Easy to Make Fire Starters from Wood Chips, Shavings and Sawdust

If you’ve been using old newspapers and dangerous amounts of lighter fluid to get your fires going, believe me, there is a better way. Even better, much of this can be done with leftover materials most already have sitting around the house. Well, what sort of materials are we talking? 

saw dust fire starters

 

Wood chips are easy enough to find, especially if you live in a heavily wooded area. These shavings can come from cutting down trees, trimming trees, or just general woodworking – assuming you have some of those tools around the house. One of the best materials to use is easily sawdust, as all of your woodworking projects will leave you with an abundance of the stuff. All your drilling and sawing will create more than you’d first imagine. Also, sawdust is much safer and wildly more effective than what most people generally use when attempting to start a fire. Discover on housetipster.com how sawdust has several uses ranging from fixing awful oil and gas spills to killing weeds. It’s surprising how beneficial this material can be for solving particular issues around the home.

 

First-rate fire starters

  • Pack sawdust into paper muffin cups, above, or a cardboard egg carton.
  • Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler, pour over the sawdust and allow to cool.
  • Slow-burning when lit, these hotcakes make great starters for a fireplace or campfiresawdust-fire-starters

A great way to use up scrap wood chips, shavings and sawdust to make these easy and effective fire starters. Be sure to use paraffin wax not candle wax, as it is food grade and burns completely.

Now that you have these hotcakes, they are easily brought along on camping trips or a simple walk to the backyard fire pit. Folks will be wondering just what in the world you’re using to start your fires so effectively. They’ll be shocked when you tell them you packed wood chips, shavings and sawdust into muffin trays and made the most efficient fire starter around. They’ll be begging for your secret, which, is simply, castoff materials that most take for granted.

 

 

source: Wood Magazine

 

Live Off The Grid In Your Own Upcycled Shipping Container Home

Upcycled Resource Conscious Architecture that can be exported to any place in the world. It is more than architecture; It is a sustainable product. This home would be perfect for many of those that would prefer to live off the grid, be self sufficient and use recycled materials.

upcycle-house-container-home upcycle-house-container-home-1 upcycle-house-container-home-2

To see the entire project of this Sustainable prefab house built with shipping containers. [source]

Old shipping containers used as the structural framework for the WFH- Huse. This is not just recycling; This is upcycling!

In Short:

• The WFH concept is a patented modular building system, based on a design principle, using 40 feet high standard modules as

structural system.

• The structure can be adapted to local challenges such as climatic or earthquake issues.

• The first prefabricated housing system that meets the demands in the international environment-building-standard, Active House.

• The structure can be configured to meet many different purposes, multi storey, townhouses, cluster houses or individual villas.

• Top class indoor climate, low energy consumption and environmentally sound materials.

• Very short construction-period.

• Demountable for recycling or relocation.

• Online customization-tools give clients the possibility to decide their own version of the house concerning layout, size, facade, interior etc. The configuration happens within a predefined framework that will ensure high architectural value and quality of materials.

• Cost competitive in comparison with other green houses.

• Building-components are prefabricated and on site construction can be limited. The design allows for high-quality industrial production in large numbers and distribution using standard container transport.

Facts:

• 180 square meters.

•Energy class, which is 50% lower than the standard requirements for new housing constructions in Denmark.

• Photovoltaic cells are integrated – area is flexible, but to fulfill the standards above min. 20 m2 solar cells for power production are needed.

With an area of 30 m2 or above a normal household using energy efficient appliances will be self-sufficient with power on an annual basis.

• Green roof solutions that are optimized for rainwater harvesting for use for toilet flushing, washing and cleaning.

• Customized façade solutions.

Design

The design is based on Nordic values. Not only according to architecture, but also design objects. These values are defined as:

Flexibility.

• Build for people, human values. – Good daylight conditions, different types of light.

• Reliable (long term) solutions. – Healthy materials, recyclable materials, design for disassembly strategies.

• Materials that age gracefully.

• Access to nature, greenery.

• Minimalistic look.

• Playfulness.

