Battery Powered Firestarter

This is a simple fire starter you can make quickly at home with a few materials. In this project I will be referring to the pictures a lot to help explain the different steps better.

For this project you will need:

1. two clothespins or crocodile clips
2. two rechargeable AA 3.7v batteries
3. copper tape
4. 0.5mm lead from mechanical pencil
5. double sided tape
6. switch
7. two AA battery holder
8. scissors
9. hot glue gun
10. electricians tape
11. basic soldering tools

For this step you will need:

1. the basic soldering tools
2. the switch

Cut either the positive or negative wire in half and carefully solder the switch onto the sides you cut (see picture). If you do not know how to solder wires onto a switch or you are a beginner at soldering this instructable may help you.

If you are using crocodile clips instead of clothespins, you can just skip this step.

For this step you will need:

1. the clothespins
2. the double-sided tape
3. the copper tape
4. The scissors

First, using the scissors cut the double-sided tape so that it is the same width as the copper tape clothespin (see picture). Then cut a piece of copper tape to the size you will need and stick the copper tape inside the clothes pin onto the double-sided tape (see picture). Do this with both clothespins.

For this step you will need:

1. the battery holder with the switch
2. the prepared clothes pins from Step 2 or the crocodile clip

Attach the wires coming from the battery holder to the inside part of the copper tape inside the clothes pins (see picture). If you are using crocodile clips, and you don't know how to wire them, this instructable shows you how to wire them.

For this step you will need:

1. the battery holder with the switch and clothespins or crocodile clips attached to it from Step 3
2. a hot glue gun

First put some glue on two one-way sides of the battery holder and attach one of the clothespins onto The glue so that the part of the clothespin that opens is still sticking out in front where you can still open the clothespin (see picture). Next put some glue onto the middle of the clothespin and stick the switch onto the glue (see picture). Finally put some glue onto the other side of the battery holder and put the clothespin onto the glue (see picture). After this is done let the hot glue dry for a few minutes. If you feel like the wires are getting in the way you can use electricians tape and tape them down.

For this step you will need:

1. we finish product from step 4
2. the lead
3. the batteries

First, carefully get a piece of lead and put it between the cloth pins so that the clothespins are holding the lead (see picture). Finally put the batteries in the battery case with the switch off.

For this step you will need:

1. the fire starter

To turn on the Firestarter turn the switch on, the lead should glow bright red. You can use the firestarter to start bonfires, you can also use the fire starter to start a gas stove as I did. Do not touch the lead when the firestarter is on because it will be very hot.