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DIY fire starting gel?

scatter

scatter

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Maybe not a true survival topic, but maybe the best place to ask this, I hope.

Our primary heat source for the house is an outside wood-fired boiler.

Every once in a while the fire goes out overnight, either because of the logs "bridging" or creosote building up on the blower port. We wake up to a cold house, and of course those are usually the mornings when it's freezing outside and the wind is howling. So I have to go out there and try to relight the thing in arctic conditions. I have solid fire starters, lots of kindling, a torch, etc., everything you need to get a fire going but on those occasions I would be very happy to have an instant fire.

I was camping with some folks several years ago and saw a guy put a bunch of sticks in the fire pit, pour a few ounces of gel on them, toss a match, and voila. So bottom line, I am looking for a way to make a safe and effective fire gel. There is stuff available online but it's really expensive for what I assume is in it. Any tried and true recipes out there?
 
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bbarer said:
Found this through Google:

How to Make a Flammable Gel or Jelly
Click to expand...
Thanks. I came across that in a previous search. But based on the picture, it's more like a candle flame than a "whoomph" that would instantly start a wood fire. Trying to figure out something that's less dangerous than gasoline but with the same effect, and also gel vs. liquid (e.g., lighter fluid) for some staying power. But what the hell, I will try it and see how it works. Thanks again.
 
scatter said:
"whoomph" that would instantly start a wood fire
Click to expand...

That is dangerous. It indicates that there are gases, and they can settle anywhere until they ignite. Not good at all.

You see people pour gas/diesel on stacked fires wood, light it, and the wood is not on fire after the gas burns off. The Vaseline burns longer and gets the wood to burn.


If you don't want to spend money on processed logs, warm some Vaseline/petroleum jelly until it liquefies and then soak some rags in it. Take the rags out and let them harden, roll them up and put them in wax paper. You have relatively inexpensive large fire starters.

If you just want to an easy way to be a pyro just wait until everyone gets home from work. Check in later. [laugh]

Good luck. Matt
 
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SERE said:
No shit, cotton balls covered in Vaseline. That's all it takes. Try it tonight.

It is what I would give to students having trouble starting an 'emergency fire' to build their confidence. Almost fool proof.

Click to expand...

Ha. Thank you sir. I've had some of those in my BOB for years and they are indeed awesome. My problem is, when those blizzard mornings come and my fire is out, I don't want to be out there adding finger-sized sticks on cotton balls to try and get the fire going. I want to be able to stack and ignite wrist-sized stuff, and immediately pile arm-sized stuff on top of it, and walk away for a while before I come back and add the big logs. Maybe what I'm looking for is not available in a safe form.
 
sterno won't work?

I make my own fire starters out of cardboard egg cartons, dryer lint and melted wax. I stuff the cups of the egg cartons with the lint and pour the melted wax over the lint. Each cup if stuffed full enough burns between 10 and 15 minutes. If you burned the whole dozen together or a few of them the fire would last more than long enough to catch firewood on fire. I use them in my firepit and have found no residual wax after the fire has burned out.

I also use them to start fires in the burn barrels at the gun club and I use them on the beach in the summer as they do not allow accelerants for beach fires.
 
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It takes a lot of energy to ignite wrist sized sticks of wood that themselves are at freezing temperatures. Have you thought about using egg cartons as starter "logs"? You fill each egg cup with your fuel soaked lint or cotton balls, and can break off however many cup segments you need, or use the whole carton. (Edit: just saw I got beaten on the posting) Have you tried charcoal chimneys--the kind you stuff with newspaper and charcoal briquettes to light grills? Those get hot fast, and the windier the better.

Here's a sawdust and diesel method: Wood Stove Fire Starter | Simple Steps to Make Your Own | Original Homesteading
 
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SERE said:
That is dangerous. It indicates that there are gases, and they can settle anywhere until they ignite. Not good at all.

You see people pour gas/diesel on stacked fires wood, light it, and the wood is not on fire after the gas burns off. The Vaseline burns longer and gets the wood to burn.


If you don't want to spend money on processed logs, warm some Vaseline/petroleum jelly until it liquefies and then soak some rags in it. Take the rags out and let them harden, roll them up and put them in wax paper. You have relatively inexpensive large fire starters.

If you just want to an easy way to be a pyro just wait until everyone gets home from work. Check in later. [laugh]

Good luck. Matt
Click to expand...

Going to try this out. Thank you. Wifey just happened to be at WalMart when I re-read this, and I asked her to pick up a big jar of Vaseline. Had to do some explaining, but it's all good now. ;)
 
Here's my recipe that goes in my BOB

4 parts vasoline
2 parts sawdust
1 part acetone

the acetone will thicken the vasoline. The stuff is thick and applies like peanut butter, it melts and pools and makes a candle that burns for a long time. I keep this in a jar along with some birch bark and a flint. I've started fires in the rain with this stuff.
 
scatter said:
Going to try this out. Thank you. Wifey just happened to be at WalMart when I re-read this, and I asked her to pick up a big jar of Vaseline. Had to do some explaining, but it's all good now. ;)
Click to expand...

Please remember that once you light the Vaseline it will again be a liquid and seek the low spot. You don't want to set any carpets, or such, on fire.
 
scatter said:
Ha. Thank you sir. I've had some of those in my BOB for years and they are indeed awesome. My problem is, when those blizzard mornings come and my fire is out, I don't want to be out there adding finger-sized sticks on cotton balls to try and get the fire going. I want to be able to stack and ignite wrist-sized stuff, and immediately pile arm-sized stuff on top of it, and walk away for a while before I come back and add the big logs. Maybe what I'm looking for is not available in a safe form.
Click to expand...
Get a boiler insiide and be done with it.
 
fire-starter-002.jpg


Honestly this with a little bit of dryer lint and some fat wood. Super ez!
 
Dryer lint + vaseline + egg carton. Four egg section of carton with this will start a fire. Just fill the base of the egg carton level (half the size of an egg) in each location.

I also like the idea of adding charcoal briquettes. I bet half a briquette on each pile of lint/vaseline in a four egg section will start a fire at -10F no problem.
 
If you want sticky, long-burning and full of energy, make your own Napalm-B.

Keep all the styrofoam packaging that comes into the house - you need a lot - and dissolve it in 87 octane gasoline until all the liquid gas is gone.

This would definitely do the job but I'd keep it outside.
 
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