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| My Pack |
I'm starting to re-stock my pack for my first spring adventure. Since I'm planning on a spring trip, I'm also planning on chilly nights and rainy days. I find the best way to prevent spending a night shivering in the tent is to anticipate the worst. Wet and sparse firewood and insufficient fire starters are common problems. So I carefully pack the right equipment.
I always begin this process by preparing my fire source. I include three lighters, a water proof container filled with wood stick matches, and a flint and steel fire starter. Remember to pack some dryer lint or dry tender to catch the sparks from the flint and steel set. Conveniently, my favorite coffee comes in the perfect can to keep all of these things safe and dry.Materials:
Paraffin Wax
Large Cardboard Egg Carton
Saw Dust (Enough to Fill The Egg Carton)
Steps:
First, evenly spread the saw dust in the egg carton,
Next, You need to melt the wax.
You must begin with a few simple facts about wax. You do not want to use soy wax. This is a softer wax that will melt on hotter days. There is nothing worse than putting in this effort just to end up with an oily mess in a plastic bag. You'll want to use a refined or fully refined paraffin wax. Also, paraffin has a flash point of 184 to 199 degrees depending on how many additives it contains. So, use a wax thermometer and be safe.
Finally, cut out each individual cup of the egg carton once the wax has hardened.
These little cups may not look like much, but they work great. They light easily with smoldering tender, they burn for at least twenty minutes, and I've gotten them to light even when wet.
Next time I'm going to focus on building the perfect fire.
If you're ever in a pinch, you can always make a fire with steel wool and a 9 volt battery. Use steel wool with no soap, and touch it to both terminals on the 9 volt. The steel wool will begin to smolder, and you can use it to catch your tender on fire.
