Author Topic: Monthly Project - March 2013 (Read 26014 times)

PetrifiedWood · « **on:** March 01, 2013, 12:52:01 PM »

This one is going to be a fun one.

Make fire from light.

We have all seen people light tinder with a magnifying glass or other means. But not everyone has actually done it. So, for this month's project, light some tinder with solar power. You may use any method you like. Lenses, parabolic mirrors, flashlight reflectors, polished pop cans, bags of liquid, clear bottles of water, etc. Use anything that can concentrate the Suns rays to make a glowing ember. You don't need to make a full fledged fire. And any tinder you want to use is fine. Just get a tinder bundle lit using sunshine and we will call it good. This exercise is especially important for those of you who keep lenses in their kits but haven't tested them yet. It is good to know what to expect.

Have fun but be careful. Make sure you follow proper fire safety protocols and have a ready means to extinguish it if it gets out of hand.

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #1 on:** March 01, 2013, 03:03:12 PM »

This was done before and not specifically for this monthly project but I figure I will post it anyway.
This is one of the ways that I teach my scouts how to start a fire with out matches.

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #2 on:** March 01, 2013, 03:06:42 PM »

SPOILER ALERT: If you don't mind me telling some things that I have learned about using a lens to start a fire. A higher powered lens works better than a lower powered lens, however, more times than not the higher powered are more expensive. It, also, seams like I have an easier time doing this in the summer than in the winter when the sun is closer to the Earth. I don't know if their is physics behind this or if it is just the cold climate I live in causing things to stay cool (I think it is probably that).

wolfy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2013, 03:18:03 PM »

A good source of 'burning glass' lenses are the objective lenses taken from old cheap binoculars that have gone bad.

Another helpful hint to get the most heat from the focal point, is to keep the focused light-point perfectly round. This may require tipping the surface of the tinder so it is perpendicular to the sun's position in the sky. Wear sunglasses!

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2013, 03:25:28 PM »

+1
on making the focal point perfectly round. And, definitely, wear sunglasses (even better welding goggles).

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2013, 05:39:31 PM »

Good tips guys! Definitely use caution with the bright spot formed. It is hard to look at.

Also, darker colored tinder works better than light colored tinder since it absorbs more light energy.

diogenes · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2013, 07:53:14 PM »

Now I just need a day with some sun. Seems like we haven't had one in ages here.

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #7 on:** March 02, 2013, 08:18:02 AM »

+1 on the darker colored tinder. I have tried countless hours trying to get white cotton balls to light to no use. I have had great luck in using dry grass and leaves and the papery inner barks of trees like birch.
I vow that if my lawn becomes as dry as it was last year, that I will try to start the whole yard on fire with pictures to prove it.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 02, 2013, 08:29:21 AM »

Like Diogenes,we have had cloudy skies for about 22-23 days, but last night the clouds cleared out & we got down to -8 degrees F. at my house. It is now around 2 deg.F.
Even though I have done it many times, for the spirit of these Monthly Projects, I will try to go out today & do this, if I get the time. I will have to show pics, because my cheapo vid cam seems to like Florida sunshine more than Minnesota cold.

And Good Luck! to any one else who does the March M.P.!

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #9 on:** March 02, 2013, 09:58:06 AM »

Although my photos were done during the summer time during some past summer, I want to get out and do it again. It has been grey out so I, too, will have to wait for sunshine.

wolfy · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2013, 10:44:15 AM »

My wife has a SAK with one of those small magnifying lenses on it. I tried to start some tinder and char cloth, but with no success on either. Not much sun here today, though....lots of hazy atmospheric conditions, so maybe on a summer day with more direct overhead sunshine. I still have my doubts, though. $:-\$

MnSportsman · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2013, 06:03:13 PM »

