Okay, I'm resurrecting the dead. But as a fan of old electronics, if I pop the telescopic antenna off one of my old Russian multiband radios, how far away am I going to be from a telescopic bellows?
Pocket Bellows - Telescopic, Light Weight
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Use a large bore one and it should be the same.
or
Spitfire Pocket Bellows - Polymath Products
Compact telescopic tube for blowing additional air into a fire for easy fire-lighting.
www.polymathproducts.co.uk
Some kind of a "blow-pipe". I recall they were accessories found in some chemistry labs. To blow alcohol flames making diagnostic color beads.
As a family on 7-14 day camping trips by boat, we usually depended on some sort of "accelerant." Industrial hydrocarbon solvents in 4 oz squeeze bottles with very good tops. Set the fire properly, give it a squirt, step back and toss in one lit match. Of course, if needs be, we could always siphon some fuel out of the boat.
Dry wood ignition temperature runs about 275C if my memory serves. Paper birch bark would be my choice today. It's rained all night and all damn day, maybe +12C overcast and windy. Otherwise smashed spruce tree twigs from in really close to the main trunk.
I liked manilla rope soaked in candle wax. I could beat that out to a feather with a rock and it lit fast.
As a family on 7-14 day camping trips by boat, we usually depended on some sort of "accelerant." Industrial hydrocarbon solvents in 4 oz squeeze bottles with very good tops. Set the fire properly, give it a squirt, step back and toss in one lit match. Of course, if needs be, we could always siphon some fuel out of the boat.
Dry wood ignition temperature runs about 275C if my memory serves. Paper birch bark would be my choice today. It's rained all night and all damn day, maybe +12C overcast and windy. Otherwise smashed spruce tree twigs from in really close to the main trunk.
I liked manilla rope soaked in candle wax. I could beat that out to a feather with a rock and it lit fast.
"I liked manilla rope soaked in candle wax. I could beat that out to a feather with a rock and it lit fast."
Great idea, Robson Valley. I've used hemp window sash rope soaked in melted candle wax with my Scouts to produce "spaghetti" firelighters. We also make "prawn crackers" (cotton wool face pads dipped in candle wax) and "zombie eyeballs" (cotton wool balls, dipped then wrapped in red thread - additional iris with felt pen to taste). All the above work well. I usually carry a piece of "spaghetti" in my fire bag for wet days.
Ref the poker, I was given a telescopic one recently and it's really effective. Prior to that, I had a length of aluminium tube cut to length of my rucksack's back and just slipped in. The tube comes in 1m lengths from an ironmongers, so 2 tubes for about £1.50. The telescopic version is useful to store in a pocket as it's so small; the tube has the advantage of being a functioning poker. If I'm carrying a pack, it's six vs half dozen.
The idea of a short metal tube attached to a roll of rubber hose is a good one. I will have a go next time I'm near Halfords.
As Mr Fenna says, a hollow pipe for encouraging a fire is very useful.
Great idea, Robson Valley. I've used hemp window sash rope soaked in melted candle wax with my Scouts to produce "spaghetti" firelighters. We also make "prawn crackers" (cotton wool face pads dipped in candle wax) and "zombie eyeballs" (cotton wool balls, dipped then wrapped in red thread - additional iris with felt pen to taste). All the above work well. I usually carry a piece of "spaghetti" in my fire bag for wet days.
Ref the poker, I was given a telescopic one recently and it's really effective. Prior to that, I had a length of aluminium tube cut to length of my rucksack's back and just slipped in. The tube comes in 1m lengths from an ironmongers, so 2 tubes for about £1.50. The telescopic version is useful to store in a pocket as it's so small; the tube has the advantage of being a functioning poker. If I'm carrying a pack, it's six vs half dozen.
The idea of a short metal tube attached to a roll of rubber hose is a good one. I will have a go next time I'm near Halfords.
As Mr Fenna says, a hollow pipe for encouraging a fire is very useful.
The Billybellows.com one uses the flexible tube concept and looks to be good in use. I cannot find anywhere uk wise where you can purchase one so it would have to be a home made jobbie copying this concept. As a singed beard owner I could use one of these.
I made my own from some ali tubing form B&Q and a bit of pen turning blank.
1 m long cut in 3 so it fits in a bag easily.
2017-07-06_12-14-41 by Mark Aspell, on Flickr
2017-07-06_12-22-19 by Mark Aspell, on Flickr
1 m long cut in 3 so it fits in a bag easily.
2017-07-06_12-14-41 by Mark Aspell, on Flickr2017-07-06_12-22-19 by Mark Aspell, on FlickrI think the important thing is to ‘understand how it works’, or rather that there is a little trick to it.
