For anyone interested in how to make charcloth: Get yourself an old Prince Albert Tobacco can. An Altoids tin works good too, but it just doesn't hold as much. Punch a hole in one end with a nail. Get yourself some 100% cotton cloth. Fold it up and fill the can. Not packed super tight, but full. Close the can and put it on a good heat source. I use a gas cooktop or camp stove. But a small campfire's fine too. When u start seeing vapors coming out of the nail hole, light the vapors. It'll produce a flame like a butane lighter. If the flame goes out keep re-lighting it. Once it refuses to re-light, your charcloth is done. Let the can cool. Open er up n dump out your charcloth. Be gentle with it as it's very delicate. You only need a tiny bit of it at a time (postage stamp size) to start ur fire. I store mine in an Altoids tin.
THANK you this saves me a bunch of time looking. Very clear and easy to understand. Another 'old way' that can be useful in damp situations! Do you find any difference in quality with new cotton vs old? Dyed and undyed? Easy enough to make a batch inna survival type scenario
@@koreymann2493 Its GOTTA be 100% cotton. Not a blend of any type. Dyed is just fine though. Old fashoned "pillow ticking" is probably best. But good old worn out cotton sheets n pillowcases is great. The heavier the better. Like hospital type sheets...
.. and obviously BTW lay the can on it's side (or however it is most evenly expised to the heat source). Dont stand the can on end lay it flat on the burner. Seems obvious... But you know how people are nowdays
When he bored into the wood core, I was sure it was gonna slip and go into his wrist. If I tried that without clamping the wooden core, I would be in the emergency room.
This tutorial video was just brilliant sir. To the point - no disruptive background music - clear and informative. The world needs more individuals like you. If only Tom Hanks had one of these tools while 'cast-away'. I will be making one of these fur sure. Thank you for posting.
He should have openes all those damn boxes. There may have been a satelite phone, gps, and a survival kit in one!? But No... he had to deliver those packages! Thats when I knew he was an idiot.
Great tutorial! For those that don't understand what happens when you hit the plunger, think of how a diesel engine works (compression ignition). When you hit the plunger, it raises the pressure of the air in the tube to 3-400 lbs. and superheats it, causing the tinder to ignite. Very basic, no matches required, and works in pretty much any weather, as long as you have some dry tinder to work with.😉
First recorded use by the Kikuyu Tribe of Africa. Their model was larger and made from wood. Probable estimated length about two feet. (700mm approx.) Thanks for the info. re pressure.
No bullshit! Zero. Yes! No crappy graphics or background music. No telling us how you were inspired to take up woodworking after your opera singing career didn't work out. You even sped through the extraneous video. Most importantly, you didn't needlessly narrate what you were doing. I don't know that I need a fire piston, but I enjoyed your video. Cheers!
This is an awesome low cost fire piston. I love it! As a machinist, I made some fire pistons as Christmas gifts a few years back. The body was 1 inch hex brass stock. The piston was 5/8 round brass stock turned down to half an inch. The ID and OD were machined to a 1/2 thou clearance and straightness over the 6 inch length. On the end of the piston, I made a wider, more shallow cavity with a groove cut across from side to side to make extracting the ember easier. The ID of the body was initially drilled , then bored and reamed, so it left the drill point in the end to keep from smashing the ember. This let me make the piston body a bit longer. I made a threaded cap for the back end of the piston that was 1 inch in diameter to make it easier to use. Both the end cap and the piston had knurling to make unscrewing the cap easier. Inside the cap was storage of char cloth. I drilled out the body of the piston to about 3/4 of an inch from the ember cup, and made a telescoping blow tube that fit inside. It extended to 18 inches long. That was great to both direct the air exactly where it needed to be when heating the ember, but without blowing out the just starting tinder and to get your face far enough away so you aren't getting the smoke blowing back at you.
Thank you for making this with tools most people have on hand. It’s nice to watch a how-to video that doesn’t require a router, drill press, laser, hydraulic this and that.
right? so many how-to videos out there that appear they're for the laymen, then they break out equipment which costs thousands of dollars and is something that typically only a machinist/woodworker/w/e would readily have available... are these types of people just dumb? out-of-touch?
I've always been curious to try one of these, but never have because didn't want to bother wrassling up a bunch of high tolerance parts or something. Didn't know you could do it this way - thanks! Definitely earned a subscription.
@@donalddicorcia2433 ha was thinking while watching there must be something prefab out there as a substitute unless copper pipe is necessary, thanks! i'm assuming it's all about squeezy squeezy friction heat blah (ima science ist)
First time I saw this device was in the jungle of Viet Nam. Hand made local wood. I thought it was very cool and never forgot it. Does bring back memories.
4:22 When soldering apply the solder at the far side from the torch. This will ensure that the whole project is hot enough and you won’t have to re-flow the other side.
