como hacer fire piston

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/ Home Sign Up! Browse Community Submit All Art Craft Food Games Green Home Kids Life Music Offbeat Outdoors Pets Photo Ride Science Tech Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Piston by jphphotography on August 28, 2009 Table of Contents Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Intro: Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Step 1: Cut Raw Brass Rod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 2: O-ring Groove On Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 3: Pilot Hole For Tinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Step 4: Full Sized Tinder Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 5: Tinder Slit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 6: Starting The Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 7: Epoxying The Brass Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Step 8: Flaring The Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Step 9: Mark The Piston Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Step 10: Piston Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 11: Piston Sleeve/Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 12: Plug The Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 13: Finished! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 14: Easy O-Ring Installation Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 15: Tips For Getting Coals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Step 16: Making Char Cloth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Page 1: Como Hacer Fire Piston

http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/

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Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Pistonby jphphotography on August 28, 2009

Table of Contents

Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro:   Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1:   Cut Raw Brass Rod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 2:   O-ring Groove On Piston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 3:   Pilot Hole For Tinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 4:   Full Sized Tinder Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 5:   Tinder Slit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 6:   Starting The Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 7:   Epoxying The Brass Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 8:   Flaring The Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 9:   Mark The Piston Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 10:   Piston Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 11:   Piston Sleeve/Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 12:   Plug The Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 13:   Finished! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 14:   Easy O-Ring Installation Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 15:   Tips For Getting Coals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Step 16:   Making Char Cloth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Page 2: Como Hacer Fire Piston

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Author:jphphotography    author's websiteThose who know me know that I've always got some project on the go at all times. My interests are varied enough that I can jump from one to the next andnot get bored. I seem to learn by doing and the best way to learn something is to start a project utilizing it.

I've also just started a blog related to photography, it will have DIY stuff as well as tips & tricks etc. http://www.jph-photography.blogspot.com

Intro:  Illustrated & Detailed Guide To Making A Fire PistonIn this instructable I will attempt to show you how to make a fire piston using relatively common materials found at your local hardware store. It took me a few attempts toget it working right so hopefully this instructable will help you benefit from what I've learned. The cost is under $20 per piston though some of the suplies like brass rodonly come in 4ft sections so I'm dividing the cost down for each individual unit.

What's a fire piston anyway?A fire piston is an amazing little tool that's been around for hundreds of years, unfortunately due to the invention of the common match its popularity diminished and italmost dissapeared. It is a piston and cylinder that works like a diesel engine using compression to cause a piece of tinder to heat up rapidly and turn into a coal.Wikipedia explains it better than I do so if you're really interested just click here for the full history.

The most important part about getting one of these working seems to be the char cloth or char string which is used as the tinder, don't be fooled by other videos online itsalmost impossible to light just regular balls of rolled up tissue paper. Charcloth is a cotton based material that is heated in an oxygen deprived container until certaingases etc are released afterwhich the remaining material turns to an ember really easily. Another characteristic of char cloth is that the ember grows when it is blown on(so wind actually helps you!)

Making a fire piston without having char cloth will make you go crazy, chances are you'll have a working piston but won't know it because your using the wrong tinder.Make char cloth first!!!

Materials5" or more of 1/4" brass rod4" 1/8th Threaded brass pipe nipple1/8 Threaded brass cap1/4" by 1/8" rubber o-rings2 part liquid epoxy (Jb Weld, Cold Weld etc)Wooden cabinet knob (or you can make your own)Wooden Broom Handle or suitable wood for turning*Cotton T-Shirt (Optional for making char cloth)Tin can that seals (Optional for making char cloth)

ToolsDrill Press & Drill BitsLathe*Triangle FileHacksaw

*Not all the tools/materials are necessary just to get a working piston. Instead of using a lathe you could file the o-ring groove by hand for example. The wooden sleevemade from the broom handle is optional as its purely cosmetic.

