[elpidi0526]

Specifically, your comment was:

"tealight buddy burner for firestarting. now we gotta get a wick that can be started w/ firesteel!"

Well, here's a start:

creations_small.jpg
On the left I have a tea light container filled with half of a crumpled Weber Original Lighter cube inundated with wax...and with a small piece of jute twine in the middle.

On the right, the standard buddy burner with a 1:1 mixture of melted petroleum jelly and wax...and a long piece of jute twine coming out from the center

heat source_small.jpg
My heat source

ready2go_small.jpg
I attempted to light the Weber tea light first with the firesteel...but wasn't successful

firstspark_small.jpg
sparks away!!!

hope_small.jpg
Success!! but oh so vulnerable...the extra jute twine on the tea light buddy burner gave me something to work with.

on its way_small.jpg
Even with the wind kicking up, the tea light buddy burner, started with a firesteel, is off to a great start

both lit_small.jpg
Even though I couldn't get the Weber tea light up and running with the firesteel, I decided to go ahead and light it

Weber tea light ablaze_small.jpg
VERY QUICKLY, once the Weber tea light got started, it was off and running. A quick and intense flame after about the first 30 seconds or so.

buddy out_small.jpg
Alas, the wind eventually got the better of the slow growing buddy burner. Once it went out, I was unable to get it started again with the firesteel. Had to use the lighter to get it started again.

tables turned_small.jpg
After a while, the buddy burner overtook the waning Weber tealight.

FINAL BURN TIMES:

Tea Light Buddy Burner: 35 mins.
Weber Tea Light: 27 mins.

Now, I rushed these more than anything so I'm sure I could have done a better job getting more wax into the buddy burner (probably the reason for the shorter burn time this time around). Also, I'm positive that I could do one of two things to help out the Weber tea light:

(1.) Attach a longer piece of jute twine to it
(2.) Make sure a dry piece of the Weber firestarter sticks out of the tea light while staying embedded within the wax...so I can have a small piece to catch a spark.

But one thing's for sure, a half an hour for burn time is pretty good for a tinder that can be started with a spark and weighing half an ounce, to boot.

BTW, TJ I tried out your saturated PJ-cotton balls since I had some excess melted PJ left over...worked great!!

Finally, I'm open to suggestions on how to improve this idea in any way. To be sure, fun little project.

[AlteredMentalStatus]

make a tea candle stove, remove the candle, pour HEET or Alcohol in container add a pot stand and start cooking. Very light weight stove

[elpidi0526]

Originally Posted by AlteredMentalStatus

make a tea candle stove, remove the candle, pour HEET or Alcohol in container add a pot stand and start cooking. Very light weight stove

hmm...now there's a nice little project. Why don't you get on that?

Any ideas on how to seal and carry it? How long would it last, do you think?

[kevin]

elpid - what an excellent writeup there. I've been hoping to pickup some of those weber cubes next time I come across an ace hardware. I'm gonna make a tea light buddy (now with jute wick thank you very much) for my winter pack

[tjwilhelm]

Hey! Nice post, Elpidi! I have great appreciation for experimentation. The idea of a longer jute wick is a good one. Before lighting, it could also be untwisted and fluffed a bit, which should make it even easier to light.

Thanks for sharing the experience!

[Slade N. Illinois]

I would replace the jute with cotton wadding or a cottonball with the pjelly. You can twist it for the wick then on the top fluff and flatten. The spark from your wool socks is enough to light that puppy! (not really but a firesteel will do it in a jif)

[snowshoe67]

Elpidio< Great write up!! I leaned a lot from that Thank you !

[kevin]

so elpid; do you know what difference the container itself makes? ie. what kind of burn time if you do a similar size "fire stick" withouth stuffing into the container? or if you make it in the container then pop it out after and set it afire?

[elpidi0526]

Originally Posted by kevin

so elpid; do you know what difference the container itself makes? ie. what kind of burn time if you do a similar size "fire stick" withouth stuffing into the container? or if you make it in the container then pop it out after and set it afire?

What kind of fire stick do you have in mind. When I hear fire stick, a few things come to mind:

(1.) fuzzy stick...knife-to-kindling-to-make-curls kind of fire sticks
(2.) the cheap fire sticks you buy at sporting goods retailers for firestarting
(3.) fatwood

Are you referring to one of these or something else entirely?

As far as the second part of your question, viz.,
"...without stuffing into the container? or if you make it in the container then pop it out after and set it afire?"
I'm afraid that I don't understand the question. (Probably my fault, not yours...just woke up. )

If you could, just restate the question and if stupid me is able to answer it, I will.

Oh, thanks for the comment snowshoe...very kind of you.

[Hagusofnwn]

Originally Posted by kevin

so elpid; do you know what difference the container itself makes? ie. what kind of burn time if you do a similar size "fire stick" withouth stuffing into the container? or if you make it in the container then pop it out after and set it afire?

Elpidi, Kevin may be referring to a segment that Ron posted on the main ST site about making a "firestick" which uses cardboard and wax to make a waterproof and portable tinder. When they are done the look very similar to an M80 stick, but with no explosion.....

How to Make Fire Sticks

My firestick was 10 minutes into its burn time before the experiment suffered a catastrophic failure in the kitchen.....