I wish this community would start making vids for Ukraine, after the Russians leave, before major rebuilding is done. How will the citizens live in the meantime?
Yup, when brazing like that, always use the heat from the part to melt the tin/lead/silver. That way you know that the part is hot enough for the brazing to catch properly.
@@pierremartel3552 yea but he isn't brazing just soldering the copper pipe. With brazing ur going at a way higher temperature vs soldering that uses lower temp.
Thanks for this. I just saw a science demonstration of how compressed air can be heated and immediately guessed correctly that other people with more skill and experience could help me learn how to apply this knowledge practically - noe I'm here learning what I need to make this as a project of my own. I love the internet when it comes to sharing knowledge in good faith and the people like yourself who use it to help others.
Exactly what I was thinking. And if you have a drill chuck large enough, you can put the wood piston in it at low speed to make a consistent groove with the file.
Man I just could not stop watching this. I was so intrigued by what you were making and how it works. Really blown away by the science of those things. Awesome video!
Small suggestion, recess the knob so that the dowel sits into it about a half inch, keep the end of the dowel from splitting, or at least delay it as the wood ages should someone forget to oil it. One could use a copper t pipe fitting to give it a pump style handle and add storage for spare char cloth and o rings, possibly even a small tube of vaseline or oil for lubricant
It's good to have a number of these types of things with you when you go out into the wilderness. Magnifying glass, flint and steel, steel wool and battery or foil, bow, etc... I used bring these things when I went camping. Now that I'm old and lazy, I just take the self igniting propane torch!😁
There was one trip where I got caught out. I had multiple back-up fire starting tools (matches, lighters, magnesium block and a magnifying lens), but none of them worked. It was so windy that I couldn't even start a fire inside my tent (which, admittedly, is a dangerous thing to try). I went without hot food for a couple of days, then went completely hungry for the next couple of days after that. My solution, once I got home, was to order some "Lifeboat Safety Matches" and keep them in my backcountry kit. It must have put Murphy's Law to work for me, since I've never had to use them :)
@@GerOffYeWeeBastard I think you're onto something here. If road flares could be made smaller, they'd actually be fairly convenient for starting emergency campfires. Say, something about the size of a golf pencil, and secured in a water-tight plastic capsule. I bet they'd even start in the rain. Oops, it's already been done - Orion makes them.
@@keithmarlowe5569 Sounds like you're talking about a "Dakota Fire Hole". Rather than risk my tent (and permanent burn scars), I opted to eat my energy snacks, then go hungry. I was on the west edge of the Lake Tahoe Basin, so food wasn't *that* far away. Got to Tahoe City, found the supermarket and hit their deli for a fat Poor Boy Sandwich. I was back home in the East Bay by midnight.
When you take the time to polish the copper even tho it's not necessary, you are sending a signal to one and all that you took the time to make this thing well. I find the same thing looking at engineering drawings and software source code: there's often a strong correlation between stuff that works well and whether the designer took the time to straighten it up and comment it understandably
It's always funny to see people including these in their "survival kits." I would hate to depend on one of these to build a fire. That being said, they ARE very cool, and I have 2 of them : )
Very interesting; it uses the phenomenon of air heating rapidly under compression, just the same principle as that of the diesel engine, compression ignition. It's hard to imagine that enough heat can be generated by compression alone. And yet, put your thumb over the end of a bicycle pump and compress and you'll get a blister before you know it.
Man thanks for sharing your video I don't know why people ever bothered rubbing two sticks together if it were easy enough to make a thing like what you done shared with this
@@davezemba9109 I carry one in the jeep. Those things slowly drain. There is nothing to drain in one of these compression pistons. A lighter is a better choice if there is fluid in it...
@@davezemba9109 Most Bic lighters last a long time. Most. Not all. This pressure lighter does not use a fuel that can leak out and evaporate. And it is very small. Takes up around the same space as an ink pen in my glovebox. I would rather be safe than sorry. You do you...
Wow this is really neat. I'm glad RUclips decided to show me this! THIS is wizardry at it's finest! Once again really neat on how compression causes ignition. I like how this could be easily made with junk.
This is a perfect how-to video. Didn't throw in some canned introduction and a long winded history of fire and it's benefit to mankind in order to make a longer video for more advertisement revenue like almost all how-to videos these days.
Interesting display of physics. I've always liked matches or a propane torch to start fires. I make vast quantities of fire starters (for the wood stove) by pouring melted paraffin into paper egg crates and cutting them up. About 60 years ago I would start campfires with a bow drill to impress the girls ! Thanks for sharing your skills.
Spot on instructions very well explained clear as a bell 🛎 If you have the stuff to make one and can’t make one after watching this please don’t try your hopeless 😊
I’ve grew up in the deep woods of Alaska. I’ve seen a lot of different fire starting methods. This is the 1st time I’ve seen this one. It’s good. Preparedness is always best, but the more alternatives a person is aware of then the more that Edson tilts chance in his or her favor.
