How do I get a fire started in my fireplace?

Factual Questions
41

[QUOTE=masterofnone]

[QUOTE=Christopher]
Allright, I bought some parafin and have a collection of dryer lint. The trouble is we don’t eat many eggs so no egg cartons. I figured I could use paper cups instead. The trouble is I’m not clear from your directions where to pour the parafin. Do I pour it on top of the dryer lint so I make a dryer lint parafin block?
QUOTE]
Yes. Paper cups should work fine. Just fill the cups up with lint, melt the parrafin, and pour it in the cup to soak the lint. When I made them, it was for camping, so I coated the back of the egg carton also to prevent water from soaking in. If stored/used indoors, I would not worry too much about complete coverage. I’d reccomend waxed cups for just a bit extra fuel.
[/QUOTE]

A warning to our UK readers. “Paraffin” in the US is not the same as the stuff we have in the UK. What we call paraffin is actually kerosene . It would make a superb fire, if your house survives! What masterofnone is talking about is what we would call paraffin wax.

42

[QUOTE=Rayne Man]

[QUOTE=masterofnone]

A warning to our UK readers. “Paraffin” in the US is not the same as the stuff we have in the UK. What we call paraffin is actually kerosene . It would make a superb fire, if your house survives! What masterofnone is talking about is what we would call paraffin wax.
[/QUOTE]

Good point. I’d forgotten that you call kerosene paraffin. (And I realized that I didn’t know how to spell paraffin!)

Another warning to anyone melting paraffin wax- it is highly flammable. As I said upthread, use a double boiler. Be very careful not to splash any out of the pan, especially if using a gas stove. Better yet, do this outside on a camping stove or hot plate well away from anything flammable.