**All the slides were made with Google Sketchup, playing around with the styles gave it the illustrated look and it reminded me of a kids book so I ran with it ;)

Page 3: Como Hacer Fire Piston

http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/

Page 4: Como Hacer Fire Piston

http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/

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Step 1: Cut Raw Brass RodCut approximately 5" of the brass rod using a hacksaw. We're cutting it a little longer than we need, the excess can be trimmed off when we are fitting the handle.

Step 2: O-ring Groove On PistonOn a lathe use a triangle file to reduce the shaft diameter to 0.175" The tapered part should be at roughly a 45 degree angle. Next file one side of the piston head flat sothat you can center punch it todrill a hole. Make sure you don't do it too close to the end of the piston!!

Note: It is important that the o-ring grove is tapered at 45 degrees on the one side, as the piston is forced down in the cylinder the o-ring rides up a little and is expandedby the taper thus providing a tighter seal. If this angle is too low the o-ring will slide up the shaft completely which is no good, I found 45 degrees was about right.

Step 3: Pilot Hole For TinderStart off using a small bit to drill a pilot hole, this will make drilling the larger hole quite a bit easier. Make sure the hole is centered and perpendicular to the length of thepiston.

Page 7: Como Hacer Fire Piston

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Step 4: Full Sized Tinder HoleWith the pilot hole drilled you can now proceed to drill the large hole. A number 31 bit seems to be about the right size. Notice how there is still a bit of material leftbetween the hole and the piston end. If you don't leave a little room the drillbit could slip out!

Step 5: Tinder SlitUsing a file cut a slit through the end of the piston to meet the hole we drilled. If you had too much excess material between the hole and the piston end from the previousstep you can file it down or cut it off. * It's also a good idea to round over the bottom edge of the piston as well as any sharp points & corners.

Step 6: Starting The CylinderThe threads on brass nipple piping is tapered so you won't be able to screw it on the whole way. Its a good idea to thread it on and off a few times with your fingers to getrid of any burrs left from manufacturing.

Note: I don't know what it is about brass nipples but the measurements are strange, they are listed as 1/8th but the inner diameter is closer to 1/4" (0.277 by mymeasurements) the wall thickness doesn't seem to be 1/8th either. Nothing about 1/8th brass nipple seems to actually be 1/8th. If anyone knows please enlighten me ;)

Page 8: Como Hacer Fire Piston

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Step 7: Epoxying The Brass CapFill the cap up all the way with the expoxy. I suggest "JB Weld" or "Cold Weld" not the putty variety. Thread the cap on as far as you can. Leave sitting upright to dryovernight, this will ensure the bottom of the cylinder remains flat.

Note: I've heard of other people using the putty but they had to use the un-cut end of their piston to flatten it out after, I don't know if the putty makes as good of a seal ornot so I'd stick with the liquid stuff.

Step 8: Flaring The CylinderUsing a large tapered punch, flare out the end of the brass nipple. If you do not have a punch you can dremel or file the bore larger instead, just take care not to mar thecylinder further down while doing it.

Note: It is very important that you have a smooth flared end to the cylinder so you can get the piston started. If its rough it will scar your o-rings and you'll have to changethem often.

Page 9: Como Hacer Fire Piston

http://www.instructables.com/id/Illustrated-amp-Detailed-Guide-To-Making-A-Fire-/

Step 9: Mark The Piston DepthInsert the piston all the way into the cylinder and mark the depth on the side of the piston. This will allow you to determine how far the piston will sit inside the handle.

Note: Some other tutorials will say to leave a gap at the bottom of the piston, this isn't necessary with the way the tinder slot is made on this one. Infact leaving room willonly reduce the compression and possibly prevent the tinder from igniting at all. I found as long as your seal is good you shouldn't "bottom out" when compressing thecylinder or not very hard at least if you do.

Page 10: Como Hacer Fire Piston

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Step 10: Piston HandleIts up to you whether or not to turn the handle first or at the same time as the cylinder sleeve. A good handle has a slight curve to it so it doesn't hurt your hand :)

Note: A simple solution is to just pick up some wooden cabinet knobs to use as a handle. You'll probably have to drill the hole in them bigger though but that is easy.