First time I ever seen this method. Guess it works on same principal as a diesel engine. Also never seen anybody come so close to drilling a hole in their wrist. Scary dude.
I keep watching this video's ,on how to make a fire piston in a simple way, it's amazing how simple it looks to make a safety fire, thanks , well done, I really enjoy this video.😂
This was figured out by native’s of New Guinea a long long time ago using materials found in the jungle where they lived It took me a few tries before I made one that worked using a dowel and a piece of a sledge hammer handle for the barrel and the top knob I have also made one out of copper pipe similar to the one in this video and another using an old Mag lite that I keep char cloth and a little Vaseline in the area the bulb went in If your not air tight between the plunger and the tube you can add a second Oring slightly above or below the first one it sometimes works and saves starting over
Great video sir, to the point, not wasting people's time with music and nonsense. Great video. I'd like to add, when you make groove for O ring, put dowel in the drill and spin it fast then use wood file to make groove. It makes a perfect groove. Then the knob, drill into it half inch an recess it to last year's longer and countersink screw in center of knob to hide it. I read a lot of comments on here. The whole point of making this piston fire starter is to teach people how to start a fire when we don't have any matches or lighters. But if you would fit piston into a T that's half inch on center an 3/4 on top 2 ends you can add extra pipe to make a storage tube to hold char cloth and small tube of oil or Vaseline to keep O ring lubed up, and store extra O Rings Incase the one would ever break making it not seal the air inside it to lite the cloth. Most people don't realize what the science is going on with this. Air has oxygen and nitrogen in it. The nitrogen is a fuel and when compressed it burns, an the oxygen is just the perfect amount to help it catch fire. There are many ideas we all have to make these, so we just watched this awesome video here and now you can build yours at home, or gather up your children and grandchildren if you have them and you can solder the caps on ends, and let the kids do the rest. They learn by doing it, not being told how to make it. Let them make something cool, and make char cloth and roast some marshmallows and make those s'mores. You will be the best dad or grandpa those kids could wish for. An make sure you let them start the camp fires this summer using their piston fire starter they built themselves. Gives them a boost of pride they made that with their own 2 hands. Teach them survival, fishing and hunting. Take slingshot rubber bands with pouches already on the straps, so they only need to find a forked tree limb and saw to cut it down. Take bark off an use good strong fishing line to attach the bands to the wood. Shoot acorns and small rocks and have a target set up, by then you should have a pile of drink bottles or juice boxes empty. Have fun and please get kids outside to be one with nature. An to all dad's, carry a side arm with extra clip. You don't know what is out there, an be sure you tell kids never talk about the gun you have in you at all times. Stay safe and share the Love.
When air is compressed the same heat content of the column of air is now in a space much smaller so the temperature goes up proportionally to the compression ratio. To me the cool thing is that if you let the compressed air pocket cool back down to ambient temperature, then let it expand, it will need to pull thermal energy out of its environment in order to expand. This is called refrigeration.
I clicked this video thinking "what on earth is a fire piston" and I really appreciate that you managed to answer my question in like less than a second at the very start of the video :v
A piece of charcoal just for dust is another good idea. Add to burning material like paper rubbed with charcoal dust works great get the paper real dirty fold it up for later.❤
Would it work if you put some dry wood shavings in the bottom and dumped them out after they've caught fire? ETA: I've thought about making one of these. I think I will now. I might have tried putting the dowel in my drill and using it like a lathe to cut the groove for the o-ring.
Great video! I haven't seen this before, but it makes sense how it works. Just guessing but it's probably important that the plunger is long enough to get the highest compression ratio, but stops before it hits the cap on the end. Subscribed. 👍👍
You are correct -- you need a minimum compression ratio of about 14:1, and 20:1 works better. Quarter inch clearance with a five inch stroke gives that 20:1, near enough; that gives an air temperature high enough to ignite pretty nearly anything combustible (charcloth holds the resulting coal well, but primitive makers of these have used shelf fungus shards, dried moss, etc. -- anything you'd use for first tinder with a spark or friction fire tool).
@@SilntObsvr For loose material or shavings could it be put in the bottom of the metal tube instead of in the end of the plunger? Would dumping them back out cause problems or residue result in fowling with repeated use?
It’s cool as a science experiment, but it isn’t very practical if we’re talking about realistic scenarios, like if someone had to make fire to survive. Hardly anyone who doesn’t carry around a fire piston carries around char cloth, and good luck finding the necessary parts and tools to create the piston. A Bic lighter or torch would serve most people better. Heck, a Ferro rod would work better in most cases. If you’re out of char cloth, you’re out of luck. Even if someone had one of these, with char cloth, I’d still rather have a Bic lighter, a torch, & a ferro rod. The way it works is cool, it just isn’t very practical, that’s all.