Sustainable global housing

The WFH concept is a modular concept, based on a design principle, using 40 feet high cube standard modules as structural system. The structure can be adapted to local challenges such as climatic or earthquake issues. Online customization-tools give clients the possibility to decide their own version of the house concerning layout, size, facade, interior etc. The configuration happens within a predefined framework that will ensure high architectural value and quality of materials. Building-components are prefabricated and on site construction can be limited.

FLEX space

The FLEX space is the heart of the house. It contains the living room, kitchen and can be used for multiple purposes. Parts of the room are double height, creating perfect lighting conditions. The rest of the space is one story height, defined by the landing that creates access to the spaces on the second floor. In each end of the FLEX space there is access to the surroundings and daylight. The boundary between inside and outside disappears, when the doors open. This is a fundamental part of the design; to be able to open let nature in. It is a consequence of having varying requirements for inside temperature and definitions of what domestic functions takes place inside and outside.

Geometry

The geometry of the FLEX space is defined by the two rows of modules, and can easily be modified to specific wishes regarding size. The FLEX space has a number of possible solutions for subdivisions. Both on one plan or two plans. It can also be one big space, creating a lot of light and openness. The kitchen elements are built into the wall (into the technical module). It creates more floor space and also makes connection to water and plumbing easy. The kitchen can also be extended with at freestanding element, defining the work area of the kitchen. From the FLEX space there is access to all spaces. This eliminates square meters used for logistics. It is possible to make larger openings from the FLEX space into the rooms, again creating flexible solutions within the same system.

The work area of the kitchen

From the FLEX space there is access to all spaces. This eliminates square meters used for logistics. It is possible to make larger openings from the FLEX space into the rooms, again creating flexible solutions within the same system.

Bedrooms

The size of the bedrooms is defined by the half of a module (15m2). There are four bedrooms, and they can be used for multiple purposes: A parent’s bedroom, kid’s bedroom, workspace etc. Three of the rooms have windows on two facades, creating a mixed light. It is possible to remove the wall, or part of it, facing the FLEX space. This adds flexibility to the layout and shows the structural systems ability to adapt do different needs.

Landing

The landing creates access to the second floor, but can also be used as a space for play, relaxation or work. It gives the inhabitant the possibility to draw back, but still enjoy the company of people in the house. You are in the FLEX space, but because you are on the first floor you are drawn back from the action. It is an ideal place for a quiet retreat and still being able to observe what is going on in the house.

To see the entire project of this Sustainable prefab house built with shipping containers. [source]

Could you see yourself living in one?

Top Tip: How To Make A Pull Tab Guy-Line Tensioner

How to make a simple, free, and highly effective guy line tensioner from an aluminum can pull tab. This handy little device makes setting up & adjusting your tents, tarps, and other shelter systems a breeze. Best part of all? It’s FREE & EASY and they are practically everywhere.


Pull_Tab_Guy_Line_Tensioner

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Repurposed Tic-Tac Boxes For Travel Spices

I’ve been using old prescription bottles, and plastic gum containers as travel and camping spice containers for years.

spices-tictac-bugout

But I never thought of this. It’s a great idea. These would be small enough to take in your bug-out bag, instead of big bottles of spices. Takes up way less space. Great for hikers, campers, and RVs too.

 

Use Parts From Your Cell Phone To Survive

How to upcycle your broken mobile phone parts into survival tools.

recycle your cell phone for survival

 

Three R’s of Survival

These three R’s are just as important to survival as they are in everyday life.

#Recycle #Reuse #Repurpose

The 3 R's of Survival

In times of emergency and survival, you will have to be creative with your supplies and make do with whatever you can find and use to live and survive.

We will not be given the option to change our wasteful ways and find the most suitable ‘green’ way of living in a survival crisis. Every day items we take for granted will be unavailable and we need to ask ourselves what can be use to replace them. Thinking outside thebox will be a must.

So remember these 3 R’s of survival, Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle. Be prepared.

 

Be Ready when disaster strikes, prep for the unknown at Year Zero Survival