Get your gloves, and safety equipment, because in this project, we're exploring 5 ways to
start a fire, using water.
Grab an old light bulb and chisel out the bottom, so you can see down inside. Now pour
in a bit of hot water, and when you shake it vigorously, you'll notice the white coating
washes right out. After you've rinsed it a couple of times, you should have a crystal
clear bulb like this. Fill the lightbulb with water, cap the bottom with a balloon, and
voila! You've just created a makeshift magnifying glass. Go ahead and use your liquid lightbulb,
to focus the sunlight on a piece of newspaper. It should start smoking immediately, and just
a minute later, burst into flames.
Find a small dish and line it with plastic wrap, in a way that takes the shape of the
bowl. You can add water until the bowl is nearly full, and gather each of the plastic
corners at the top. This will form a little liquid pouch, and by twisting the corners
together, you can seal the water inside. You've just formed, a clear liquid sphere, that fits
in the palm of your hand. Now put the sun behind you, and focus the light, on a dark
piece of paper. Your tinder should start smoking within seconds, and when enough embers have
collected inside, you'll soon have your fire.
Take a picture frame, and cover it with a layer of plastic wrap, then suspend it on
something, a couple feet off the ground. Now carefully pour hot water onto the plastic,
and as you do, it will begin to sag, forming a natural, and effective liquid lens. Now
gather up something you can use as tinder, and find the focal point of the beam, to concentrate
the heat. When your tinder's smoldering, set it down so it rests in the beam, and now you
can sit back and watch the elements ignite the fire for you, completely hands free.
Try to find a juice bottle, that looks like a giant plastic bubble, and fill it with water.
Position the liquid filled bubble between the sun, and your tinder pile, until you find
the spot where it starts smoking. Hold everything steady, so the heat will continue to build,
then add something like dried grass, to help you lift the pile up, and blow the smoldering
embers into a flame.
If the clouds have rolled over, and blocked off your solar supply, you can use a toilet
paper roll, and a couple chunks of sodium. The paper roll should be cut in half, with
a small piece, cut out of the bottom, and a wad of tissue pushed into the top. We can
use the lid of a jar as our starter base, and cover it with one square of toilet paper,
and place the small bits of sodium in the middle. The paper roll sits overtop, followed
by a heavier gauge kindling, like a bunch of straw, or dried grass. Now carefully pour
a tablespoon of water into the base, and run away. In just a couple of seconds, a little
flame shoots out, igniting the kindling on top. You can see how this would stoke a blazing
fire, in just a matter of seconds.
Now every experiment has it's dangers, so if you try these methods yourself, make sure
you have proper safety equipment, as well as adult supervision.
Well now you know 5 ways to use water, to start a fire.
If you liked this project, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at
www.thekingofrandom.com