Step 11: Piston Sleeve/BodyCut a section of wooden broom handle and drill it out with a bit just bigger than the brass nipple. Then,from the other side, drill another hole part way that will accept the cap.

Shown here the sleeve has decorative grooves cut into the wood, this is just for looks and nothing to do with functionality.

Step 12: Plug The BottomYou'll need to fashion a plug to fill the hole on the bottom and hide the brass cap from sight. Just make sure that you remember to insert the brass tube before you glue itall in place!

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Step 13: Finished!You should now have a finished fire piston, now all you need to do is make some char cloth and you can try it out!

Step 14: Easy O-Ring Installation TrickSince you'll probably have left over brass rod stock why not make a little jig for installing o-rings. Simply taper a 1" long piece of rod down but not quite to a point, thenbutt it up against the piston and pop the o-ring on!

Page 12: Como Hacer Fire Piston

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Step 15: Tips For Getting Coals1) Make sure your fingers are dry, if the char cloth gets contaminated it won't light well (especially if your fingers have left over vaseline from lubing the o-ring).

2) Sometimes pausing slightly after you compress the piston will help allow more heat to transfer to the char string or cloth.

3) Make sure you're getting enough compression, the plunger should be fairly hard to press for the last 1/3 and after released should pop out about 2/3's. If it is not thentry re-lubing the o-ring with vaseline or chapstick.

4) If you don't get a coal after a few attempts try a different piece of tinder.

5) After a misfire it helps to blow down the cylinder, this helps to get new air in the cylinder and purge it of the spent gases.

NEW 6) I forgot this one when I was doing up the slides, if you leave a little sticking out the end of the piston (ie out the slit instead of the side holes) I've found this oftenlights easier.

Step 16: Making Char ClothCharcloth is relatively easy to make and a crucial ingredient to using your fire piston. Simply take an old cotton shirt, cut it up into squares, then place into a sealed metalcan. Poke a small hole in the top of the can with a nail, then roast over top of a fire until the smoke stops coming out of the hole. Remove from the fire and put the nailback in to seal the can. Let it cool, when you open it the cloth should be black but not brittle. Use a white shirt the first time because its easier to see when it is charred.Also, don't be alarmed if the smoke ignites while making this, that is normal ;)

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Start a fire withair bywatermelon

Make CharCloth byGraywolf

How to make afire byNoname23

How to Build aCampfire bystasterisk

Instructions onhow to makecharcloth forfiremakingusing flint+steelor firestick. bygarethllewelyn

Dutch OvenThai CurryNoodles by3leftturns

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Comments

50 comments Add Comment view all 73 comments

 bombem1 says:  Mar 2, 2011. 5:17 PM  REPLYThis was a wonderful Instructable and the first one I followed to make a Fire Piston. The plans were layed out very well which made it easy to follow. Theonly recommendation I would have for the procedure is to include the common size of the drill bit used. I did find one that looked close and it worked out wellin the 3/16 area that you outlined.

One question for you. I believe i followed the instructions very well for both the char rope/paper and the piston. After testing with several materials andplunging my heart out I only got one piece of char rope to glow. The piston can be pushed in and then comes back out 3/4 of the way by itself. I was hopingthat this was going to be easier than rubbing 2 sticks together. Any thoughts on what could be done differently?

 jphphotography says:  Mar 2, 2011. 6:38 PM  REPLYIt's a tricky thing to make really, it took me a few tries to get one that worked reliably. As for the problems you're having I can think of here are a fewpossibilities:

1) Even though you're getting a good seal your "throw" may not be long enough, if you followed the instructable though it should be ok. The reason Istate this is if the throw isn't long enough you wont be building up enough pressure therefor not creating enough heat. Not having enough epoxy in thecap could also affect total pressure.

2) The char string/cloth isn't up to par, this as you say though probably isn't the case.

3) You've contaminated the char string/cloth. This is probably the most likely cause, oils from your fingers or from the vaseline used to lubricate the o-ringcan render char string/cloth useless.

