On a sunny day you don't need friction to make fire. A solar fire starter (parabolic mirror) and some tinder works pretty well.
Fire by friction
- Thread starter Proinsias
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Done it with a bow lots of times. Flint and steel even more. I always liked a hard wood for the spindle and even the cup. Its easier to cut a cup than find a rock with a notch that will work. Oiling the cup and top of the spindle can be a tricky if you are freshly showered/clean. If yuo've been outside a while not so much. The side of your nose and forehead should be good. It'll help smooth out the top of the spindle and the cup.
For the bottom board I cut a cone close to the edge with the smallest of notches opening it up to let air in and also try to get about 1/8" from the bottom. I can do this with a pocket knife but prefer a hatchet. Practicing on a scrap piece of 1"x2" pine board can do wonders.
I have bird nest made up of dry fibers or pine needles. If I have a piece of sisal rope that goes up like nothing when splayed out and nested up.
For the bottom board I cut a cone close to the edge with the smallest of notches opening it up to let air in and also try to get about 1/8" from the bottom. I can do this with a pocket knife but prefer a hatchet. Practicing on a scrap piece of 1"x2" pine board can do wonders.
I have bird nest made up of dry fibers or pine needles. If I have a piece of sisal rope that goes up like nothing when splayed out and nested up.
You can polish the bottom of a beer or soda can with metal polishing compound until it is mirror-like. With this parabolic mirror, focusing the sun's light, you can light up tinder. You can adjust the mirror';'s focal length by massaging/stretching/shaping the thin sheet metal.
Would anybody like to see my solar lighter in action? I can take pictures or make a short video (Rated G).
Would anybody like to see my solar lighter in action? I can take pictures or make a short video (Rated G).
I'd watch that video
Very cool. I'd love to see that!
Make yourself a bird nest. Full of dry grasses etc. You can GOOGLE how to to this. Once you get your ember transfer it to the bird nest. With a little bit of extra effort as long as you can get the ember you can get fire. The bird nest goes into your fire pit to start your campfire.
I have done it many times demonstrating for scouts and Marines. Your on the right track.
Personsally if car camping I carry match light charcoal. That way if raining I can get a fire going without having to look for dry tinder.
I have done it many times demonstrating for scouts and Marines. Your on the right track.
Personsally if car camping I carry match light charcoal. That way if raining I can get a fire going without having to look for dry tinder.
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I apologize for the delay, but we have bene having rather foggy days and little sunshine the past couple weeks, especially when I had time. But here is a short video showing my 4-3/4" parabolic mirror (solar firestarter) in action.
Not sure why I can't insert the video into the post. It becomes merely a link, so please click to watch.
[video]http://vid1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah99/sfcorrado/P7062544_zpsa2fjnscz.mp4[/video]
Not sure why I can't insert the video into the post. It becomes merely a link, so please click to watch.
[video]http://vid1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah99/sfcorrado/P7062544_zpsa2fjnscz.mp4[/video]
now that is cool
My auto-spellchecker now corrects English into Italian. Molto bene! 
Imagine what you can do with a large (3-foot diameter) parabolic mirror with a long focal length (say 2000 mm)! You could start a fire in the fraction of a second or boil water in a pot over a considerable distance.
Imagine what you can do with a large (3-foot diameter) parabolic mirror with a long focal length (say 2000 mm)! You could start a fire in the fraction of a second or boil water in a pot over a considerable distance.
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Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Hand drill works best with two people. Dryer lint makes excellent tinder. (good mix of old and new technology!)
Fire Piston
I always wanted to make my own, but have still not gotten around to it. A Fire piston is pretty cool - basically it's a miniature one-cylinder multi-fuel Diesel engine.
I carry jute twine soaked in parrifin wax when I go out.a ferro rod and striker go too.it takes practice to start a friction fire,and it's a very good skill to have.also important to know how to find dry tinder in wet conditions.again practice makes perfect
We use these in chemistry classes. Cool concept. Only works with super dry cotton, but it works great! Never thought about carrying them around. Thanks!
Im going to have to try the dryer lint mentioned by [MENTION=30791]Slash McCoy[/MENTION]. That would be great if that works.
Cool, thanks!
Then again, even if you fail to light a fire by friction, you will be warm anyway!
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- #38
Yeah, it certainly warms you up. My small hand drill set has been gathering dust, and hopefully drying out a little in the green house, as the weather was grim and I'm away from home at the moment. Keen to get back to it as I'm learning and getting closer every time.
- Thread starter
- #40
luvmysuper mentioned the fire piston too, had a look on YouTube and it looks cool. The attraction of the hand drill was that I could, hopefully, make fire using nothing aside from that which grows in my garden. The fire piston looks like something I'd have to buy or source materials out with that which I have growing. Fire has always been easy for me, I have lighters, matches, flint etc. The hand drill seems a little more back to basics.
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