CONSUMERS : Chips Off the Pine Block as Fire Starter
From the manufacturer that offered Fire Flakes charcoal barbecue starter last summer, there’s a new winter warmer: Fire Flakes Wood Fire Starter, which makes lighting that comfy fireplace blaze is a simple task.
The flakes, specially cut pine wood chips covered with paraffin wax, replace newspapers or kindling. They come in separate 2.2-oz. packages--seven to a box. Pop a packet under the firewood, light and you should have a nice fire in 15 minutes, says Chuck Aydelotte, of the Chevron Chemical Co.
Fire Flakes are not combustible so there’s no problem storing them; they don’t give off harmful fumes when burned. Suggested retail price for a box is $2.59. They are available only at groceries in Los Angeles, Denver, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. In Los Angeles, they’re carried at Albertson’s, Alpha Beta, Lucky, Vons, Boys, Hughes and Pavilions markets.
Consumers who want to try Fire Flakes may write the company to obtain a free sample--Fire Flakes, 2445 S. Gearhart Ave., Fresno 93725.
A Dust Buster for Delicate Items
Dust-Off Plus is just the ticket for photographers, computer operators or owners of VCRs, CD players and other electronic equipment. It’s a canned cleaning gas that whisks away damaging lint, dust and dirt.
Manufacturered by Falcon Safety Products in New Jersey, Dust-Off Plus leaves no residue and adds no moisture to a surface. It contains no chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that damage the ozone layer.
The new duster uses what is called a Vector Valve, which sweeps in 360-degree circles, making it possible to direct the dry gas into hard-to-reach areas.
Dust-Off Plus is available nationwide in photography, office supply and other retail stores at a suggested price of $36.95 for a 12-oz. can with the Vector Valve; $9.25 for refills. In Los Angeles you can purchase it at Samy’s Camera on Beverly Boulevard, Pan-Pacific Camera on North La Brea Avenue and Frank’s Highland Park Camera on North Figueroa Street. If you can’t find it in your area, contact Falcon Safety Products Inc., 25 Chubb Way, P.O. Box 1299, Somerville, N.J. 08876.
Putting the Lid on Marriage Disputes
LidAlert is a small alarmlike device that affixes to the commode and plays “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” when the toilet’s flushed but the lid isn’t lowered.
Sure, it might sound like a gag gift. But it could be a help in ending the long battle between men and women over lowering the toilet seat. It also can help keep a child or pet out of the toilet bowl. The 2 1/2-inch long, 1 1/2-inch wide device comes equipped with a lifetime battery.
“When I started to develop the idea, the feedback that I received from women was tremendous,” said its inventor, Blake Warrington, a Dublin, Calif., firefighter. “I was told that it would save marriages and is the next best thing to having separate bathrooms.”
Suggested retail for LidAlert is $19.95. In Southern California, it is available at Broadway department stores. If you can’t find it in your area, you can order it from Kaleidosphere Inc., 7400 Center Ave., Suite 105, Huntington Beach 92647; phone (800) 433-8900.
A Lure That Will Never Get Away
For the anglers in the family, there’s FISH-ON Lure Hunter, a new retrieval system that keeps them from losing their favorite lure.
Constructed of metal to withstand harsh outdoor conditions, the Lure Hunter includes a 6 1/2-oz. plated zinc retrieval head that can be easily affixed to a line.
It descends directly to the point where the knot is tied. There is a circle of seven stainless-steel teeth that catches the eyelet of the lure or swivel snap. Once hooked up, the system has 50 feet of 150-pound nylon line spooled on a one-piece weatherproof handle. When not in use, the compact device fits snugly in a tackle box.
The Lure Hunter system retails for about $24.95 and is sold nationwide in fishing and tackle shops and sporting goods stores. In the Los Angeles area, it is available at West Marine Products in Long Beach and Marina del Rey. If you can’t find it in your area, contact the manufacturer, Tempress Inc., 701 S. Orchard, Seattle 98108; phone, (206) 762-1410.