Storm Lighter

by bartworker in Outside > Fire

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Storm Lighter

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Storm lighters are nice.
Storm lighters are useful.
But storm lighters are expensive. Too expensive for what it is: a sturdy fuel tank combined with a starter.

Here's a way to boost up an ordinay lighter into a cheap, water- & stormproof fuel torch.

Needs:
- some alu tubes in different sizes
- a few brass caps
- a lighter
- a few tampons

Making the Reservoir

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The hardest task will be finding two alu-tubes (or copper, steel, titanium or whatever) that fit exactly one into another.
EXACTLY.
I used a bigger tube from a bicycle pump and a smaller from a camera tripod.
Exit tripod - to sacrifice is nice.

Cut the smallest tube into the size you want and perforate one half of it in the drill press.
Smash it into the bigger tube (with or without CA).
Cut the bigger tube.
Smash the bottom of this 'reservoir' into a brass cap (see picture howto).

Done!

Making the Cover

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Cut a piece of bigger tube and smash it in the second cap.

Done!

Adding the Starter

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Glue an ordinary lighter to the reservoir.
Or use sugru.

Mummyfication

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You're right.
It IS really an uggly thing, in this stage.
Let's put some camouflage!

THE ingedrient: 'DIP étanche' ('DIP watertight') - a rubbery fibre stuff paste used to make junctions in wet areas watertight - on roofs for example. You'll probably have something similar where you live - I'm sure that even a mixture of pine resin & yakdung will do the job.

Put a lot of DIP layers (cover the spark-mechanism with tape) and let it harden.

Cut the mummy on the right place in half to separate cover & reservoir.

Now you've got a lighter which is almost waterproof.

You're right.
It's still an uggly thing.
But waterproof.

Light My Fire!

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Put the tampons in the reservoir & loosen the top.
Soak it with fuel (or ethanol, methanol, lighter fuel or whatever)

Lighter ON!!!

You just made the cheapest storm lighter ever!

Enjoy, & thanx for watching!!!