Here are my entries.Outside conditions were Sunny sky, North wind at a steady 5 knots or so. Temperature was about 9-10 Deg.F at the start, maybe 15-17 Deg.F. at the last pic. I used one of them Hudson Bay type tinderbox mag. glasses for the first one, & then a broken "credit card type" Fresnel lens for the last ones. There are 3 different types of tinder I used. Cottonwood punk for the first one, & Birch-bark, and then Horse-hoof fungus for the other entries. I had success within 4-7 minutes of the start with each one, but the ones that were the hardest was the Punk-wood at about 9-10 deg. F. at about 10:15 C.S.T.. The other 2 were at around mid-day(12 noon C.S.T.) and took off right away, to get an ember.. The Birch-bark was stubborn. It lit the fastest, but wouldn't hold the ember very long the way I did it. I needed a bigger pile of it, rather than a thin wafer of bark, & if I had "tufted" the bark a bit it could have been the "champeen" of the deal.....HH fungus was a "shoe-in" of course, but I knew that already..You get an ember& you are "made in the shade"...LOL

Here are the pics:

Punk-wood with the Hudsons Bay Tinderbox setup. I used one piece ofpunk & got an ember, but the North wind was not letting it grow, So I got another chunk o punk with a "ridge", to help block the breeze, & shredded the other punk...Worked much better:

Getting ready to line up the "spot":

Burnt an ember, but it won't"take"yet...

Got an ember again, but the time to take my gloves off, & get the cell phone ready to take a pic...not good...Think...gonn a change the "tactics", same mission...:
New chunk o punk-wood with a "ridge" in the middle:

Couple minutes later, I try to take a pic of an ember...It is there...crappy pic:

There it is....:

Still there...

:

Moving on to a bit later. I had to send out a package of 550 cord to Woodswoman. I barely got there before they closed.I only sent one of 2 packages.They wanted to shut the doors & go elsewhere... I'llsendanother on Monday...

Anyway...
Time to try a different material & a different lens. The Fresnel lens I had was broken. So all I have to use is one that is 2/3rds regular credit card size & the other is 1/3rd credit card size. I use them both & have success with both...
Materials used are Birch bark& a HH fungus/mushroom. Used a Lansky puck for a"tinder weight" for a while, until the breeze lessened...
Here are those pics:

Well.there they are...I may have a couple of pics out of "order" towards the end in the Fresnel part...But that is one of the reasons I hate trying to upload, download, upload again & post them daggone things...

My "submission" for the March 2113 Monthly Project anyway...

I hopeto see some other posts showing this months projects right soon!

Sun is out in the daytime...

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #12 on:** March 02, 2013, 06:16:05 PM »

Great selection of different tinder.

Shows it can be done several ways with even less than optimum lenses.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #13 on:** March 02, 2013, 06:23:21 PM »

Thnx PW...I didn't really "finish" the project though...I didn't light any "tinder bundle".
I left that out...kind of "on purpose". I just needed some practice ,since I haven't done this for a while...

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on March 01, 2013, 12:52:01 PM

You don't need to make a full fledged fire. And any tinder you want to use is fine. Just get a tinder bundle lit using sunshine and we will call it good.

I think can do that "tinder bundle" part, around March 30th, or thereabouts. As long as I can find some sunlight for the lenses.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2013, 07:25:31 PM »

Well there is no deadline with these projects, particularly ones like this that depend on the conditions. If there isn't good sunlight for a month that isn't anyone's fault, it's the weather.

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #15 on:** March 03, 2013, 11:18:10 AM »

I had some sunlight today and went out to try starting a fire. I got alot of burning. I burned holes through birch bark, dried leaves and burned some grass from the yard (although some of the grass was slightly damp). I could not get anything to catch fire though.

Like I said earlier, I have a hard time starting fires with this method in the winter. I have no problem in the summer. I will still be giving this a try.
On the same note, I know I could ignite a piece of char cloth with a lens and get a tinder bundle lit but that is somewhat cheating.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #16 on:** March 03, 2013, 12:19:27 PM »

Heck I was going to cheat and use some charcoal...

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #17 on:** March 03, 2013, 02:33:04 PM »

Then I will use some char cloth if I can't get it lit with anything else.

