Paper Fused Firestarter

Hey guys this is my first instructable, so let me know what you think. Today we are making paper fused Fire-starters. I came up with these because it is truly the easiest way to start a fire. Big or small, indoors in your fireplace or outside at a camp fire. These are really easy to make, we have even made them as a project with the kids. From prep time to solid cooling time it takes a little under an hour and a half.

Step 1: Supplies and Tools

Supplies:

• Wax-For my instructable i used a white soy wax because i have a lot of it. But wax is wax you could use up the bottoms of old candles you have laying around or even crayons.
• Wood Chips: I just used the shavings from after we cut wood with a saw.
• Paper: for the paper fuse. we used a brown paper bag. (Plain paper will burn too fast and scrap book paper may take a little more to light.)
• Scissors

Tools:

• Pan to boil the water in
• an ice cube tray
• tin can. we used a vegetable can cleaned and dried
• Something to stir with. we used a Popsicle stick

Safety:

We recommend using oven mitts as the can will get hot. Safety glasses are optional

Step 2: Prep Work

Water: Fill pan about an inch or two high and put it on the stove to boil.

Wax: For this instructable I used white soy powdered wax. This is where you have several options. Most of us have some old candles that we cant burn anymore because the wick has died out, or even some left over broken used candles

Put into pan: Whether you are using powdered wax or candles this goes into the water. It can go in as soon as you have it ready the water does not need to be boiling. The wax has to melt completely.

Color: For the purpose of this instructable i added color. This is where i put in a crayon. Any color. It is absolutely not necessary just for looks.

Step 3: Tray and Fuses

Saw Dust: Fill the ice cube tray generously with saw dust.

Fuses: Cut and Fold strips of your paper for the fuses, we folded the strips in half and then rolled it slightly

Step 4: Almost Done: Filling Trays and Setting the Fuse

After your wax has melted you full the tray covering your saw dust.

You want to wait a few minutes before setting the fuses in the wax.

Once Fuses are set you will want to let this cool and harden. From fuse to harden time was approximately 1 hour.

Step 5: Using Your New Fire Starters

I place one fire starter on a little chunk of wood because once the wax starts to melt it does help the fire to keep going and get stronger.

I built up a few sticks around the fire starter and then lit the fuse