OK! What is this?

[BIGNASTY]

Leave to Harman to find something that caveman used

 

[GHarman]

Is it for starting a fire? Using compressed air by pushing down on the top plunger quickly to igniting a small piece of char cloth.

Shumacher!!! You are the MAN!

Exactly right!

Its called a "fire piston"!

I saw one of these used at a Mountain Man Rendezvous and it works better than flint and steel!!! GregH

Heres some skinny;

Fire piston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BIGNASTY]

.

Why play games when you ABSOULUTEY, POSTIVELEY HAVE TO GET A FIRE GOING THIS IS THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!! NOT for the faint of hart!! Wet wood NOT A PROBLEM/ POURING DOWN RAIN STORM NOT A PROBLEM We mold ours in a 50 cal round ball mold the flare takes a little bit but add the ignition source and PESTO!!!!!! YOU GOT A FIRE GIONG :-laf



E-Books :: Thermite Manual - Science For You | Pyrotechnic Supplies & Much More!

 

[GCroyle]

BIGNASTY,



I bet when you're wet and cold, that thermonuclearwtfareyougonnawiththatthing is just the ticket for starting things up.



Greg,



That would be interesting to see demonstrated, I was thinking of a twisting motion between the small top and the base, making or lighting up some form of tinder.



For those of you that have never messed with charred cloth, it is a fire starting survival trick of the first order, we were taught it in BSA used with flint and steel for example. We'd make a birds nest out of wild grapevine bark shredded fine, put a patch of charred cloth in the center and have at it.



Charred cloth is AFAIK 100% cotton burned in the absense of oxygen. You could use an old steel tobacco can, punch holes in the top, fill with fabric and put it on some coals to smolder, replace lid, let it go for a while then cool and open, black fragile fragments remain, spark hits it and it glows red, fan it and it catches what its next to. Good stuff.



Greg, never seen that one, I like it.



Gary

 

[BIGNASTY]

:-laf THIS AINT NO BOY SCOUT COOK BOOK PARD :-laf Like I said when it comes down to DOOMSDAY SURVIVAL IM GOING TO WIN :-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[BIGNASTY]

You should see what isopropyl alcohol and JP4 makes BOOOOOOM :-laf I like things that go bang ALOT

 

[BIGNASTY]

When your in the yard around my house WATCH WERE YOU STEP :-laf STILL WANT TO COME UP AND HUNT GREG :-laf Bet you wont sleep very well now will ya Is this GUY NUTS OR WHAT

 

[GCroyle]

You walk in my yard, watch out for doggie do.



We don't watch any more but those city knucleheads on Survivor just don't get it, learn how to make a fire B-4 you get dropped off.



Plus at BIGNASTY's ranch, gotta watch out for road apples too.



I started using the long leaf pine straw and cones, they burn quick and get my simple fires going.



BSA is a fond memory, lots of good times and special leaders. I remember their names better than my school teachers.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I enjoyed the Scouts. Back when I was scouting the Navy was still able to be part of the program. My Dad was life time Navy our scout leader was a Navy corp man. HIS BIG PRIORITY WAS FIRST AID AND RIGHTLEY SO. :-laf

 

[GHarman]

When your in the yard around my house WATCH WERE YOU STEP :-laf STILL WANT TO COME UP AND HUNT GREG :-laf Bet you wont sleep very well now will ya Is this GUY NUTS OR WHAT

I believe I am more concerned with a Grizz sneakin around the Barn, than I am with yer "minefields" :-laf Course a "Bouncing Betty" would ruin the day fer a Grizz, alsoOo. Presonally, I like claymores! GregH

 

[GHarman]

Gary, The piston has a concave end. You place the shard of cloth in that hollow and insert the piston into the body. A quick straight thrust, against your palm or a hard surface will create embers in the shard! Some believe that "Rudy" Diesel used this idea to develop his engine!? GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

Just goof in I have no BB's but I DO LIKE THINGS THAT GO BOOM. And your smart to be concerned about Bears (not grizz) we rode into town and seen a Yogi out and about. Mild winter I guess.

 

[GHarman]

Yeah BUDDY! Blacks are not any critter to be messed with, either. Often they will not challenge you. But a small percentage will. Those are the ones that will try to eat you or mess up yer health record!

I kinda prefer the sentry's proper response. Bang, Bang, Bang,------------- Halt!:-laf GregH

 

[BIGNASTY]

If Possible Pard if Possible

 

[GCroyle]

Gary, The piston has a concave end. You place the shard of cloth in that hollow and insert the piston into the body. A quick straight thrust, against your palm or a hard surface will create embers in the shard! Some believe that "Rudy" Diesel used this idea to develop his engine!? GregH

This looks like a campout spare time project, just what I need to go along with my cast iron stuff, put it in my possibles pouch.



How snug is the fit between piston and cylinder?

 

[Schumacher]

Shumacher!!! You are the MAN!

Exactly right!

Its called a "fire piston"!

I saw one of these used at a Mountain Man Rendezvous and it works better than flint and steel!!! GregH

Heres some skinny;

Fire piston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My dad is always trying to find a different way to start a fire without a match or lighter. The fire piston is one of his toys.

 

[GHarman]

Gary, If you make one out of wood, with a wooden dowel, The fit allows an easy insert and removal, to start, but it is further sealed with beeswax around the plunger, worked into the wood, IIRC. Newer models will have a steel plunger with an o-ring and lubed with parrafin or beeswax or "Whale Oil".

You can make them out of horn, also!

You want enough seal to allow adiabatic compression and still be able to remove the piston to retrieve the hot embers.

If you do some looking on the internet for "fire pistons". You will find several links that provide instruction on making your own.

GregH

 

[GCroyle]

You want enough seal to allow adiabatic compression and still be able to remove the piston to retrieve the hot embers.

GregH

Uh, what is adiabatic?



I bet the challange is getting the length of the dowel vs. the cylinder just right, so it bottoms out on the head rather than the bottom of the piston.



I'm feeling a challange to my little shop coming up.



Gary

 

[GCroyle]

Before somebody reminds me, I looked up the mystery word and it is the same thing that allows our Diesels to ingite fuel, compressing air quickly makes it hot, blah blah blah it works.



But Greg, did you know the word, or pull it off Wikipedia? I'm betting you knew it already.

 

[GHarman]

No, I did not know it! I looked it up! Even had to look up how to spell it:-laf! Dang i's and e's

Hey, I'm jes' a dumb "Hillbilly Weldor"(retired):-laf!

I don't have them $0. 99 words in my vernacular!

GregH