Need Sawdust

[Pack2]

I want to make firestarters using sawdust, paraffin, and egg cartons. The last two items I have but getting a sizeable amount of sawdust is proving to be a problem. Okay you Scouters out there, give me some ideas where to get sawdust (about a 1 gallon bag full) or if there are other suggestions / substitutions.

 

THANKS!

[cheffy]

here's a few ideas.

First avoid treated chips and dust.

Try your local lumber yard and I mean lumber yard not big box store. if they cut alot of wood that's non treated they should have a pile by the table saw. Also if they do mill work.

 

other ideas.

Local schools wood shop

furniture makers(we got chips from one near us that were all mahogany)

check with adults who are into wood working.

BTW if you get chips froma jointer,planer or router they are better than sawdust.

HTH

[Wishboat]

We just use cedar pet bedding -- not treated with anything, inexpensive and it makes a great starters. When we needed a large quantity to do a pit firing of replica Indian pottery, we went to a small woodshop that had a sign by the road "clean shavings for sale" -- and they donated a pickup full.

[Double Eagle]

Check with home depot or Lowes. They usually cut wood to order and have a lot. Just take your bag or bucket and fill up.

[AK-Eagle]

If there is a horse stable nearby you might ask them... Some of them use sawdust as a base material in stables under the straw it holds mositure better.

 

Phillip Martin

aka

AK-Eagle

[Eamonn]

you might want to look at the G2SS before you start using liquid fuels.

Eamonn

[Double Eagle]

Eamonn does give you a reference about use of liguid fuel, pages 33 & 34. Not prohibited but guidance is given. This is similiar to sheath knifes in myth. Not prohibited by national but careful consideration is needed, page 43; "Avoid large sheath knives...". Some councils put additional restrictions on items outlined as ok by the GTSS.

[Twocubdad]

I was going to offer to ship you a box, but the idea of using cedar pet bedding is even better. For a couple or three bucks at WalMart you'll have 10 times more shavings that you'll ever be able to afford the paraffin for.

[ScoutNut]

You might want to try dryer lint instead of sawdust. Also, old, broken up candles can be used instead of purchasing paraffin.

 

Paper egg cartons (not foam) make great firestarters, but remember to be careful and use a double boiler when melting the wax!

 

 

[Wishboat]

You might want to try this way instead of melting the wax in a pot (who wants to clean that pot, anyway...?) it lets the kids do the work, and they get to use fire, so they're happy:

 

I'm GS, not BSA, so I've used this method with third-graders and up (younger girls make "candy kiss"/"Brownie Kiss" fire-starters by wrapping small blocks of paraffin or candle pieces in wax paper twists so they look like toffees).

 

Use the cardboard egg cartons get the kids to cut them into sections and stuff them with the cedar shavings (or pine pet bedding it works well too). After reading these posts, I think I'll have each girl bring some dryer lint from home to try they'll love that.

 

Give each an old candle stub this is how we use up old candles from ceremonies. They get to hold the lighted candle at an angle and let it drip wax over the surface of the chips, sealing them in place.

 

Doing it this way, I've seen it help kids who have a fear of being close to fire it teaches them the directional properties of a flame as they work with the angle. They also like to add the starters they make to the troop kit (we've even let them write their names on the carton pieces, so they can use their own firestater when they're the firebuilder).

 

When the candle stubs are too short for them to hold safely, we use them for the candy starters or use them for (what else?) wishboats.

 

Wishboat

 

 

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Wishboat)

[SR540Beaver]

One note on using dryer lint. Only use lint from drying cotton articles. Synthetic lent is basically plastic and it melts instead of burning. Your firestarters will work much better with cotton lint than synthetic lint.

[Eamonn]

Hang On There Beav,

We have a small room that I rarely enter. In this room sits two machines. One that is hooked up to the water supply and the other one isn't.

The one that isn't is fairly easy you just unload the stuff from the wet machine into this one, throw a couple of smelly sheets in. Wait about 20 Min's. and that Scout shirt is ready to go. The wet machine requires a lot more organization. If you don't sort the white stuff out from the other stuff, the white stuff turns pink. You can throw a few jiggers of bleach in with this white load. Then you have to sort out the dark stuff from the light stuff. There is something that is like bleach but isn't bleach that you can add to the light stuff but not the dark stuff. The wet machine has all sorts of dials and buttons. You also need to add some powder to all of these. The scoop that comes with the powder makes a great toy.

Now you want to sort out the cotton stuff from the non cotton stuff so we can ensure that we have good quality lint!!

Don't you think propane would make life a lot easier?

Eamonn.

(Joking.)

[ScoutNut]

Maybe easier, but not nearly as much fun!!!

 

It's when you find yourself saving toilet paper rolls, sorting dryer lint and scrounging broken candles that you know you have arrived as a Scouter ! LOL!

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

"It's when you find yourself saving toilet paper rolls, sorting dryer lint and scrounging broken candles that you know you have arrived as a Scouter "

 

 

I thought it was when your plans for remodeling the bathroom was mainly composed of digging a deeper hole?

[cheffy]

I thought it was when your plans for remodeling the bathroom was mainly composed of digging a deeper hole?

 

Isn't that a Jeff Foxworthy joke?