For anyone interested in how to make charcloth: Get yourself an old Prince Albert Tobacco can. An Altoids tin works good too, but it just doesn't hold as much. Punch a hole in one end with a nail. Get yourself some 100% cotton cloth. Fold it up and fill the can. Not packed super tight, but full. Close the can and put it on a good heat source. I use a gas cooktop or camp stove. But a small campfire's fine too. When u start seeing vapors coming out of the nail hole, light the vapors. It'll produce a flame like a butane lighter. If the flame goes out keep re-lighting it. Once it refuses to re-light, your charcloth is done. Let the can cool. Open er up n dump out your charcloth. Be gentle with it as it's very delicate. You only need a tiny bit of it at a time (postage stamp size) to start ur fire. I store mine in an Altoids tin.
THANK you this saves me a bunch of time looking. Very clear and easy to understand. Another 'old way' that can be useful in damp situations!
Do you find any difference in quality with new cotton vs old? Dyed and undyed? Easy enough to make a batch inna survival type scenario
@@koreymann2493 Its GOTTA be 100% cotton. Not a blend of any type. Dyed is just fine though. Old fashoned "pillow ticking" is probably best. But good old worn out cotton sheets n pillowcases is great. The heavier the better. Like hospital type sheets...
.. and obviously BTW lay the can on it's side (or however it is most evenly expised to the heat source).
Dont stand the can on end lay it flat on the burner. Seems obvious... But you know how people are nowdays
You got Prince Edward in a can? You should let him out....
@@somuchtosay Too late. I accidentally cremated him.
Simple, to the point and sped-up during the unnecessary parts. Well done!
Ok mister judgy judge judge
@@jases459 Judgey McJudgeface
When he bored into the wood core, I was sure it was gonna slip and go into his wrist. If I tried that without clamping the wooden core, I would be in the emergency room.
@@m____w____6981 skill issue
@@m____w____6981 gotta be smarter than the drill
This tutorial video was just brilliant sir. To the point - no disruptive background music - clear and informative. The world needs more individuals like you.
If only Tom Hanks had one of these tools while 'cast-away'.
I will be making one of these fur sure. Thank you for posting.
TSA would have stopped him from boarding with that tool .
He should have openes all those damn boxes. There may have been a satelite phone, gps, and a survival kit in one!? But No... he had to deliver those packages! Thats when I knew he was an idiot.
Tom hanks is a pedo
@@chrissewell1608 ...kilo of coke, entertainment center w/x-box, solar generator, TOOTHBRUSH, gender neutral blow up 'companion'....
Great way to sick drill bit in your arm
This is what instructional videos should look like! Good work, man!
666 will get you to eternal hell one day!
Except for the dangerous way he drills. One slip and .....
Great tutorial! For those that don't understand what happens when you hit the plunger, think of how a diesel engine works (compression ignition). When you hit the plunger, it raises the pressure of the air in the tube to 3-400 lbs. and superheats it, causing the tinder to ignite. Very basic, no matches required, and works in pretty much any weather, as long as you have some dry tinder to work with.😉
Thanks
First recorded use by the Kikuyu Tribe of Africa. Their model was larger and made from wood. Probable estimated length about two feet. (700mm approx.) Thanks for the info. re pressure.
Always certain to learn more in the comments. The understanding being my goal. Thank you my good man! An interesting learn indeed
No irritating music, sped up through the boring parts, no driving to get gas and coffee first, well done! Thanks for the knowledge.👍
He's a real hero! Seriously!
No bullshit! Zero. Yes! No crappy graphics or background music. No telling us how you were inspired to take up woodworking after your opera singing career didn't work out. You even sped through the extraneous video. Most importantly, you didn't needlessly narrate what you were doing. I don't know that I need a fire piston, but I enjoyed your video. Cheers!
I am over 70 years old. I have been around and I've never even heard of a fire piston before. Something new every day... Thanks!
RUclips was invented for exactly this kind of awesome video. Great work, man!
This is my first time ever hearing about a fire piston. What a good demonstration of how to make one. Very simple tool, very simply explained. Thanks!
Me too
This is an awesome low cost fire piston. I love it!
As a machinist, I made some fire pistons as Christmas gifts a few years back. The body was 1 inch hex brass stock. The piston was 5/8 round brass stock turned down to half an inch. The ID and OD were machined to a 1/2 thou clearance and straightness over the 6 inch length. On the end of the piston, I made a wider, more shallow cavity with a groove cut across from side to side to make extracting the ember easier. The ID of the body was initially drilled , then bored and reamed, so it left the drill point in the end to keep from smashing the ember. This let me make the piston body a bit longer. I made a threaded cap for the back end of the piston that was 1 inch in diameter to make it easier to use. Both the end cap and the piston had knurling to make unscrewing the cap easier. Inside the cap was storage of char cloth. I drilled out the body of the piston to about 3/4 of an inch from the ember cup, and made a telescoping blow tube that fit inside. It extended to 18 inches long. That was great to both direct the air exactly where it needed to be when heating the ember, but without blowing out the just starting tinder and to get your face far enough away so you aren't getting the smoke blowing back at you.
