Forum Discussion
- I learned this from watching my neighbor.....
1. Get the greenest wood you can find. Pressure treated works well.
2. Place #1 in a big pile on the ground. Use of a firepit is an option.
3. Pour 1 to 1 1/2 bottles of charcoal lighter fluid on the wood.
4. Throw on match.
5. Since the wood is green it won't light just smoke to the heavens.
6. Return with a gallon jug of gasoline. Regular or premium, it doesn't matter.
7. Pour gas on smouldering mess hoping it'll explode into a raging inferno.
8. Bitter because it didn't light, but unfazed in their quest...add another match.
9. Sit back on your 5 gallon buckets and watch the flames soar from the burning fuel.
10. Enjoy the fire until the fuel burns off then go inside, close all your windows and let the smouldering mess smoke out everyone else in the campground.
Life is sweet when you camp in the woods......:B.....Dennis TucsonJim wrote:
1/2 cup gasoline, 2 cups diesel fuel, road flare. Works every time.
I hope you are kidding about the gasoline, the fumes are to volatile and you could be nursing some burnt hair on your head or face if you continue. Please readers of this, don't ever use gasoline to start your campfire- Here is a little survival trick that will make some guys squeamish...
When you have no dry paper or tinder, everything is wet, there is always one source of very dry fine material that will ignite readily and burn hot. Ask any lady for one of her tampons.
It comes in a waterproof paper wrapper and she probably keeps them in a dry spot. Open it completely up and fluff up the inner absorbent material (yes, guys, you can use your fingers. You will not get cooties). It will easily fluff up to the size of softball.
Light it with a match or spark from a flint. It will light readily and the synthetic absorbent microfibers burn quite well. GaryWT wrote:
That is cool but I don't think everyone watched the video just went by the title. Wish I had one of those.
:B.....I think you are exactly right......I posted to share a cool video more than to pose a question but, since everyone is sharing their method......
I carry one of these......
Halmfamily wrote:
Artum Snowbird wrote:
I pick up tiny shavings from the campfire area, light them, add bits of cut shavings and small kindling, then a bit larger and put a bigger piece on each side. By now, it's a nice kindling fire, and a few bigger pieces go in next.
If I can find a piece of pitch off a tree, that is fair too.
Like others that use fire starters.. for me, it's part of the ritual of camping. Also, it's a great skill to teach your little ones.
X2. This is the fun way to do it and as stated a great trait to teach your kids.
X3, any other method feels like cheating.TucsonJim wrote:
1/2 cup gasoline, 2 cups diesel fuel, road flare. Works every time.
When I worked for the Forest Service we used a 'poor man's napalm' to burn snow covered piles of logging slash.
a 4:1 ratio of diesel to gasoline mixed with the powdered rubber tire shavings from a local recap shop. Add enough powdered tire dust to the diesel/gas mixture to make a sticky gelatinous goo.
It burns real hot and a long time. I think you could ignite wet rocks with that stuff. The wettest frozen logging slash is not a problem.
It also makes a thick acrid black smoke that stinks bad and leaves you wearing blackface makeup if the smoke drifts your way. So it is not for any campfire you want to cook on.
Also not to be used if the local Air Quality folks are monitoring you...hedge wrote:
Halmfamily wrote:
Artum Snowbird wrote:
I pick up tiny shavings from the campfire area, light them, add bits of cut shavings and small kindling, then a bit larger and put a bigger piece on each side. By now, it's a nice kindling fire, and a few bigger pieces go in next.
If I can find a piece of pitch off a tree, that is fair too.
Like others that use fire starters.. for me, it's part of the ritual of camping. Also, it's a great skill to teach your little ones.
X2. This is the fun way to do it and as stated a great trait to teach your kids.
X3, any other method feels like cheating.
You can usually find dry tinder in the in the winter inside of hollow logs (poke a stick in there before you insert your hand. Sometimes critters will be inside).
Also practice making a fire with a flint and steel, and using a bow drill you make from sticks and wood. Shoelaces make the bowstring.
Successfully making a fire with a bow drill is not easy. First you have to find the appropriate sizes and shapes of wood, and assemble the parts. Then the technique requires practice, practice, and practice. Once your kids have it perfected, they can make a fire anytime without matches. About once per year make them do it again. A little refresher never hurts.othertonka wrote:
TucsonJim wrote:
1/2 cup gasoline, 2 cups diesel fuel, road flare. Works every time.
I hope you are kidding about the gasoline, the fumes are to volatile and you could be nursing some burnt hair on your head or face if you continue. Please readers of this, don't ever use gasoline to start your campfire
Yes, sorry. I was kidding. For God's sakes people, don't use gasoline (or diesel fuel) to start a campfire. I use newspaper, kindling and the wood teepee in reality.dave54 wrote:
TucsonJim wrote:
1/2 cup gasoline, 2 cups diesel fuel, road flare. Works every time.
When I worked for the Forest Service we used a 'poor man's napalm' to burn snow covered piles of logging slash.
a 4:1 ratio of diesel to gasoline mixed with the powdered rubber tire shavings from a local recap shop. Add enough powdered tire dust to the diesel/gas mixture to make a sticky gelatinous goo.
It burns real hot and a long time. I think you could ignite wet rocks with that stuff. The wettest frozen logging slash is not a problem.
It also makes a thick acrid black smoke that stinks bad and leaves you wearing blackface makeup if the smoke drifts your way. So it is not for any campfire you want to cook on.
Also not to be used if the local Air Quality folks are monitoring you...
I used to work in the missile business. If you add some powdered aluminum to the mix you describe above, you create poor man's rocket fuel. Very volatile, and very dangerous.- I like the first method best, but as being discussed in another thread on RV.net it is too loud :)
