Solar lighter

Discussion in 'Bushcraft' started by Bishop, Aug 1, 2017.


  1. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    Here is a cool little fire starter that with sun light works great



     
  2. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    a pocket parabolic mirror....interesting (y)
     
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  3. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    Yes when I start my video I have it all in my head then what ever comes out is what it is lol
     
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  4. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    I've had one for decades... I don't smoke, but when I was living in the desert - it provides a lot of innocent diversion while waiting for the mission aircraft to show up.....
     
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  5. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    It'd make a dandy signalling mirror too I guess....It might burn the retinas of the searchers though. :eek:
     
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  6. Merkun

    Merkun furious dreamer

    Probably not, the focal length is too short.
     
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  7. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Not unless those Retinas happen to be at the Focal Point of the Parabola....
     
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  8. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I have a mirror for signalling and for fire starting when desperate. Creek Stewart did a show on lighting a fire with a shiny surface. That is really cool @Bishop I didn't know there was such a thing for sale.
     
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  9. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    Yes they have them for sale on Amazon some of them go for 20$ but if you look around you can find them for about 6$
     
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  10. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Is the middle piece removable?
     
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  11. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    No the spring will lay over to the side
     
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  12. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Mirrors women use for make up will do the same thing . they magnify 4 and 5 X . DSCN4397.JPG
    the magnifying lens out of a TV set on the left, and the magnifying mirror on the right . about $5. at wall mart .
    The mirror is thinner and lighter and is useful for those times you get something in your eye.
    I like having a magnifying glass for checking out stuff, but my mini microscope can do that too .
     
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  13. Tevin

    Tevin Monkey+++

    I'm trying to wrap my mind around the fact that some guy made a nearly six minute long video about...how to use a mirror??? o_O
     
  14. UncleMorgan

    UncleMorgan I like peeling bananas and (occasionally) people.

    Parabolic mirrors work very well for fire-starting when sunlight is available.

    However, you don't have to spend big bucks to get one.

    The reflector on every ordinary flashlight is parabolic, and the focal point is the center of the light bulb that fits it.

    That's especially convenient because you can put a little wad of tinder in the center hole, and just point the reflector at the sun. A few seconds later, you have fire.

    Poke the tinder out from behind with a small stick and let it fall right into you bird's nest.

    You can also stick a cotton cord in from the back, and char & light it easily. Then just pull it out, puff it up bright, and scrape the glowing coals into your bird's-nest.

    Even dead D-cell flashlights (avg. yardsale cost @$0.50) work just fine as fire starters.

    The flashlight body can be retained for mirror "and other" storage. Pull the switch button and other stuff out of the flashlight and seal the hole with hot glue, silicone sealer, or plastic scrap + superglue. That will give you a watertight storage container for things like first aid gear, etc. Stuff you want to keep dry, anyway.

    If you want a larger reflector, find an old (usually dead, always cheap) six-volt lantern. Use the whole lantern body as a storage container, and let the clear lens protect your reflector until you need it.

    The mirror from a dead 12-volt million-candlepower spotlight works just super-dandy.

    If you don't want the bulk of a flashlight body, just strip out the reflector and tuck it in a baggie.

    I bought my dead auto spotlight at a flea market for $2--and salvaged the 12-volt plug for other uses.

    An easy way to align your reflector with the sun is to point a short stick at the sun until it casts no shadow. Then just plug the reflector (plus tinder) on the end of the stick.

    Perfection is not required. Even a medium-close alignment (say, by eye) works fine.

    A flashlight reflector has a shorter focal length than the e-Bay cigarette lighter. That makes it a little deeper, but also makes impossible to flash-fry your eyes.
     
  15. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    That's cool will have to give that a try I have used old car head light busting out the top glass

    Are you still wrapping
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2017
  16. T. Riley

    T. Riley Monkey+++

    As neat as that is, I think a go old cheep magnifying glass is a better option. You can focus the beam on the tender in the fire stack. Magnifying glasses can also be used for other thing, like seeing that splinter in you finger.
     
  17. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I have a magnifying lens and a mirrored compact in my bag. That solar lighter is cool because of the spring in the middle that holds things.
     
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