4) When in doubt add more lube to the o-ring ;) Not so much that it contaminates the char material mind you.

If you get it working reliably please post back with what you did to fix it.Good luck!

 hammy10809 says:  Nov 26, 2009. 6:56 AM  REPLYwhy dont you use something else and save the brass for a brass tap

 jphphotography says:  Nov 26, 2009. 12:22 PM  REPLYNot sure exactly what you're getting at with saving it for a brass tap? By tap do you mean "tap and die" or faucet? Either way I'm not sure how eitherwould apply here. 

If you meant using a different metal for the rod then the reason I used brass is that this is the material I found that works the best. Its easy to cut andshape and comes with a nice smooth finish. Steel is very hard to work with in order to get the o-ring groove and channel for containing the tinder.Aluminum is a little too soft and I found the stock to be too rough.

I spent weeks working on this and even ordered a ready-made one just to see if I could learn from their design. This instructable shows the only method Ifound that actually yielded a repeatable result, after the first successful one I made 5 more exactly the same way and they all worked first try.

Hope this helps.

 soundmotor says:  Feb 2, 2011. 1:06 PM  REPLYThis is a great instructable and the time and attention you put into it shows.

 task41line says:  Jul 20, 2010. 2:03 AM  REPLYI hope no one will use this for bad purpouses

 Biggsy says:  Dec 28, 2010. 2:52 AM  REPLYThat's a rediculas thing to say on an otherwise very good instructable. For someone to go to this entire process for 'bad purposes' is a joke... and I thinka bit of an insult... Personally I think there are cheaper faster and more efficient ways to be a naughty person.

 jongscx says:  Jul 23, 2010. 10:07 AM  REPLYIt's easier to get a pack of matches... or a lighter.

 minime12358 says:  Jul 31, 2010. 12:52 PM  REPLYthe thing with those is that they have a shelf life and/or use life.

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 jongscx says:  Aug 1, 2010. 8:51 AM  REPLYHow far ahead were you planning on setting a fire for a bad purpose? They have WWII ration canteens with waterproof matches in them that stilllight on striking, so I guess if you're planning 50+ yrs in advance, then maybe these are better. My point was that a fire-piston creates a slow,smoldering ember really. Given enough time and effort, yes you could turn it into a big fire. If you were to use it for nefarious purposes... sittingthere, blowing at this ember in your hands with some tinder nearby... would probably not be the best course of action. If I were burningsomething, I'd use the fastest means possible...

 owen102 says:  Nov 27, 2010. 5:51 PM  REPLYthe thing about matches is THEY ARE ONE TIME USE ONLY. ;)

 minime12358 says:  Aug 2, 2010. 5:19 PM  REPLYdidnt read the bad purpose part till now, but waterproof matches will not work if they are damp. They will dry and be pretty usable. Fire pistonscan make a fire out of more materials and quicker too.

 NiftyJunk says:  Dec 6, 2010. 9:46 PM  REPLYWaterproof matches won't, but stormproof matches will :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8BY6AbHL9w

 Schpool says:  Mar 3, 2011. 4:40 PM  REPLYGreat 'structable! I definatley plan on makeing one of these. As far as the matches comment,you could just take strike anywherematches and coat them in melted paraffin. It keeps the heads dry and the paraffin is easiley removed for use of the matches.

 jphphotography says:  Jul 24, 2010. 7:26 PM  REPLYThanks I was going to say the same thing :)

 random squigles says:  Aug 8, 2010. 2:58 PM  REPLYSince you have a lath why not use it to cut a nice radius on the inside corner?

 minime12358 says:  Jul 26, 2010. 12:04 PM  REPLYTwo quick questions: can you use a simple 5 minute two part epoxy? what is the total cost (not including wood and tools) This is a great instructable by theway.

 jphphotography says:  Aug 1, 2010. 7:23 PM  REPLYThe quick epoxy's don't tend to be as strong so I wouldn't recommend the quick stuff.

