Fire Pistons

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Check out the link that Chasper gave us it has a great tutorial on it and its a real fun site also a lot of good info on fire pistons and how to trouble shoot problems.
Jay
 
I was afraid you would want some pictures. If I can figure out how to post them and get the LOML to take them I'll see what I can do.

As for a tutorial I'm just about illiterate.

Thanks: Smitty
 
Smiity we got plenty of long winded folks that use words I have never heard of---much less know what they mean. Heck I have fallen asleep trying to read thier post. Give it a shot it will help some of us folks out[8D].
 
heat but no flames....yet. need to make a longer stroke.

cut a tenon on a 5/16 dowel rod, put on old slimline bushing on for a cup, 3/8 brass tube inside, bit of oiled twine for a seal, dryer lint for a fuel...I think I need more dilithium crystals!



200813025427_starter.jpg
 
only a 2 1/2 inch stroke...screwed up drilling. It has a 3/8 gap on the bottom per one of the instructions I read. Has a real tight grip "POP"s when you pull the piston back out. Gotta make some charcloth....
 
I tried dryer lint at first and it would not light, I was just about ready to dump it all in the trash. A friend gave me some char cloth and it worked the first time.
 
how it works goes back to some old chemistry laws I memorized
Boyle's law:
when temperature within a system is constant pressure and volume are inversly porportional
Charles' Law:
when pressure within a system is constant temperature and volume are directly porportional
I forget the last guy's name's law (this one actually applies to the fire piston):
when volume within a system is constant temperature and pressure are directly porportional, ie, pressure shoots up so does the temperature
(this is also why your tire pressure drops a bit when it starts to get cold in the winter)
 
I have an idea how to get the indide of the hole polished and smooth: what happens when you're drilling a pen blank and the bit is in there too long? it gets hot and it burns a little bit leaving a "fire polished" surface... just an idea.
 
Armacielli, As a former teacher of chemistry, I'm surprised you forgot the last guy's name as it was most easily remembered by my students...Gay-Lussac. Now, I would have been impressed if you talked about moles. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. These things are pretty cool. I may have to try one.
 
Originally posted by johnny1211

Armacielli, As a former teacher of chemistry, I'm surprised you forgot the last guy's name as it was most easily remembered by my students...Gay-Lussac. Now, I would have been impressed if you talked about moles. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. These things are pretty cool. I may have to try one.
Click to expand...

I actually remembered his name from our gas-laws chapter, but I wasn't sure if it was he who was responsible for the third law or if he did something else in the chapter (I don't like to to give out information that makes me look intelligent if I'm not sure it's correct)
on another note how deep is the hole in the tube from opening to the bottom?
 
Here are two fire piston I got finished. Turned them out of maple. I use 7mm brass tube for the barrel and 1/4 inch brass rod for the piston.
tn_Maple%20Fire%20Piston%202-17-08.jpg

Here are 4 barrel and pistons ready to go.
tn_Barrell%20and%20Piston%202-17-08.jpg


Smitty
 
Smitty , are you selling the kits for those of us that are feeling shopping challenged (lazy) right now? Looks like you have done some nice work on the pistons and figured out all the sizing proat the blems. I could see these things selling at the scout meetings and at the survival schools that I work with.
Great job,
Johnnie
 
yes I would be interested in a few of those kits. living in LA we carry survival kits in our cars for earthquakes. I would hate to caught on the wrong side of a downed freeway or out where I can't get back for a few days.

Laurie
 
These will usually light char cloth 90% of the time on the first stroke once you have the knack. The first ones I made drove me crazy, I know have the o-ring seal figured out as to how tight it had to be to seal and still move free enough to work correctly.

I have never sold anything in kit form, Always a completed project.
I figured up a price for Barrel, Piston, O-ring and some Char-Cloth and instructions made to the best of my ability. The price for one kit would be $22.00 this would include shipping anywhere in the United States. As for shipping out side the United States I have never done any but I'm sure we can figure something out.

Thanks Smitty
 
Thanks---I am trying to find the time where I can sit down and make some of them myself. I have a really big show coming up and that's what I have to work on. I was shocked when I saw what these sell for on ebay.
 
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