using sunlight to light a smoke

[melt]

Today, while goofing off, I decided to try to light a cigar with a thin, rectangular magnifying lense I have that is the size of a credit card. It was about 4:00 in the afternoon, so the sunlight was not as its strongest. I was surprised when it quickly started smoking. After I gave it a few puffs, it was fully lit. Then I thought that maybe I should pack a few small cigarillos in my survival pack along with the magnifying lens. It would be a good way to get a fire going. Just touch the lit cigar to a small pile of wood shavings. And even if you don't get the shavings to catch fire right away, you've still got the cigar burning.

 

[barrabas74]

That might be one of the only instances where smoking saves lives

 

[k_estela]

Here is Bobby Plude from the Wilderness Learning Center using a cigarrette lighter that focuses the sun on a central point. Works perfectly as long as you are outdoors and have sunlight.

 

[Pritch]

Here is Bobby Plude from the Wilderness Learning Center using a cigarrette lighter that focuses the sun on a central point. Works perfectly as long as you are outdoors and have sunlight.

Kevin, that's exactly what came to mind when I read the title of this thread. I remember seeing ads for thos solar cigarette lighters in magazines.

As an aside, I think an Arturo Fuente Short Story could be a valuable survival implement. (Anything longer would just be goldbricking!) Just like a nice cup of tea, sitting down and enjoying a good cigar gives you the opportunity to slow down, relas, and assess your situation. I'm sure some health nazis will jump in and blast me because "smoking kills!" but, heck, I've been dying since the day I was born.

I wonder what I have in the humidor. . .

-- FLIX

 

[k_estela]

Flix,

Your cigar or cigarrette will burn at about the same temp as a Bow drill or hand drill coal. You can use it to practice taking the coal to a flame over and over.

Just another use for it other than to "keep the skeeters away" as we all make that same excuse to smoke stogies.

kev

 

[BlackPaladin]

Smoking kills, but there are many other killers in the environment, too.

A person should be consistent, and if they hate smoking, they should hate eating preservatives, and hate creating inordinate amounts of CO in the air, etc.

 

[coote]

I think it was Doc that pointed out to me that it is easier to get dark tinder to ignite compared to lighter coloured stuff like white paper, all other things being equal. Light colours may reflect more heat away, whereas dark colours may absorb more heat.

Thus dark-coloured tobacco is a good tinder.

I note the guy in the pic is wearing sunglasses. I think this is a very sensible idea when you are using a lens to light a fire. That spot of light is very bright.

 

[EmsRescueGuy]

im pretty sure this can also be done with a flashlight reflector cup and a cigarette. I havent tried it but I know its in "Survival is a dying art"

 

[Dantor]

very good idea melt, I've had problems getting fires with small lenses, maybe that way!

 

[Ravaillac]

That's good "gadget" -really-, only problem, it is often when weather is dark (rain, night, bad weather in general) that you need the most fire.

Cigarets are great tinder since they burn slowly for a very long time.
(Dried) Tinder fungus is probably even better. Once it has started to burn, it is almost impossible to shut down (wind, trampling) except by major water pouring. From my experience fist sized tinder fungus (pretty common once you start looking for it) takes about 45 min to burn.

 

[Watchful]

Light colours may reflect more heat away, whereas dark colours may absorb more heat.

Actually, dark colors radiate more heat...that's the reason they can work better for lighting fires--they transfer more energy to the tinder.

Light colors radiate less heat (but do indeed absorb more light <==WARNING: THAT'S INCORRECT), which is why they can work less effectively: they burn, but don't tend to transfer that heat energy to the tinder.

(see SaMX's correction below)

 

[SaMX]

dark colors, absorb more light and radiate more energy.

light colors reflect light and energy.

 

[FoxholeAtheist]

The dark/light difference only matters to incoming energy (or blackbody radiation, which isn't a factor in these discussions)... like sunlight from a lens or mirror. It doesn't matter all to energy given off by burning.

Incidentally, you can buy pretty big fresnel lenses that would fit in a kit. http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_3070877

Or you can get a REALLY big lens and melt pennies. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bclee/lens.html

...or cook http://www.armory.com/~images/?s=solsticeCook2001

 

[Watchful]

dark colors, absorb more light and radiate more energy.

light colors reflect light and energy.

Good catch--light colors DO NOT absorb more light. My typo.

 

[Normark]

Hey Guys...

im pretty sure this can also be done with a flashlight reflector cup and a cigarette. I havent tried it but I know its in "Survival is a dying art"

It Absolutely can be down with a reflector from a flashlight...
As well as a car headlight....

As well as a pollished pop can bottom...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST

 

[coote]

I'm not too sure as to why darker objects warm up quicker than light coloured objects in the sunlight at the particle/wave level, but it is a useful principle.

Solar showers are made black to heat up... as are some solar water heating panels. Down here some folks will not purchase a white coloured car in some humid parts of the country because they prefer a darker colour which will absorb more heat and drive off the condensation. The claim is that darker coloured cars rust less all other things being equal. Similarly some people will choose lighter coloured paint for their homes to avoid heat-related cracking to the paint and underlying timber.

I find that my black enamelled oven tray makes cookies browner on the bottom compared to my shiny stainless steel one.

But while dark surfaces seem to absorb more heat, it is said that they radiate heat more readily than light-coloured or shiny surfaces. So maybe the correct way to describe this phenomenon is to say that dark coloured surfaces allow heat to pass more readily.

 

[melt]

I thought it was a neat way to light a cigar that would not put any thing (butane fumes from a lighter or wood smoke from a match) into the cigar. I've heard that a cigar should not be lit with a lighter because the butane alters the flavor of the tobacco. For the record, I've never been able to tell any difference, and the cigars I've lit with the lens taste the same as those lit with a match or lighter. But for people who worry about such things, get a magnifying lens.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

The dark/light difference only matters to incoming energy (or blackbody radiation, which isn't a factor in these discussions)... like sunlight from a lens or mirror. It doesn't matter all to energy given off by burning. QUOTE]

The point is that if you're trying to start something smouldering, the dark object starts to smoulder more easily than the light. Doubt it? Try it. Take a cigarette and try to burn the white paper on the outside, then try to ignite the tobacco (dark) on the end.

And like Normark, I, too, have successfully used a flashlight (Mag - full size) reflector.

Doc

 

[Pritch]

My recollection from Jr. Science class is that white and lighter colors are more reflective than black and darker colors. I don't recall if this principle only applies to light or to heat as well. Presumably, you could take two items that are exact except one is painted black and one is painted white. Place them under direct sunlight, and the black item would heat up more rapidly than the white one. They are both receiving the same amount of solar energy, but the white item is reflecting more of it away than the black item, so it doesn't get as hot as fast.

I remember during the Apollo program, our rockets had patterns of black and white checks or stripes. My third grade teacher told me it was to regulate temperature. Funny what you remember.

-- FLIX