How to Make a Fire Piston

This is an easy way to make a fire piston. A fire piston is a method of creating a fire by compressing air, causing heat, and igniting some tinder! More info on the fire piston.

DISCLAIMER:

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED OR RELATED TO THIS INSTRUCTABLE.

Step 1: Materials

Supplies needed for the fire piston:

1 Bolt 4'' x 1/2''

1 Hex cap 3/8''

1 O-Ring 1/2'' x 5/16'' x 3/32''

1 Steel pipe nipple 3/8'' x 3''

Some J-B Weld

Vaseline


Tools needed:

Grinder

Circular shaped files

Drill and drill bits (range of sizes from small to LARGE)

Oil

Awl and small hammer (optional, but helpful)

Large clamp

Q-tips

Dowel

Water and soap

Step 2: Checking Your Steel Pipe Nipple

In this step we are going to be looking at your steel pipe nipple. We are looking to see if your pipe has a bumpy ridge inside of it. If it does, go to step 3, if it doesn't, go to step 4.

Step 3: Getting Rid of the Ridge

To get rid of the ridge in the steel pipe nipple, take your file, and file it down! Now, this does take a while, so put on some tunes! :P After you are done, it should be smooth.

Step 4: Assembling the Chamber

To assemble the chamber, grab your J-B Weld, hex cap, and steel pipe nipple. Mix up just enough J-B Weld to fill the hex cap up about half way. Also, put some in the steel pipe nipple. Screw the steel pipe nipple onto the hex cap. Take your dowel and pack/tap the J-B Weld down in the chamber. After you have packed/tapped the J-B Weld down, set the chamber upright in a safe place for the night so it can dry.

Step 5: Grind the Piston

Now we are going to work on the piston. You are going to take the bolt and grind all of the threads down with the grinder. You want it ground to about 7/16 '' in diameter. Once you have all the threads flattened, (doesn't need to be completely smooth), make a notch in the bolt about 1/4"-1/2" of the way from the tip, just deep enough for the O-Ring to sit in snugly, but small enough to fit in the chamber. What I did was I started the notch with the grinder, but then finished it with the file. I would strongly suggest using the file unless you are skilled with a grinder.

While I was making the notch, every once and a while, I would slide the O-ring onto the bolt into the notch and test it in the chamber to see if it would fit yet.

After finishing the notch, I suggest filing down the rest of the bolt to get rid of any burs or pokey things.

Take the O-ring off after you are done.

Step 6: Finishing the Chamber

Once the J-B Weld in the chamber is dry, take your file and file the edge down where the opening of the chamber is.

Step 7: Drill a Hole in the Piston

Now we are going to drill a hole in the piston to hold the fuel (char cloth, paper, string, etc.). Start by placing the bolt into the clamp. Next, take your awl, put it in the center of the bolt, and hammer it lightly with your small hammer a couple times to get a small dent in it. This will help when drilling to keep the drill bit from sliding all over the place. Now, take your drill, and put your smallest drill bit in it, and drill a hole about 1/4" deep. Once this is done, move on to a bigger size drill bit, and drill into the smaller hole. CAREFUL, the advancement in bit size might grab at the bolt. To avoid this, push slowly down on the drill. Continue drilling holes increasingly bigger. When you get to around 3/32 size bit, or start seeing smoke, put a couple drops of oil in the hole, or enough to fill the hole. Continue to add oil in between drill bit changes, or when it starts smoking.

Step 8: Finishing the Piston

To finish the piston, squirt some soap onto the bolt, and rinse it under hot water. Next, take the Q-Tip, and wipe out the inside of the hole you just drilled in the last step. After that, take the O-Ring and stretch it onto the the bolt(piston).

Step 9: Grease the O-Ring

Take some petroleum jelly(Vaseline), or some other type of lubricant, and spread some on the O-Ring with your finger. Once greased, put it in the chamber, and push it in and out a couple times to spread the lubricant throughout the chamber. You should feel resistance, but the piston should be able to glide smoothlythrough the chamber. You may need to add additional lubricant to the O-ring because the grease will spread through the chamber.

Step 10: FINISHED! :D

Now you are done! :D

How to use your new fire piston!

Put some fuel in the hole at the end of the bolt/piston, such as char-cloth, paper, dry grass, etc. Put the bolt in the chamber, and set the chamber on something solid. Push quickly but hard on the piston. When you push on the piston, you want to compress the air in the chamber as much as possible. Remember to remove the bolt quickly after slamming the piston into the chamber, otherwise the tinder will smother and die. There you go! You have just made a spark with the fire piston! If you didn't get it the first time, blow in the chamber to get fresh air in it like you blow in a bottle to make a sound, and try again. Once you get your spark, you want to help it along with some more tinder, or maybe a cotton ball. All you want to do is to get that spark to transfer its heat to something else to make a fire.

I hope you had a fun time with my instructable! :D