Homemade Zippo-style Lighter
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Introduction: Homemade Zippo-style Lighter
Step 1: Materials
Here are the materials you will need for this project:
-An empty Bic or similar lighter
-Needlenose pliers
-A pair of scissors
-A tissue paper
-Lighter fluid
-A pointy object
Step 2: Preparing the Casing
The first thing we want to do is to clear our lighter from any parts that won't be used in our project. With your pliers, remove the metal protector that usually goes under the flame (Picture #1).
Now, carefully remove the spark wheel, the flint and the flint spring (Picture #2). Watch out because the spring can easily fly out with the flint and if you lose either the spring or flint your project won't work.
Your lighter should now look like picture #3.
Next, squeeze the red gas switch out with your pliers (Picture #4), and remove the little plate under it as well and the spring that holds the gas switch in place (Picture #5).
Now, with your pliers, remove the pin located halfway in the fuel casing, halfway out (Picture #6). Your lighter should look like on picture #7.
Finally, with a sharp object, push the interior metal pin, that was holding the one you just removed, inside the fuel casing. You have now a prepared lighter casing!
Step 3: Fuel and Wick
Next thing we want to do will be to fill our lighter with fuel and make a wick for it.
First, pour some lighter fluid in the hole leading to the fuel casing (Picture #1).
Your lighter is now fueled. To make the wick, we'll use a tissue paper.
First, cut a strip of tissue of about 1 and half inch wide (picture #2).
Then, twist your tissue strip as much as you can to make a clean and solid wick (picture #3).
Now, carefully insert the wick as deep as you can in the lighter casing (Picture #4).
Then, trim the wick about a half inch inch from the hole (Picture #5). Your lighter is almost finished!
Step 4: Putting Stuff Back On
The last but not least step will be to put the spring, flint, wheel and protector back on.
First, insert the spring into the flint hole. Then, carefully compress the spring and put the flint with it. Then, place the wheel back where it used to be (Picture #1).
Now, place the metal protector back on, the same way you got it off (Picture #2).
Make sure it snaps in place.
Your lighter is now in working order! Simply adjust the wick height to change flame height!
Finally, to put it out, blow it or tap your finger on the wick. Have fun!
38 Comments
5 years ago
Thanks so much how can I make it not leak?
11 years ago on Step 1
couldnt you use alchohol instead of LF?
Reply 11 years ago on Step 1
yea but alcohol doesn't light as well a LF with only a lighter spark
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
denatured alcohol does
Reply 6 years ago
But it's hard to see the flame outdoors in the day 'cause alcohol burns blue..
6 years ago
It's a wick style lighter, not Zippo style. Zippo lighters are a type of wick lighter, not the other way around. Terminology is everything.
12 years ago on Introduction
I would be scared, the whol thing can catch up fire and explode in your hands, but cool !
Reply 7 years ago on Introduction
It won't explode for the same reason Zippos don't explode. There's not enough air to mix with the fuel inside the lighter
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
nope, not a good fuel/air ratio inside the lighter.
7 years ago on Introduction
Awesome.
9 years ago on Introduction
im going to use an old "rippo" for parts and have a filling screw in the bottom. this is an excellent idea, and i curse myself for not thinking of it
10 years ago on Introduction
I did the same thing you did except made a case and everything. Thanks for the idea!
10 years ago on Introduction
i made one of these but with a slightly different desine and t doesnt leak! :D
11 years ago on Step 4
Seal it with some fire cement or jb weld
12 years ago on Step 4
if it leaks, then it's useless... you could never take it anywhere
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
yes you could
wait, is my pocket on fire? :P
11 years ago on Introduction
Could you explain, in further detail, how you "push the inner metal pin in"?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
There is a kind of metal tube that rests outside the case but goes like ¼inch down into the case. It's almost impossible to pull it out without damaging the casing so you can just force it in and leave it there in order to have a proper hole for inserting the wick.
12 years ago on Introduction
Could you use a proper zippo wick instead of tissue paper?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Yes, but it might not fit as well and is more expensive and you're less likely to have them lying around than tissue paper.