 LetsExplodeSomething says:  Jul 16, 2010. 3:02 PM  REPLYIs Brass necessary i have a steel rod of that exact diameter

 jphphotography says:  Aug 1, 2010. 7:22 PM  REPLY"minime" is exactly correct, brass was chosen because it is way easier to work with than steel. I wouldn't even bother trying steel.

 minime12358 says:  Jul 26, 2010. 12:08 PM  REPLYthats probably a lot harder to turn on a lathe...

 minime12358 says:  Jul 30, 2010. 2:38 PM  REPLYbtw quick thing: Instead of using a lathe r<----- im assuming you meant lathe notlather

 jphphotography says:  Aug 1, 2010. 7:21 PM  REPLYThanks ;)

 minime12358 says:  Aug 1, 2010. 5:30 PM  REPLYin the final picture, it looks like there is something to the right of the O-ring. What is that?

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 jphphotography says:  Aug 1, 2010. 7:18 PM  REPLYIf you mean in the "real life" photo that's just lubricant that built up. Due to the soot in the tube it becomes quite black.

 Vulcanator says:  Jul 25, 2010. 10:26 AM  REPLYPV=nRT

 jphphotography says:  Jul 25, 2010. 12:32 PM  REPLYAt first I thought you were writing "pervert" in some leet speak or internet slang and was very confused ;) Now I see that it's just the equation for the idealgas law lol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_gas_law

 jphphotography says:  Jul 24, 2010. 7:27 PM  REPLYThanks for all of the comments everyone, I was on holidays for a few weeks and when I got home I saw my inbox was flooded with comments!

 max.whittle says:  Jul 24, 2010. 5:53 PM  REPLYThis is incredible! Thanks so much!

 emihackr97 says:  Jul 15, 2010. 7:47 PM  REPLYur explanation is completly wrong, it does work like a diesel engine but diesel engines don't work like that. when air is compressed to a point where thepartial pressure of oxygen is more than 1.6 it combines with most types of oils and explodes, thats allso why diesel engines make a lot more noise, becausethey compress the air a lot more than normal gasoline ones.

 madhops0620 says:  Jul 16, 2010. 2:22 PM  REPLY

"it does work like a diesel engine but diesel engines don't work like that."

That doesn't even make any sense.  His explanation is correct, and although this is not exactly how diesel engines work, he is giving a comparison tothose who do not know very much about this type of combustion.  Also, the compression in a gasoline engine is not what causes the combustion as itdoes in a diesel engine.  It uses a spark to ignite the fuel, not compression alone.

 emihackr97 says:  Jul 22, 2010. 8:53 PM  REPLYdiesel engines do not use sparks, they just use compression. thats why they are much simpler and less likely to have combustion problems. oxygenis cooler than you thought, no sparks, just pressure.

 chrwei says:  Jul 18, 2010. 9:29 AM  REPLYa diesel engine doesn't use compression alone either, it requires a certain level of heat to have good combustion, which is why they have glow plugsto preheat the chamber. on a warm day you can start it without glow plugs, but near freezing temps you'll have no luck.

 jongscx says:  Jul 23, 2010. 10:06 AM  REPLYWell, a Diesel engine doesn't Use the heat, but it just Needs a minimum heat level to function properly... so it kinda does just use compressionalone. As opposed to a gas engine which uses both the spark and the compression... In a Diesel engine, the Compression of the fuel-air mixturecauses the molecules to heat to the fuel's Flash-point, the point at which it spontaneously ignites. The Fire Piston Works in the same way, wherethe combustible cotton is placed in the piston with the air and is heated to ignition by the compression of the air.

