The Fire Piston: Ancient Firemaking Machine

primitiveways.com ^ | copyright 1996 | Wyatt R. Knapp

[djone]

History/how to of this ancient device: "Air gets very hot when it is compressed under high pressure. A classic example would be the heat that is created when one uses a bicycle pump. But when the air is compressed in a firepiston it is done so quickly and efficiently that it can reach a temperature in excess of 800 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to ignite the tinder that is placed in the end of the piston which has been hollowed out to accept it."

[djone]

"A Traditional Firepiston Here's a drawing for a traditional wooden firepiston. The cylinder is 4" to 6" long and 3/4" to 1" in diameter. Make the inside diameter around 1/2". Follow the drawing for making the piston. The walls of the bore must be perfectly straight and polished smooth......"

here

[Red_Devil 232]

A turkey baster?

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks djone. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[PA Engineer]

A very cool device. This was covered on one the Survivorman shows. He sells them at his website. Click on the pic.

[.45 Long Colt]

I made one in my garage a few years ago. I used a copper stubout, wooden dowel and an O-ring. It works every time.

[rawcatslyentist]

Welcome to the Steam Age.

It has and hasn't changed much.

[Kartographer]

Looks like you can buy them fairly easier. I wonder how well they hold up?

http://www.campmor.com/wilderness-solutions-scout-fire-piston-fire-starter.shtml?source=CI&ci_sku=52748&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

[JRandomFreeper]

I find that it's easier to use a can of gasoline and a road flare to get that wet wood going.

/johnny

[Kartographer]

Wilderness Solutions 2nd Generation Fire Piston Demonstration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqE5cqASSnw

[familyop]

Cool device. Thanks.

[PA Engineer]

Amazon also has quite a selection and some at a decent price.

[Kartographer]

Project!!!!

How to make a Compact Fire Piston

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuKJ8BQv0Hc&feature=fvwrel

[Last Dakotan]

I find that it's easier to use a can of gasoline and a road flare to get that wet wood going.

A fond memory of my youth was watching my father's ritual of starting the BBQ with a can of gasoline and farmer's matches - woof!

[Kartographer]

What can I expect from someone use to heating up his rations with a bit of C4. ;-)

[varmintman]

If Bork Obunga should get re-elected for any reason, making fire will shortly get to be a big deal...

[PA Engineer]

Very, very cool. Thanks.

[JRandomFreeper]

That ain't me! I was USAF. No C4 involved. We always had proper facilities. Mostly.

Electric coffee pot, swivel chair, coffee cup, clip board, cute girls... Mostly.

We did use the M2 burner, though, in the field, and that was more dangerous than C4.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

It did get lit, didn't it?

/johnny

[MSF BU]

I noticed the “cute girl” component as I was travelling throught Pope, Lajes, etc. I suspect, thought I am not certain, that the USAF redirected many female “no-go’s” to the Army, but I cannot be certain.