To waterproof my cottonballs, I either put them in a pill fob, or in straws. Here's an excerpt from my PSK thead of how I make them:

Straw cottonballs – These are straws which I cut into 3.5” lengths. Then I used my forceps and clamped one end and melted it shut with a lighter. Then I used a small screwdriver and jammed as much into them as I could. Each one holds 2-3 cotton balls. If you do this, be sure not to jam them too hard. The first few of these I made I packed too much into them and they almost split. When you’re done, seal the other end the same way, and it’s a waterproof container. But if they are split, they could leak, that’s why it’s important not to jam too much into them. The brown bits in the second straw are fatwood dust and shavings.



Magnesium shavings could also be added to the straws in addition to the fatwood shavings.


It's non-existant where I live. I bought mine at Walmart in the fireplace section. I waited until the end of the season and bought a ton of it for 75% off. I have enough to last me for years.