Air Pressure Tank for Lego Out of a Lighter

Intro: Air Pressure Tank for Lego Out of a Lighter

here's an instructable how to make a small air pressure tank for lego out of an empty lighter

I decided to make it because I couldn't find an original tank from lego
I know it's rather small but if you want to you can link more together to get more volume
I made this tank without using any glue because I wanted to be able to reuse every part.
also there is no danger of explosions if u use an empty lighter please make sure he is realy empty you can lay him outside for a day with something around the valve to make sure he is empty

I'm also sorry if my language isn't so good
I'm from belgium so sorry if i write some mistakes

Step 1: Getting the Materials

what you'll need is:

an empty lighter, I took an ajustable lighter so the system takes out easy
a piece of lego pneumatic plastic tube
and a small piece of rubber tube from lego
you'll also need a drill to cut a hole in the system it will be explained later

underneath you'll find some picture's of all you need

Step 2: Emptying the Lighter

if you havent done this allready you can do it now.
get all the stuff out of the lighter without distroing the gaschamber

Step 3: Placing the Tubes

as the name says you'll need to place the tubes in the lighter
place it in the hole and thest first if it is air tight there for is the rubber piece

Step 4: Drill the Hole

for this step you'll need the drill
I used a drill of 4mm because the lego tube is around the 3,5mm
so now you drill the piece that was used to control the height of the flame

you'll just need to enlarge the hole because you took the brass pieces out of it
if you didn't do this, DO IT

Step 5: Secure the Tube

here you use the piece you just drilled to secure the tube
you'll need to place it over the tube and screw it in the lighter
DON'T SCREW IT TO HARD, just stop when you feel you realy compressed the rubber

use the piece of the lighter with the handle where you adjusted the flame with

Step 6: It's Finished

now you can use your tank
just connect with your pneumatic with a T-piece
now the fun can begin

Comments

[plywood24]

Nice job, but why do you refer to the lighter as "He" ?

[tzq33tdq]

can it be under lots of pressure??? THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!

[a_k_a__wolfboy]

I don't really know if it can hold a lot of pressure, I've never tested it under high pressure. But I guess it can take some pressure. It definitly works fine with lego pneumatic.

[nerd12]

how does a lego set involve a gas tank? to make it move pneumatically or to make it explode? pls reply

[absolute zero]

but can you re pressurize the lighter when it completely runs out?

[a_k_a__wolfboy]

the lighter is already empty, and can't burn anymore. you just use it as a refillable airchamber. just pump air in it with the pressurepump, and use the stored air for moving a pneumatic cilinder without pumping..

[absolute zero]

oh, and do you think a bicycle pump would work?

[a_k_a__wolfboy]

It surely works, you'll fill it quicker than with the lego pump..

[absolute zero]

ty, i meant could you pressurize it with air when the psi was to low to do anything, but i guess i was unclear.

[ReCreate]

At how much PSI? I don't want an exploding lighter...

[a_k_a__wolfboy]

I just use it for lego, the pressure on that isn't that high that it can explode You can test it if u want..

[ReCreate]

ok...

[Pazzerz]

Another good tank is a spent CO2 cartridge with the top threaded and a brass needle valve screwed into it. Nice Instructable.