Rubbish cum heat: Egg carton firestarters.

[WideEyedLife]

I admit to being a total ignoramus as to the title of this device: rubbish cum heat.  Ooom.  So, in googling it to try and define it (yes, the internet is my first dictionary now), I was afraid to click any of the links that came as a result.  Naturally, half of them were pornos.  (bwa ha ha).  So what is the origin/definition of the term "cum heat"?   

[TheMistressT]

I admit to being a total ignoramus as to the title of this device: rubbish cum heat.  Ooom.  So, in googling it to try and define it (yes, the internet is my first dictionary now), I was afraid to click any of the links that came as a result.  Naturally, half of them were pornos.  (bwa ha ha).  So what is the origin/definition of the term "cum heat"?   

Here are some definitions from online dictionaries - a safer place to look up words. 

Dictionary.com
cum
1 [kuhm, koo m]
preposition
with; combined with; along with (usually used in combination): My garage-cum-workshop is well equipped.
Origin:
1580–90;  < Latin:  with, together with (preposition)

merriam-webster.com
Definition of CUM
: along with being : and —used to form usually hyphenated phrases <a credible mining camp elder-cum-publican — G. B. Shaw> <Christian and Christian-cum-voodoo churches — David Binder>

[WideEyedLife]

Oh---haha!---the old Latin problem.  Didn't study that: I know Spanish, French, Russian, some Chinese, but not Latin.  Thanks so much for enlightening me!   

[TheMistressT]

Oh---haha!---the old Latin problem.  Didn't study that: I know Spanish, French, Russian, some Chinese, but not Latin.  Thanks so much for enlightening me!   

Heck, I didn't study Latin, it's just a word I've heard forever and all over.  I bet now that you know it, you'll hear it around everywhere, at least in English-speaking places.

[spaz2phreek]

I grew up with a woodstove for heat! I sure do miss it... We always made these for our use and some for family members who also had woodstoves. When the summer rolls around, save your cartons and you won't have to buy them next time. Also, cheap candles burn faster. We kept a shoebox box that various wax odds and ends would go into through out the year. Broken crayons, candle bits...We also got wax bit and carton contributions from other family members. My aunt makes them now and they use sawdust. Also works great.

[bentindahead]

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm going to be giving this a try! I read the blog entry on it, so wish me luck. I've already got egg cartons (though I saw yesterday I can purchase some more--if needed-- at the farm & feed store in town) from our egg-eating, and obviously already have lint! I only had to buy the parafin wax, which wasn't costly and will have many other uses if I can't manage this seemingly simple project. Thanks for sharing! :-)  ~~b

[TheMistressT]

I grew up with a woodstove for heat! I sure do miss it... We always made these for our use and some for family members who also had woodstoves. When the summer rolls around, save your cartons and you won't have to buy them next time. Also, cheap candles burn faster. We kept a shoebox box that various wax odds and ends would go into through out the year. Broken crayons, candle bits...We also got wax bit and carton contributions from other family members. My aunt makes them now and they use sawdust. Also works great.

I will definitely be saving any other wax we get, but as we don't burn candle much or use crayons enough to have stubs, I imagine we'll be sticking with the paraffin.  Since I bought 125 and we still eat eggs, I won't be needing to buy them for a long, long time!  I've used sawdust in the past!  It does work great - anyone who's talked to a firefighter in a town with a mill can verify that.   

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm going to be giving this a try! I read the blog entry on it, so wish me luck. I've already got egg cartons (though I saw yesterday I can purchase some more--if needed-- at the farm & feed store in town) from our egg-eating, and obviously already have lint! I only had to buy the parafin wax, which wasn't costly and will have many other uses if I can't manage this seemingly simple project. Thanks for sharing! :-)  ~~b

You're welcome!  It is simple and you'll do great!  And if you end up liking it you can do like spaz2freek mentioned and have family and friends save cartons for you (assuming you don't know a bunch of people with chickens like I do).  If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer if I can and I'd love to hear how it goes.