How do you start a CG fire?

[Doggy Daddy]

I make my own kindling I use just one match
like I was taught in the Boy Scouts.

[Okotok]

Whenever I get a load of Birch, I'll fill a bag or two with loose bark, which lights and burns furiously even when wet. Add a little kindling and feed progressively larger pieces. Never fails. We also do a variation on some of the other ideas and stuff the cardboard egg cartons with old dryer lint that my wife collects, melt down old candles and pour the wax into the egg cartons/lint. Break one or two off for each fire needed. They are waterproof, last forever and burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Newspaper and kindling works just fine as well.

[kalynzoo]

When all else fails a road flare works real good!

[JJH3rd]

Growing up in Mississippi we had "lightered knots" (spelling approximate & phonetic) which are the pine pitch (AKA turpentine) ruminates of pine roots and stumps and limbs. All we needed to do was to look around in the woods for some stumps and pine knots and you had your starter. If your really wanted to kick a fire off, you start with a pyramid of dry, open pine cones then lay the wood over & around it. A match to a couple of the pine cones and whoosh, you had a fire.

[majorloser]

I have seen where people save their dryer lint to use as kindling. Easy to get and save in a zip lock bag. Add a little Vasoline and your set.

Dryer Lint as a Fire Starter |

[Alan24601]

Is Belly button lint an option ;>}

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack Fan

Ran of charcoal lighter one time and used a little coleman fuel. No harm, no foul, PFOOOOOF!!!! Careful! White gas lights when the flame hits the fumes.

Same with regular gas, it's only the fumes that burn. That's another reason diesel will put a fire out, no fumes unless heated although atomizing will cause it to burn too.

[kat_nda_sand]

Thats why we let the gas soak in for about 30 seconds and we've never had a problem.

I did pull dryer lint out of the garage trash & am planning on trying the dryer lint & vasoline thing for our firepit in the backyard.

[psrujak]

Take a five gal bucket with a lid and make a hole in the center with a 16 penny nail. This is for venting. Fill bucket with wood chips that came from a wood chipper and are dry. Poor kerosene over the wood chips about a quart. Put lid on and mix. Take the lid off and add a couple hand fulls to the bottom of where your fire is going to be. Place your wood on top and light. This will start your fire. Keep lid on tight to keep from dumping while traveling.

[Chuck 1935]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Same with regular gas, it's only the fumes that burn. That's another reason diesel will put a fire out, no fumes unless heated although atomizing will cause it to burn too.

Works like a charm everytime, although I never start a fire if I am near another camper because of the smoke and fumes issue.

[Fred1609]

I use a propane torch...works well..

[Wayne MD]

I cannot believe how many here have to have a construction education to build a simple fire, handle explosives, pick up special devices or whatever. What ever happened to a small amount of newspaper , kindling and then put on the bigger fuel (wood) ?

[CJ7ole]

Originally Posted by psrujak

Take a five gal bucket with a lid and make a hole in the center with a 16 penny nail. This is for venting. Fill bucket with wood chips that came from a wood chipper and are dry. Poor kerosene over the wood chips about a quart. Put lid on and mix. Take the lid off and add a couple hand fulls to the bottom of where your fire is going to be. Place your wood on top and light. This will start your fire. Keep lid on tight to keep from dumping while traveling.

Man, a QUART of kerosene is serious overkill to start a campfire. Obviously many of the posters using an accelerant to start a campfire were never scouts. Or am I misunderstanding and the quart is to soak a whole bucket of woodchips and the unused kerosene soaked, chips travel with you in the RV. Either way this is a problem waiting to happen. My 2 cents as usual.

[Wanabee FTer]

Originally Posted by Wayne MD

I cannot believe how many here have to have a construction education to build a simple fire, handle explosives, pick up special devices or whatever. What ever happened to a small amount of newspaper , kindling and then put on the bigger fuel (wood) ?

Thank You!

This was my original point when I started this thread. That is the way I learned to start a fire many years ago. Crumple up some newspaper, use your axe to make kindling, then split down some of the larger logs of your firewood so they will keep burning.

Reading this thread has given me a real education on how many different ways people start fires. Some good, some not so good. Guess everyone has their own way of doing things, what's the old saying?
"to each his own"