Instead of writing a novel, you could simply say that it's a stupid idea!
@@iuliandragomir1 Did you miss the 'I love it!' part? Was just sharing my experience with a similar project.
@@jameslmorehead I appreciate your detailed description of how you made yours.
A nice gift! If you like physics, these are amazing. The blow tube was a nice touch.
@@toddsmith8608 so did i
Thank you for making this with tools most people have on hand. It’s nice to watch a how-to video that doesn’t require a router, drill press, laser, hydraulic this and that.
right? so many how-to videos out there that appear they're for the laymen, then they break out equipment which costs thousands of dollars and is something that typically only a machinist/woodworker/w/e would readily have available... are these types of people just dumb? out-of-touch?
Yeah I appreciate that he kept this simple even though he has access to a lathe.
@@xExekut3x they're passionate about their hobby and want to do quality work
I've always been curious to try one of these, but never have because didn't want to bother wrassling up a bunch of high tolerance parts or something. Didn't know you could do it this way - thanks! Definitely earned a subscription.
If you purchase a piece of closed end pipe called a “water hammer arrester” you don’t even need to solder on an end cap.
@@donalddicorcia2433 ha was thinking while watching there must be something prefab out there as a substitute unless copper pipe is necessary, thanks! i'm assuming it's all about squeezy squeezy friction heat blah (ima science ist)
First time I saw this device was in the jungle of Viet Nam. Hand made local wood. I thought it was very cool and never forgot it. Does bring back memories.
Well, Flick My Bic !
Two fold purpose. This vid also showed you how a diesel engine works. The diesel is combusted during compression. I like it.
You know they’re a true old time craftsman when, they de-burr copper pipe with a pocket knife. Well done sir I’m subscribing
4:22 When soldering apply the solder at the far side from the torch. This will ensure that the whole project is hot enough and you won’t have to re-flow the other side.
I wish this community would start making vids for Ukraine, after the Russians leave, before major rebuilding is done. How will the citizens live in the meantime?
@@veramae4098 Do it.
Thanks for the tip
Yup, when brazing like that, always use the heat from the part to melt the tin/lead/silver. That way you know that the part is hot enough for the brazing to catch properly.
@@pierremartel3552 yea but he isn't brazing just soldering the copper pipe. With brazing ur going at a way higher temperature vs soldering that uses lower temp.
Thanks for this. I just saw a science demonstration of how compressed air can be heated and immediately guessed correctly that other people with more skill and experience could help me learn how to apply this knowledge practically - noe I'm here learning what I need to make this as a project of my own.
I love the internet when it comes to sharing knowledge in good faith and the people like yourself who use it to help others.
pro tip for the o ring groove- use your pipe cutter to mark 2 lines. Really well done project and video :)
That's a good tip!
Exactly what I was thinking. And if you have a drill chuck large enough, you can put the wood piston in it at low speed to make a consistent groove with the file.
You could use a drill or drill press as a lathe to cake o-ring groove
That, Sir, is an inspired idea!
Or a table saw set depth?
This is original style RUclips content. Not trying to look professional, but still great quality and strait to the point!
Man I just could not stop watching this. I was so intrigued by what you were making and how it works. Really blown away by the science of those things. Awesome video!
I like this, No BS approach. Thank you for being clear and telling the actual information thats necessary. Not just making it with no words.
Good one bloke. All the necessary detail delivered clearly without waffle. Bravo and thanks.
Never heard of this, I'm 45, glad RUclips showed you to me. Subscribed
Its not everyday i see something completely new that is useable and practical. Thanks for sharing.
The only video I’ve ever liked. Simple because it was to the point and you didn’t waste a single word such as “Like and Subscribe”.
One of the greatest videos on YT, if only more people agreed with that. 👍 (I appreciate you sharing the knowledge)
Small suggestion, recess the knob so that the dowel sits into it about a half inch, keep the end of the dowel from splitting, or at least delay it as the wood ages should someone forget to oil it. One could use a copper t pipe fitting to give it a pump style handle and add storage for spare char cloth and o rings, possibly even a small tube of vaseline or oil for lubricant
Seal vaseline etc in plastic straw trimmed to size 👍
Would silicone lube like I use on swimming pool O rings extend the life of your piston O ring? Great ideas.
@@denniswendtland9707 I believe that silicone grease would work fine; vaseline would also work fine AND could be used for fire starter/accelerator.
Or even matches.
Matches 😂😂
It's good to have a number of these types of things with you when you go out into the wilderness.
Magnifying glass, flint and steel, steel wool and battery or foil, bow, etc...
I used bring these things when I went camping.
