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Alternatives to kindling


blackrose

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Does anyone have any good methods of getting coal lit without using kindling?

 

At my last 3 moorings over the last 10 years or so I've always managed to find a timber merchant where I can pick up bags of kindling, but I don't know this area very well and it would be nice to be able to do without kindling if the need arises.

 

Someone once told me they lit smokeless coal with a firefighter, but I've never managed to do it.

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Does anyone have any good methods of getting coal lit without using kindling?

 

At my last 3 moorings over the last 10 years or so I've always managed to find a timber merchant where I can pick up bags of kindling, but I don't know this area very well and it would be nice to be able to do without kindling if the need arises.

 

Someone once told me they lit smokeless coal with a firefighter, but I've never managed to do it.

Zip Superstarter firelighters, they're pricey, but I always keep some in because sometimes I don't manage to get chance to get kindling. They're massive and burn for about 30 minutes, the way I use them is put one in the bottom of the burner and build a loose 'pyramid'' ontop, making sure you leave some air gaps.

Edited by Lady Muck
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I've been known to use twigs from fallen branches on top of old newspaper or junk mail. Also I keep the old ends of used candles and tealights to help a grumpy fire along. Pistachio shells are worth keeping as back up kindling too. As is fat trimmed from meat if like me you don't like the fat on a lamb chop or whatever (pork crackling from a roast dinner was the best firelighter but I got such a lot of stick on Facebook for doing that, a friend even made a meme about it!) :lol:

 

Monkey swears by used teabags soaked in paraffin.

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My Mum used to make firelighters from shredded paper or straw packed into the dimples in egg trays and then pored molten candle grease over each one.

She then cut them into individual pods.

 

For kindling she made paper twists from a couple of sheets of newspaper.

Rolling them up diagonally, and starting in the middle she folded them against each other like a plait, the two loose ends were then tucked in back on themselves. Being quite solid they burnt slowly. A couple of her egg tray lighters and half a dozen twists usually got the fire lit, I still do it myself.

 

However it was coal in those days.

Smokeless is the the fuel of the future, so called because you need a bluddy laser to ignite it!

  • Greenie 1
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Monkey swears by used teabags soaked in paraffin.

 

A friend here in France uses wine corks in the same way. It does mean we all have to drink a lot of wine if we want a warm room when we go to see him, but as he's a friend we can't refuse to help.

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We don't live aboard, but we do do a couple of months or so at a time. I tend to light the fire on day one and don't need to light it again before we leave. For that reason, even the dearest firelighters and a rip off net of kindling lasts practically forever and works out pretty cheap. Do people's fires keep going out? Oh, hang on, are we wood burning?

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I'm at Cogenhoe, but moving up to billing on Friday for winter.

Cool. I loved Cogenhoe moorings and as the kids were in school there it would have been great but they were full! Have fun at Billing, they're a lovely bunch.

So. In Cogenhoe village opposite the school there was a house which used to sell logs for 15 quid for a small builders bag. They were still doing it in May. We used to get kindling from KG Smiths in Hartwell about a 5 mile drive away. They also do the Cheapest coal around. For other kindling sources we used B&M at Weston Favell about a 5 minute drive from Billing. There's always kindling lying around the trees by the car park if you need it. Failing that suggestions as above by other people!

As for a wood yard I suspect there is but I never needed to find one as I also got untreated pallet Wood from work.

Regards

Dan

Edited by stagedamager
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Paper usually towpath twigs fir cones nut shells kindling from home bargains anything that's smallish then as above a loose layer of coal leave bottom door open while it gets started then close with vent fully open start building coal up once coals are going the close vent to your learnt position.

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Found reasonably priced kindling, compressed logs and bagged coal on a visit to Aldi this week (to buy some waterproof trousers). But my usual source of supply away from the cut and woodyards is Morrisons. Handy sized bag for a couple of squids.

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Oil soaked rag may do it

I use oil* soaked rag *and* kindling.

 

Maybe alcohol/meths would do it? It works for barbecues...

Otherwise, yes, firelighters.

 

Actually our own patent 'mysterious flammable substance' mixture of leftover oil, diesel, paraffin, white spirit etc.

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I. Also I keep the old ends of used candles and tealights to help a grumpy fire along.

Yes, we do the same: we always have candles burning while we have dinner at home, and the candle stubs go into a little pot on the hearth of our Clearview stove. To be fair, they're a supplement to kindling rather than a substitute, because if you put them directly on the grate and set fire to them, they disappear into the ashpan as they melt! But if we happen to have logs which aren't completely dry, they do help to pep them up.

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