 JamesRPatrick says:  Nov 8, 2010. 10:48 PM  REPLYA fire piston works like a diesel engine. A fire piston is not a diesel engine.

 jamesvertigo2 says:  Jul 20, 2010. 3:24 AM  REPLYVery nice!

 cepaly says:  Jul 20, 2010. 1:15 PM  REPLYRealy, the true your are a very nice, don´t you?

 spa31rky says:  Jul 20, 2010. 11:29 AM  REPLYHey wait a minute..!!!! What happened to the diesel argument.? I was just getting interested in that one. ( I do know how diesel works and I was enjoying theargument too well! ) Oh yeah...........the "ible" here was a really good one. I have made one with the same idea from bamboo.........one bamboo smaller thanother so it would slide inside the chamber between the knots ( cut out of course) and with some friction action......."let there be fire"

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 jhenson81 says:  Jul 19, 2010. 4:47 PM  REPLYVery nice 'ible! The artwork from SketchUp also gives it an antique feel, if you will. Kinda like articles from old "DIY" and hobby magazines. This will be agreat project for my father and I. He loves woodworking and antique tools. I also find simple tools like this fascinating.

 juswalkin says:  Jul 19, 2010. 10:17 AM  REPLYMany year ago I was going thru a estate sale and I found on of these and I had no idea what it was, but still picked it up. It's made of wood and has thethread wraped around the end of the piston and a small cup cut into the end. the thread has wax all over it and there is charing to the end of the piston. Ialways thought it was some kind of candle. Now I can't wait to try it.

 robertlfulton4 says:  Jul 18, 2010. 1:54 PM  REPLYBlack powder patches or cleaning clothes are cotten and about 1 in square or rounds . This also goes well with the Civil War and mountain man equipmenteasily carried in the possables bag

 abehambino says:  Jul 15, 2010. 8:03 PM  REPLYi read in a book that you can do something similar out of bamboo in an emergency. if any one has any info on that, please share. by the way, greatinstructable! i've looking for a permenant alternative to the bamboo version.

 garavin says:  Jul 18, 2010. 11:45 AM  REPLYBamboo was, in fact, one of the original materials used for fire pistons. I've been thinking about building one of these for a while. The simplicity of thedesign makes it a great low-tech alternative fire starter. Nice 'ible, thanks for writing it up.

 underwhelmed says:  Jul 16, 2010. 4:46 PM  REPLYI think you are talking about a bamboo fire saw?- http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/firesaw/index.html

 abehambino says:  Jul 17, 2010. 2:43 PM  REPLYno. in the technique i saw, it said that you would shove ta dowel into a bamboo section like a piston.

 ourmoneypit says:  Jul 18, 2010. 9:40 AM  REPLYExcellent 'ible, very nicely done. (I love SketchUp too!) and I am always on the look-out for simple low- or no-tech ways of doing things -- I have nothingagainst technology, but it is all dependent on electricity, and one day, there may be nothing coming out of those lovely little ubiquitous holes in our walls. This'ible goes into my project file.

 thefabricator says:  Jul 18, 2010. 8:45 AM  REPLYJust a thought on the sizing question. Nipples are pipe fittings, and the pipe itself would be a "nominal" 1/4" , inside diameter. Therefore everything toaccommodate the "1/4" inch pipe would be larger. Then again I found this on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_%28material%29 This tells some ofthe history of when 1/4" pipe would have actually been 1 quarter of an inch Love the Ible, I'm going to try and make one. Thanks for for your research. John"Never underestimate the importance of product testing" Caption under a picture of a man demonstrating a door cut into the side of a cast iron claw footbathtub...

 Eirinn says:  Jul 18, 2010. 6:57 AM  REPLY"(especially if your fingers have left over vaseline from lubing the o-ring)" *gigglesnorts*

 Skyfinity says:  Jul 18, 2010. 4:47 AM  REPLYHa! I remeber this being demonstrated many times. It is a very good physics demonstration. Plunger moves down a glass tube, cotton at the bottom ignites. Ididn´t think it could serve such a practical purpose though. I might give this one a try. It seems to be very well written. :)

 frollard says:  Jul 15, 2010. 7:37 PM  REPLYLooks like you got popular featured! Well done! Question: Did you sketchup then photoshop filter or does sketchup have output filters to make it look handdrawn?

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