Now that I'm old and lazy, I just take the self igniting propane torch!😁
There was one trip where I got caught out. I had multiple back-up fire starting tools (matches, lighters, magnesium block and a magnifying lens), but none of them worked. It was so windy that I couldn't even start a fire inside my tent (which, admittedly, is a dangerous thing to try).
I went without hot food for a couple of days, then went completely hungry for the next couple of days after that.
My solution, once I got home, was to order some "Lifeboat Safety Matches" and keep them in my backcountry kit. It must have put Murphy's Law to work for me, since I've never had to use them :)
...and a couple of road flares. :p
😂😂
@@GerOffYeWeeBastard I think you're onto something here. If road flares could be made smaller, they'd actually be fairly convenient for starting emergency campfires. Say, something about the size of a golf pencil, and secured in a water-tight plastic capsule. I bet they'd even start in the rain.
Oops, it's already been done - Orion makes them.
@@keithmarlowe5569 Sounds like you're talking about a "Dakota Fire Hole". Rather than risk my tent (and permanent burn scars), I opted to eat my energy snacks, then go hungry. I was on the west edge of the Lake Tahoe Basin, so food wasn't *that* far away. Got to Tahoe City, found the supermarket and hit their deli for a fat Poor Boy Sandwich. I was back home in the East Bay by midnight.
Hmm, I LIKE RUclips videos that actually show me something clever I had not thought of before.
At the 8:30 mark i noticed I was blowing on my cell phone screen trying to get a flame. 🤣 great video. Thank you.
Best explanation and demonstration of building fire piston yet. I can see what I was doing wrong on my previous attempt.
You sir....need to make more "how to" videos!!! Better than 99.99% of the so called "expert tutorials" I've watched.
This has been the best walkthrough Tutorial for building a piston firelighter
That was the most informative and easy video about this subject that I have located. Thank you very much, Sir. 🇺🇸⚔🇬🇪
Legit! I had everything to complete this lying around my garage.
When you take the time to polish the copper even tho it's not necessary, you are sending a signal to one and all that you took the time to make this thing well. I find the same thing looking at engineering drawings and software source code: there's often a strong correlation between stuff that works well and whether the designer took the time to straighten it up and comment it understandably
This method of fire starting, has always amazed me. Making fire from air!
Hey I like this piston video! Never heard of a fire piston but I like it. Appreciate you teaching this.
It's always funny to see people including these in their "survival kits." I would hate to depend on one of these to build a fire. That being said, they ARE very cool, and I have 2 of them : )
Very interesting; it uses the phenomenon of air heating rapidly under compression, just the same principle as that of the diesel engine, compression ignition. It's hard to imagine that enough heat can be generated by compression alone. And yet, put your thumb over the end of a bicycle pump and compress and you'll get a blister before you know it.
In addition to the heat, it is also concentrating oxygen.
like meteors
The fire piston was the inspiration for the inventor of the diesel engine.
Thanks Roland , I thought I was going to have to google it 😁🍻
Please don’t advise people to put sources of high pressure air right against their skin. Very bad things can happen if air is injected…
Man thanks for sharing your video I don't know why people ever bothered rubbing two sticks together if it were easy enough to make a thing like what you done shared with this
It could be a problem if you didn't know what copper, pipe or a o-ring was and didn't have access to them.
First I've seen this. This feels like borderline magic....
Making one to carry in the glove box of my jeep. Never know when a fire can come in handy! Subscribed 😊
Ever heard of a Bic lighter?
@@davezemba9109 I carry one in the jeep. Those things slowly drain. There is nothing to drain in one of these compression pistons. A lighter is a better choice if there is fluid in it...
I've had lighters sitting around for over 30 years and they still light. It's what the military uses.
@@davezemba9109 Most Bic lighters last a long time. Most. Not all. This pressure lighter does not use a fuel that can leak out and evaporate. And it is very small. Takes up around the same space as an ink pen in my glovebox. I would rather be safe than sorry. You do you...
very nice job! can you tell us just how it works please ? thanks for posting👍
That was great. I like how you appeared to use items you had on hand. Thank you for sharing that.
Brilliant design. I want to call it 'obvious,' but I wouldn't have thought of it in a million years even though I know exactly how it works.
And I would have used $1000 dollars in power tools to do the same thing! Nice work!
Wow this is really neat. I'm glad RUclips decided to show me this!
THIS is wizardry at it's finest! Once again really neat on how compression causes ignition. I like how this could be easily made with junk.
👏 Impressive fire piston ! I’ve never seen anything like this, thank you for sharing. 👍
Excellent. Good to know should we return to the beginning of life.
Awesome video! I always wanted one, but they are expensive to buy. Now I'm going to make one myself thanks to you. I'm a subscriber now.
did you look on amazon?.....5 bucks
This is a perfect how-to video. Didn't throw in some canned introduction and a long winded history of fire and it's benefit to mankind in order to make a longer video for more advertisement revenue like almost all how-to videos these days.
