this Instructable to my family, it is very well done; and much easier then explaining over the phone.

[At29035ft]

Thanks Oldbear, appreciate the comment.  I've used the pouring technique in the past but have opted for the full submersion here in an effort to secure better waterproofing.

[chocobo]

Slightly confused, so it should burn fine in the rain as well? 

[neopirater]

My guess is by "waterproof", no...Rain would obviously eventually put this out. But for storage purposes...if this was to get wet, you should be able to still start it...as the wax will prevent the water from seeping in.

[At29035ft]

Exactly.  I think this starter would have a solid shot at drying some damp wood, but I haven't tested it in torrential downpour.  The benefit here would be a lasting flame instead of working with wet kindling.

[xd12c]

I like the idea for the double boiler. When we made them, we melted the wax IN the pan directly & had to watch carefully to avoid a flash fire. Another method (if you don't get cardboard egg cartons) is to roll the lint in a few sheets of newspaper, tie the roll ever 2 inches with twine or cotton string, cut & then dip. Leaving the waxed string also gives you a nice wick.
i found the cotton string in the hardware section at Target, but butchers twin will also work. Most supermarkets also carry the parafin wax.

[elelove]

Good Performance~,It's useful and beautiful