Story one. If you want to inflate a balloon, you need to compress the air working against the rubber. So you would be better with a dedicated pump rather than trying to use lung power...
Story two. If you want to inflate a plastic bag, you aren’t doing work to compress the air. So would you fill the bag with one breath (5 liters) at a time by displacing all the air? NO!
The trick is to do with the Bernoulli's principle: The sum of all energy (speed, pressure and height) remains constant… so what does that really mean? It means we find most efficient way and capture or harness as much energy possible.
So how does it work with story two? It’s all about position (Both your position as the user and where the business end is vs the job). [1]
Blow through the pocket bellows with the tip of the bellows a little front of an open bag (say a big bin liner)… You’ve used a single breath but the volume of air in the bag is many times more than you’ve just exhaled (like 30 or 40 liters, the liner is bigger than my small rucksack.) Again all this is without blasting full power like a professional trumpeter.
This ‘metaphor’ illustrates the technique. You can (hopefully) replicate the technique, result and you can practice.
[1] You don't need to hunch over, kneel or plant your cheek in the mud. You don't need to shovel your lips right up next to the hot embers. If you're blowing a bird's nest into flame that's maybe a little different.
Q1. Has anyone else used one of these? or anything similar to it?
A1. Yes, I have something similar.
Q2. How much difference does it make in wet conditions?
A2. I find it helps. It can’t achieve the impossible or overcome the insurmountable. But as a tool it's certainly a force multiplier.
The two best features are, it’s ease to use. You can get comfortable, and do a good job very safely. You don’t need to wave a foam mat or the lid of an ice cream tub about to fan the flames. So you won’t bash your hand or swot the stove by mistake.
The second goodie is managing the burn rate. If you’ve added a lump of Oak that’s really not burning very evenly; lance it with some air and you’ll cut through that beast pretty damn quick!
Q3. Sizing ?
A3. Diameters: 10.5 mm tapering down to 5 mm. Length: 95 mm extending to 485 mm. Weight: 25 grams: bellows, case and neck lanyard.
Story one. If you want to inflate a balloon, you need to compress the air working against the rubber. So you would be better with a dedicated pump rather than trying to use lung power...
Story two. If you want to inflate a plastic bag, you aren’t doing work to compress the air. So would you fill the bag with one breath (5 liters) at a time by displacing all the air? NO!
The trick is to do with the Bernoulli's principle: The sum of all energy (speed, pressure and height) remains constant… so what does that really mean? It means we find most efficient way and capture or harness as much energy possible.
So how does it work with story two? It’s all about position (Both your position as the user and where the business end is vs the job). [1]
Blow through the pocket bellows with the tip of the bellows a little front of an open bag (say a big bin liner)… You’ve used a single breath but the volume of air in the bag is many times more than you’ve just exhaled (like 30 or 40 liters, the liner is bigger than my small rucksack.) Again all this is without blasting full power like a professional trumpeter.
This ‘metaphor’ illustrates the technique. You can (hopefully) replicate the technique, result and you can practice.
[1] You don't need to hunch over, kneel or plant your cheek in the mud. You don't need to shovel your lips right up next to the hot embers. If you're blowing a bird's nest into flame that's maybe a little different.
Q1. Has anyone else used one of these? or anything similar to it?
A1. Yes, I have something similar.
Q2. How much difference does it make in wet conditions?
A2. I find it helps. It can’t achieve the impossible or overcome the insurmountable. But as a tool it's certainly a force multiplier.
The two best features are, it’s ease to use. You can get comfortable, and do a good job very safely. You don’t need to wave a foam mat or the lid of an ice cream tub about to fan the flames. So you won’t bash your hand or swot the stove by mistake.
The second goodie is managing the burn rate. If you’ve added a lump of Oak that’s really not burning very evenly; lance it with some air and you’ll cut through that beast pretty damn quick!
Q3. Sizing ?
A3. Diameters: 10.5 mm tapering down to 5 mm. Length: 95 mm extending to 485 mm. Weight: 25 grams: bellows, case and neck lanyard.
TBS Pocket Bellows
I know, why do I need this...? Well I was sceptical at fist until I used one. Getting oxygen to the heart of a fire is one of the best ways of
155mm Fireplace Wood Bellows
Keep the home fires burning with this set of Fireplace Wood Bellows from Hammer & Tongs. Crafted from natural wood with a leather-effect lung and brass rivets, these bellows will add a gorgeous accent of vintage style to any interior. The moulded handles allow for easy opening and closing...
www.hammerandtongs.com
