Start a fire with air

Step 8 Insert char cloth and test

Char cloth is cotton or denim cloth that has been placed inside a closed container, like an Altoids tin or capped nipple, with a small hole drilled in it about 1mm or 1/16" in diameter to allow gases to escape. The container is heated in a fire to drive off water and other volatile compounds. I found also that setting a piece of twine alight after inserting it in the hole and letting it burn down and then capping it just before the flame went out produced enough char twine on the very end to be set alight by compression, although for a much shorter period of time.

( Here is an instructable for making char cloth in the field for use with a firepiston...)

A piece of char cloth is inserted in the recess of the piston head and the piston is inserted into the cylinder. A rapid motion is used to drive the piston forward with great force and then withdraw immediately (but with some slight delay).

When withdrawn a small ember should be found which must be nurtured if used to set a piece of tinder alight in order to build a fire.

Do a Google search on the keyword "firepiston" and you can find hundreds of sites on the internet that discuss how to use a firepiston and find videos that show the glowing ember and how it is used to light tender and start a fire. If you have an Adobe Flash Player or add-in you may also be able to view this.

Mine works but until I put on handles I'm not going to develop an operating technique. I have learned that a slight delay after plunging rather than a sort of very rapid bounce worked much better. Experiment.

Comments

[The Lightning Stalker]

This is something I'll have to do in the future. It combines technical things with fire which is an irresistible combination. It'd make a great grill ignitor (I like to grill with real wood)

[spylock]

I dont know if you have heard of this,not very technical,but take paper egg cartons fill with sawdust or dryer lint then pour melted wax into each section,when cooled seperate them,they will each burn about ten minutes,a little longer if useing sawdust.

[The Lightning Stalker]

Yeah, actually knapweed and grass clippings work well for that also.  There's actually an instructable on it.

[tictaclad]

I take a paper towel, fold it 4 times so its like 1 inch wide ( you have to tear the paper towel) and then soak most of it in wax. leave a little bit without wax so you can light it. they burn for like a candle.

[jphphotography]

How did the potassium nitrate saturated coffee filters work? Back in high school we used to make smokebombs with that stuff and we'd soak newspaper in a saturated solution of potassium nitrate to act as a slow burning fuse.

[K.hall86]

This is a sweet intractable! One potential hick-up that i foresee is sanding the o-ring. compromising the surface of rubber usually allows it to decay much faster....not to mention, if too course of sand paper is used that might allow air to escape the chamber, and take away from the effectiveness of the tool...although i am not aware of the circumstances, you could potentially chamfer or counter-sink the tip to the chamber, and\or cut the notch slightly deeper on the piston itself... Other than that i only have a suggestion on the polishing stage. i personally have never used the polishing compound that you use, so i don't really know its potential, but as a person who enjoys polishing aluminum billet i strongly recommend the "Mothers" brand polishes (can be found at local car part and hardware stores) that stuff will make anything shine! but i must say, i see this appearing on my "things to do list"...although i might deviate from your plans slightly. i think that a one piece chamber machine on a lather would be sweet....this could be interesting Once again man, props on the cool idea, i'm going to have to give it a try.

[watermelon]

Thanks. I was a bit concerned about the effect of sanding the surface of the O-Rings as well. It does add surface interface area, however, and if done as suggested then the "cut" marks or scratches in the rubber are perpendicular to the direction of motion. One potential problem is not having uniform pressure and therefore diameter for the entire circumference of the O-Ring. This would all be very much simpler if you can find perfectly fitting O-Rings - something I have not yet managed to do. Also O-Rings or string must be replaced frequently to assure a good seal. I have tried various seat depths - one to the point of the O-Ring being loose. A tighter O-Ring fit, however, appears to work better for the end of the stroke where the compression is the greatest. If the O-Ring fits the back of the seat as the result of using the threads of a wheel spoke (or other similar item) as a chisel tool then the seat depth can be greater. Be sure to adequately hone the nipple in prep for polishing. Hone until there are no high or low spots inside the nipple or polishing may be pointless.