Interesting display of physics. I've always liked matches or a propane torch to start fires. I make vast quantities of fire starters (for the wood stove) by pouring melted paraffin into paper egg crates and cutting them up. About 60 years ago I would start campfires with a bow drill to impress the girls ! Thanks for sharing your skills.
never actually thought you could use an Oring-dowel for a plunger
thank you sir, I shall make good use of this
Spot on instructions very well explained clear as a bell 🛎 If you have the stuff to make one and can’t make one after watching this please don’t try your hopeless 😊
That is some skillful hand work that can only be acquired with years of experience.
Looks good, I wonder if you could use the pipe cutter to score/cut the sides of the groove and then clean out the area for the o-ring.
Best piston build I've seen. Gotta go buy a couple caps tomorrow and make a few. Thank you
I’ve grew up in the deep woods of Alaska. I’ve seen a lot of different fire starting methods. This is the 1st time I’ve seen this one. It’s good. Preparedness is always best, but the more alternatives a person is aware of then the more that Edson tilts chance in his or her favor.
First time I ever seen this method. Guess it works on same principal as a diesel engine. Also never seen anybody come so close to drilling a hole in their wrist. Scary dude.
You know what works even better? A lighter !
@@petemcpeterson6205.. And matches.
Right!!
Something I never knew existed. I understand how it works but that never would have occurred to me. Thanks for the video.
Freaking brilliant. Simple, robust, effective. Love it!
Best demo on a fire piston I've seen yet! Thanks! Good work
I keep watching this video's ,on how to make a fire piston in a simple way, it's amazing how simple it looks to make a safety fire, thanks , well done, I really enjoy this video.😂
Never can resist the urge to speed it up and make it look like something a 6 year old would do with a video camera.
I've not heard of a fire piston before, and I'm not disappointed! I love how this looks like witchcraft 👍
Kinda similar to the way a diesel engine works. The heat of the compressed air/fuel mixture causes ignition.
@@timin770 wow, genius!!
Witchcraft?
Where are you from the 13th century?
Witchcraft..lmao
You have delusional thoughts .
This is how all diy videos should be to the point great video 👍
I’ve never heard of a fire piston, so watched to learn. I was surprised that the char-cloth ignited simply by compressed air!
Yup, that's basically how a Diesel engine works - they have no spark plug.
@s go to a 7-11 and buy a lighter.
@@user-um8fy8wh4n yes, that would be so much more interesting. Why don't you make a video showing how to do that? ;-)
What is "char cloth"? Is it regular cloth or a special type or what? Can something else be used for this?
@@ellieprice3396 YOu can make char cloth easy, there's tons of vids on the topic.
Good video . I liked the expensive tools that were used , pocket knife ,rat tail file . Well done .
Love the video Jon. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Beautiful demonstration from start to finish.
This was figured out by native’s of New Guinea a long long time ago using materials found in the jungle where they lived
It took me a few tries before I made one that worked using a dowel and a piece of a sledge hammer handle for the barrel and the top knob I have also made one out of copper pipe similar to the one in this video and another using an old Mag lite that I keep char cloth and a little Vaseline in the area the bulb went in
If your not air tight between the plunger and the tube you can add a second Oring slightly above or below the first one it sometimes works and saves starting over
I was combing the comments looking for someone that said they built one too, and it worked. Huh.
I was wondering if this could be made out of bamboo for the tube.
The natives of New Guinea were still in the Stone Age molesting each other when we found them, don’t give them to much credit lmfao
Or you could just put a lighter in the flashlight case.
Great video sir, to the point, not wasting people's time with music and nonsense. Great video. I'd like to add, when you make groove for O ring, put dowel in the drill and spin it fast then use wood file to make groove. It makes a perfect groove. Then the knob, drill into it half inch an recess it to last year's longer and countersink screw in center of knob to hide it. I read a lot of comments on here. The whole point of making this piston fire starter is to teach people how to start a fire when we don't have any matches or lighters. But if you would fit piston into a T that's half inch on center an 3/4 on top 2 ends you can add extra pipe to make a storage tube to hold char cloth and small tube of oil or Vaseline to keep O ring lubed up, and store extra O Rings Incase the one would ever break making it not seal the air inside it to lite the cloth. Most people don't realize what the science is going on with this. Air has oxygen and nitrogen in it. The nitrogen is a fuel and when compressed it burns, an the oxygen is just the perfect amount to help it catch fire. There are many ideas we all have to make these, so we just watched this awesome video here and now you can build yours at home, or gather up your children and grandchildren if you have them and you can solder the caps on ends, and let the kids do the rest. They learn by doing it, not being told how to make it. Let them make something cool, and make char cloth and roast some marshmallows and make those s'mores. You will be the best dad or grandpa those kids could wish for. An make sure you let them start the camp fires this summer using their piston fire starter they built themselves. Gives them a boost of pride they made that with their own 2 hands. Teach them survival, fishing and hunting. Take slingshot rubber bands with pouches already on the straps, so they only need to find a forked tree limb and saw to cut it down. Take bark off an use good strong fishing line to attach the bands to the wood. Shoot acorns and small rocks and have a target set up, by then you should have a pile of drink bottles or juice boxes empty. Have fun and please get kids outside to be one with nature. An to all dad's, carry a side arm with extra clip. You don't know what is out there, an be sure you tell kids never talk about the gun you have in you at all times. Stay safe and share the Love.