RBM · « **Reply #18 on:** March 03, 2013, 05:48:20 PM »

I doubt I will be able to video solar fire. Takes too long unless they make a battery that lasts for more hours than what most last now without recharge. Maybe I will get lucky and get some punk wood lit right off the bat but I doubt it. Probably have to rely on photos. Already did a fire with punk wood and a flashlight parabolic lens last week. Will try both parabolic and convex hopefully with video but probably have to be with photos. Using lenses can be a quick fire or one that seems like it takes forever to get. Have to get lenses lined up right (focal point) and steady and tinder lined up right and the sun and cloud conditions (weather) need to cooperate.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #19 on:** March 03, 2013, 06:49:47 PM »

The way I see it...It is getting the "ember"...Not a flame.
Once ya have the ember, Just like F.Fire, or F&S, Firesteel, etc.... whether it is punkwood, milkweed ovum, even charcoal, or charcloth, or whatever, etc...
Ya get the coal/ember, & then transfer to the tinder bundle/"nest" to start the fire.... Or, just start the ember in the tinder bundle, like I did today.

I went out today, just because I knew it would be clouding up with the snow coming in. I wanted to get this part of the March Monthly Project done, even though I had teased about waiting until the end of the month in my last post... I was killing some time anyway, & letting Duke run his butt off for some exercise so what the heck... I enjoy doing this stuff anyway... Hey... I told ya I am a "strange man"...

..So, I prepped a grass tinderbundle & then went back to the landing where the folks have to get their iceshacks off the lake, due to regulations. Tonite at Midnite is the "deadline" to have the ice shanties off the lake.
These pics are from today, it is cloudy, but peeks of sun. We have snow storm coming in, & I knew it... so, here is a tinderbundle with the punkwood right in the bundle... about 25 Deg. F with a S.E.wind about 7-10 mph. I had to get out of the wind to get the punk going to ember, so I went behind the Jeep, using it as a windbreak...& here is what happened...
Prep:

Punk in the nest:

A coal/ember made in the nest & time to make some fire:

Another shot of the coal/ember:

One more with a "glow", and a lil smoke wafting:

Smoke coming on more:

Flames:

On the ground, cuz it was hot to hold:

Right before I put it out:

Prep takes the longest...getting it from coal/ember to fire, doesn't take any longer than any other way of primitive fire does...or any method without an active flame....

So...what the heck? Give it a try...Give it 10 tries...

You all can do it if ya want to..It really isn't all that hard...

Heck...There have been lil kids doin it for years, & getting in trouble doin' it... You won't get in trouble here at B&B for trying it... Give 'er a shot...

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2013, 06:55:38 PM »

Nice! Doesn't even look that sunny in the pictures. We were supposed to have sun today but it was overcast all day here.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2013, 07:06:42 PM »

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on March 03, 2013, 06:55:38 PM

Nice! Doesn't even look that sunny in the pictures. We were supposed to have sun today but it was overcast all day here.

As I said, P.W., It's supposed to start snowing here after Midnite tonite(up to 6-12 inches of snow by Tuesday night), & I was out there anyway.

I wasn't gonna post these pics until the end of the month. But, I read what seemed to be some discouraging thoughts, & I wanted to try to motivate folks a bit.

Give it a try...It is easier than F.F. without the sweat & muscle efforts. Just get the ember & transfer to a"nest". Or , Start it "in the nest"..Simple as that..

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #22 on:** March 04, 2013, 12:23:26 AM »

Soon as the sun peeks through I will give it a go. I might try a flashlight reflector in addition to my lens if the lens works well.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2013, 03:08:17 PM »

Well, I got a few minutes to give this a shot today. I have been so busy lately I just try to grab a few minute here and there when i can. I wish I'd had video of it, but only got some "before and after" pics. I blew it to flame on the deck railing and then quickly tossed it down into the yard where it went out, but it continued to glow for some time.

The tinder was juniper bark, and I had to blow on it while simultaneously holding the lens at the right distance and angle to get it to work. It was easier that I expected it to be. I didn't have to use any coal extenders or anything, just the bark.

