Selfsufficientish.com

Not sure if I read this here or not, but I finally got round to making my own firelighters, and believe it or not they are better than shop ones, and balls of newspaper etc.

Simply put shavings from the chain saw, which I keep dry in a dustbin for home smoking, in an egg tray. Melt down or your old candles etc, pour on the chippings, and then cut the "pots" out and use.

They burn for ages, and light really easily.

It was an American chap who did allot of BBQ's outdoors who told me how, again not sure where.

I did soak some of the chips in Parrafin first, and that seemed to work well as well.(The Parafin from in laws old Greenhouse heater, which I haven't used)

Anyway really good stuff, and the kids helped.

I make mine using pine cones or teasel heads, old bits of candle, maybe some petals or herbs and a small bit of candle wick. They look really pretty and make good presents.

Zoe

I make them in the tealight holders which have been burned down...theres nearly always a residue of wax there anyway. They then just press out of the metal container. The large tealights are good. Never thought of eggboxes...dont get them in portugal...but good idea here in UK. Like the idea of petals etc. Homemade lighters dont give off that horrible chemical smell either. Pine cones make great lighters on their own and smell good too. I have also used heather and rosemary to start fires when I have run out of kindling etc...find I need a bit of paper with them though. I suppose you could mix them in with candle ends! Might try that next time!

there is a lot of info on this site about firelighters....