Excellent video, I’m my late 70s and I’ve never heard of this technique. I wonder if a small bicycle pump could be adapted to do this?
The burn mark on my thumb from holding the pressure in the small bike pump, while pumping... says yes...
I shuddered when he did the drilling. Liked all the same.
That's beautiful, my guy. Tutorial is nice too.
Thank you sir for the tutorial. I learned something new today. Much appreciated
Interesting. I have never previously heard of starting a fire using air compression. Thanks.
Diesel engines do just that all day long! Which is why we never hear a trucker complaining that he needs to change his spark plugs
@@robertmencl9169 I know, but never expected that the temperature would rise high enough to ignite a solid
When air is compressed the same heat content of the column of air is now in a space much smaller so the temperature goes up proportionally to the compression ratio. To me the cool thing is that if you let the compressed air pocket cool back down to ambient temperature, then let it expand, it will need to pull thermal energy out of its environment in order to expand. This is called refrigeration.
I clicked this video thinking "what on earth is a fire piston" and I really appreciate that you managed to answer my question in like less than a second at the very start of the video :v
Excellent DIY video. Thanks for sharing.
I do like your simplified approach.
You need to build a door knob with a storage compartment to keep extra rings and lubricant etc.
No, you *need* to keep a pack of dried scotch bonnets on you so you can eat them and then sh!t fire whenever you *need* it.
This is how to make an instructive video. Thank you - 100% informative, no bull.
Very awesome straight to the point video thank you and believe it or not im going to make one this afternoon thank you
A piece of charcoal just for dust is another good idea. Add to burning material like paper rubbed with charcoal dust works great get the paper real dirty fold it up for later.❤
Very cool. So that looks easy to make. Thanks for the lesson !!
Excellent presention of a "simple" tool that anyone could make.
Very impressive work. You did this with simple tools, and easy to find materials.
Wow! This guy has realy amazing skills to be able to do all that!
Would it work if you put some dry wood shavings in the bottom and dumped them out after they've caught fire?
ETA: I've thought about making one of these. I think I will now. I might have tried putting the dowel in my drill and using it like a lathe to cut the groove for the o-ring.
I don't think so. Othetwise the actual stick end would get burnt.
the mans voice is so deep it sounds normal in fast forward. good video
Very nice instructions
Good job teaching😉
Looking forward to making this.. thank you sir.
Great video! I haven't seen this before, but it makes sense how it works. Just guessing but it's probably important that the plunger is long enough to get the highest compression ratio, but stops before it hits the cap on the end. Subscribed. 👍👍
You are correct -- you need a minimum compression ratio of about 14:1, and 20:1 works better. Quarter inch clearance with a five inch stroke gives that 20:1, near enough; that gives an air temperature high enough to ignite pretty nearly anything combustible (charcloth holds the resulting coal well, but primitive makers of these have used shelf fungus shards, dried moss, etc. -- anything you'd use for first tinder with a spark or friction fire tool).
@@SilntObsvr Thanks! It's on my list of things I want to try now.
@@SilntObsvr For loose material or shavings could it be put in the bottom of the metal tube instead of in the end of the plunger? Would dumping them back out cause problems or residue result in fowling with repeated use?
@@ckl9390
I'd expect fouling to be an issue, as well as the tube stealing heat from your ember (especially with a copper tube like this).
It’s cool as a science experiment, but it isn’t very practical if we’re talking about realistic scenarios, like if someone had to make fire to survive. Hardly anyone who doesn’t carry around a fire piston carries around char cloth, and good luck finding the necessary parts and tools to create the piston.
A Bic lighter or torch would serve most people better. Heck, a Ferro rod would work better in most cases. If you’re out of char cloth, you’re out of luck.
Even if someone had one of these, with char cloth, I’d still rather have a Bic lighter, a torch, & a ferro rod.
The way it works is cool, it just isn’t very practical, that’s all.
I like that your safety, first person drilling that dowel in your hand
What is the liquid around the o ring? Is that a one time thing or every use?
Never seen this very cool. Thx
Very nice job on the video. I really enjoyed this video. No boring parts well done
I get the physics behind this but that is still freakin nuts. Love it.
Hey, wouw, that's amazing ,you make it look really easy, thanks man, your awesome.
Excellent tool to make, learn and keep around. Thanks for sharing this