The prep.

Smokin'! You can see my helper in the background.

This was after it hit the ground. It's a bit bright to see the embers in there but it was still smoldering at this point, about 20 seconds after the flames went out when I tossed it down. I blew on it again but couldn't get flames a second time.

The remains. Still smoldering slightly.

I will try again to get this on video if time allows.

wolfy · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2013, 03:18:18 PM »

I'd call that...SUCCESS

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #25 on:** March 05, 2013, 03:47:28 PM »

Good job. I don't think I will be getting out any time soon except to snow blow. We got close to 7 inches today.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #26 on:** March 05, 2013, 05:02:25 PM »

Ok, got another one on video for you guys.

Just waiting for it to upload. Will be up in about 15 minutes or so.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #27 on:** March 05, 2013, 05:29:38 PM »

Here goes...

upthecreek · « **Reply #28 on:** March 05, 2013, 05:42:48 PM »

Good work fellas. I did this one back in the summer. It's raining cats and dogs here today.

Creek

Bearhunter · « **Reply #29 on:** March 05, 2013, 05:47:40 PM »

: thumbsup:

wolfy · « **Reply #30 on:** March 05, 2013, 05:56:55 PM »

A+ for persistence with that number of takes!

I saw Cody do that once, but I have never tried it, myself. It looked like you used EXTRA FINE tinder?

upthecreek · « **Reply #31 on:** March 05, 2013, 06:15:32 PM »

fluffy jute and a piece of char for tender.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #32 on:** March 05, 2013, 06:16:53 PM »

I remember that video!

RBM · « **Reply #33 on:** March 09, 2013, 06:14:38 PM »

I got lucky and the weather and sun cooperated on this one. I also got the right camera angle on it. Yee Haw!!! Parabolic lens from a cheap one or two dollar AA flashlight and some dry spongy rotten punk wood with a grass tinder bundle. The convex lens clip will follow but is currently being uploaded. I was not able to get the right camera angle on the convex one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MDNkLGpwmfs

Can't put the player in. Youtube button code gives an invalid link but its not invalid above.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #34 on:** March 09, 2013, 08:14:48 PM »

That worked fast! I could see the first wisps of smoke almost instantly when you got it aligned. That reflector worked great.

You can fix the youtube embedding by removing the "s" from "https" and it will work as normal.

RBM · « **Reply #35 on:** March 09, 2013, 08:34:22 PM »

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on March 09, 2013, 08:14:48 PM

That worked fast! I could see the first wisps of smoke almost instantly when you got it aligned. That reflector worked great.

You can fix the youtube embedding by removing the "s" from "https" and it will work as normal.

Thanks. I didn't even see that "s" in the link. Wonder why youtube put it in there? Oh, well.

This time it worked fast but not every time even with the parabolic lens. I like the parabolic lens even better than the convex but both will work. The convex lens video clip was slow going. I had to cut a long length of making adjustments out of it. Still have not gotten that one uploaded yet but hope to soon.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #36 on:** March 10, 2013, 07:55:00 AM »

Great job RBM!

Using the flashlite lens was a pretty good demo. Shows folks that this project isn't all that hard... Provided ya have the sunshine.

RBM · « **Reply #37 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:14:50 PM »

Here is the new clip I did with a convex or magnifying lens. Camera angle was good but I was leaning over the camera to get the shot. My chin is in the top of the camera frame as I was blowing the bundle into flame. So I goofed on that. Add the biting black fly interruption. Other than that it worked out good.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #38 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:48:51 PM »

I think I have that exact whistle/compass/thermometer combination tool in one of my kits somewhere. Nice to know the magnifier works for making an ember.

RBM · « **Reply #39 on:** March 11, 2013, 06:04:17 PM »

Quote from: PetrifiedWood on March 10, 2013, 10:48:51 PM

I think I have that exact whistle/compass/thermometer combination tool in one of my kits somewhere. Nice to know the magnifier works for making an ember.

