Anyone ever turn a working Fire Piston?

[Jim Underwood]

Anyone ever turn a working Fire Piston?

I'm wondering how to polish the inside of the cylinder? And how much clearance between the piston and cylinder?

[Harvey Crouch]

I'll bite. What is a fire piston?

[Gary DeWitt]

If you're talking about a part for an early water pump, I'd guess there was some sort of gasket between the piston and cylinder. Probably leather. There was probably a good layer of grease too.
I'd research through wiki, google, etc.

[Reed Gray]

This was posted on another forum a month or so ago. Can't remember which one, maybe Wood Central. It is a piston type of fire starter. Quickly compressed air on tinder can generate enough heat to start coals. Primative tool.
robo hippy

[Reed Gray]

Took me a bit to find it, but where I said it was, (date Apr 7) here is a link.
http://www.onagocag.com/piston.html

robo hippy

[Jim Underwood]

Thanks Reed, but I'd already found that.

Doesn't appear to be very much information about how to polish the inside of the thing though.

I'm thinking to drill the hole out as smooth as possible, then apply sandpaper to a dowel in some fashion and work through the grits until it's glassy smooth.

Of course how can ya tell *if the bore is polished* when the hole is only 1/4 diameter and 4-3/4 deep?

[Joe Pfeifer]

I don't think they need to be too smooth on the inside. The ones I've seen use string as a gasket with vaseline to seal/ lubricate. I've been doing some research on them after I saw one in Field and Stream. I hope to turn one soon.

[Larry Marley]

Hey Jim,
I thought you wanted to put out a fire not start one...

maybe a snug fitting wooden dowel can be spun in the tube to burnish it.

I just watched fire pistons in action and even watched a tutorial on how to make char cloth.. we need updates as you give this a try


Larry

[Jim Underwood]

Yep. The Fire Piston is an interesting method of starting a fire - not putting it out. It was upstaged by the advent of matches... and went out of style.

It seems to have first originated among tribes that used blow-guns for hunting. It's theorized that they accidentally discovered the method of compressing air to start tinder, while drilling out the blowguns. Seems a natural enough method of learning it.

I have still to find anything out about polishing the bore. Perhaps I'll write one of the gurus who have been making them for years...

As for the gasket around the piston, currently there are two materials, one is an o-ring, and the other is just lubricated string.

[Greg Ketell]

The easiest way would be to drill a hole and glue in a brass tube from a pen kit or some such.

These were discussed in quite a bit of depth on the International Association of Penturners site: Other things you make forum.

GK

[Jim Underwood]

Ok Thanks for the tip Greg. I'll pop on over there and check it out...

For a good look at the fire piston go here:
http://www.wildersol.com/

[John Fricke]

Hey Jim......
U get it figured out a tutorial would be really really appreciated. I was showing it to my son who will be heading to scout camp in late June.....He wants one.

[curtis rosche]

heres an idea. make the hole for the piston but make it say 1/16 or 1/32 smaller than the final diameter. then take a harder wood like maple(seams to do well for this) turn it down to the 1/4inch that the hole is supposed to be. taper the end. then put the piston on the lathe and turn the speed up. shove the peice of maple or what ever into the hole. it should "burn" / polish the inside really well.

[Randy Schaffer]

I have not turned these but am an enthusiastic user...there are a number of tricks to make a good fire piston.

First the wood must be non-porus or you cannot build the necessary pressure. Most I have seen (and own) are done in Cocobolo.

The bore is not polished on the ones I have just drilled precisely. The piston and string or o-ring gasket takes out the need for a super smooth bore.

These were made by Darrell Aune who has produced a DVD of his technique.

Fun tools.







O-ring versions are likely easier to make, but I prefer the string wound gaskets.