I have one of one brand or another in just about all my kits. I think the convex or magnifier lens is standard on all of them so they should all work no matter what brand. I have used several of different brands (Coghlans, Explorer, Ozark Trail, Outdoor Products, etc.) and they have all worked.

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #40 on:** March 12, 2013, 11:16:35 AM »

I had some sunshine today so I got out and made this task work. I have such trouble in the winter and cold months and just the opposite in the summer and warm months. I am not a physicist but I think it has to due with the distance of the sun from the Earth. Or it could be the colder temps outside in the winter. Whatever it is, I will tell you this, that I placed my finger under the beam and it took longer to make me have to move it out of the way (a lot longer) and in the summer it is less than a few seconds to where I feel pain from the heat.

I was outside for over an hour to get this to light up. I ended up having to blow the ember that I, finally, got to flame. I tried to light up some really old and dry cattail fluff and that didn't light but only burnt up. In the end I had to use some natural fibered rope to get it to take an ember and light up.

Just getting ready to get the lens lined up (before adding the natural fiber rope bits).

Getting smoke but no fire yet.

Finally, got some flame after blowing the ember that took me forever to get.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #41 on:** March 12, 2013, 12:51:30 PM »

Persistence pays off.

Well done Matt!

MATT CHAOS · « **Reply #42 on:** March 12, 2013, 01:23:27 PM »

IMHO, I can do this so much easier in the summer. In seconds, actually. But I got it done and I suppose that is what counts.

PetrifiedWood · « **Reply #43 on:** March 12, 2013, 01:39:14 PM »

Quote from: MATT CHAOS on March 12, 2013, 01:23:27 PM

IMHO, I can do this so much easier in the summer. In seconds, actually. But I got it done and I suppose that is what counts.

No doubt. Latitude probably plays a part as well. I sped my video up quite a bit but it probably took at least ten minutes of moving the tinder around and blowing on it at different angles while keeping the spot moving to heat fresh tinder and grow the ember.

MnSportsman · « **Reply #44 on:** March 20, 2013, 10:32:45 AM »

>bump<

Good job Matt C!

About 10 days or so left.. Who is gonna be next? It isn't all that hard, & it gets ya outside, which is an everyday goal for most of us, right?.

Looking forward to seeing more folks try this. Heck, everyone that has done this so far, had already done this before, I think. Some folks may have never done this & it is a good simple thing to try & at the same time do something that ya may have never done before. It is a good survival & "bushcrafty" thing to do anyway.

"Batter up!" as they say in baseball & softball games...meaning..

Who's next?

diogenes · « **Reply #45 on:** March 23, 2013, 01:33:32 PM »

Finally! Got synchronous free time and sunlight!

Using an old glass pocket magnifying glass my wife had:

Using the tinder tube I made a week or so ago. Got it smoking pretty good but it's pretty windy so I ended up having take both in my hands and use my body as a shield.

Wasn't out to make a fire so I just lit some shavings, etc.

Out of focus pic where you can see the tinder tube lit.

RBM · « **Reply #46 on:** March 24, 2013, 09:54:14 AM »

Awesome. Like the sod buster too.

Natural fiber cords work well for a coal extender, tinder bundles, and other things.

diogenes · « **Reply #47 on:** March 24, 2013, 11:42:53 AM »

Quote from: RBM on March 24, 2013, 09:54:14 AM

Awesome. Like the sod buster too. Natural fiber cords work well for a coal extender, tinder bundles, and other things.

Thanks. It's a jr. I like it a lot, too. It quickly became my daily carry after I got it.

Also, good thing I did the project yesterday. Here's what my backyard looked like this morning:

RBM · « **Reply #48 on:** March 24, 2013, 11:59:06 AM »

Wow. A Winter wonderland. Picture perfect post card. The shed just gives it character.

xune · « **Reply #49 on:** March 29, 2013, 04:17:25 PM »

It's been so dang cloudy out for the last few weeks.

But finally I got a nice sunny day, so I figured I'd toss this up here

News:

Author Topic: Monthly Project - March 2013 (Read 26014 times)