Emergency light sources (vid using pencil) other ideas pls!

Thought I'd draw attention to this you tube clip. This one is a handy emergency light using a pencil, never thought about it really, but 20+ mins of usable light from each pencil is defiantly worth remembering.



The only real caveat is that it gives a lot of heat and there is a possibility of sparks - would not recommend this method for bomb disposal purposes

So any other suggestions for improvised light sources?



[edit on 25/8/2007 by Now_Then]

Might also be good for fire starting. Or running from Thermal Imaging . you go one direction leave this at one spot. while there trying to figure out what you did your long gone.

How about intruder warnings?

2-3 mins per inch or so could make a good visual indicator that someone has tripped a tripwire or similar - possibility of starting a signal fire also.

But just leaving battery's all over may not be a good idea if old cans on a twig would work as well. Gonna experiment with this later on, got some old bike batteries, gonna see if they will hold a charge. Got an idea that the real thin graphite from propelling pencils would work as well on much lower voltage, possibly a single 1.5v batt - have to see.

Nice information!
Thanks for finding and posting.

reply to post by Now_Then


A really interesting find "Now_Then". I am definitely going to give this little experiment a try.

As unnecessary as this might seem, I can't emphasize enough the importance of knowing what you are doing should anyone attempt this. A car battery can easily kick out enough juice to cause some serious damage or harm to the careless! Educate yourselves and "know what you are doing" before you attempt this or any experiment.

reply to post by benevolent tyrant


Is it like a 9v battery where you can use your tongue to test if they're flat

Oh I jest

p.s. JOKE!! do not attempt, it will only be funny to the readers of The Darwin Awards

Floating oil on water...used during Storm Party, plenty of intox's, no candles, poor host...used veg.oil short fat glass, layer of oil, float made from cardboard from cover of matches, folded into a triangle shape, wick cut from dollar bill folded over and spun betwween finger's inserted in center of float. Oil wick first and keep non-lit end in oil....How romantic... Abos used a shallow stone bowl with oil and a fiber wick..

Hey Oneshot1 ~ just tried your floating candle! (not a lot else to do at 10 to 5 on sunday morning ~ with no sleep and no booze )

Works great, I had a bunch of Rizla's (cig papers if u don't have rizlas over there) soaked in veg oil for few mins, water and veg oil - poked hole tru bit of card from packet and had a flame almost 10 mins. Would of been plenty of time to make loads more and have them ready for a longer set up.

If I really needed good light this is a good idea - but cig papers burn out too quick, I'd prob pinch someone's shoelaces when they were asleep or something - also I think an oven tray with 1/4 inch of oil in it could have like 40 or 50 wicks all ready to go if you really needed good light for a long time in one place, just light say 5 at a time.

Coolio...The paper from money is "stronger", and a bigger mouthed bowl with fatter wick gives a bigger light....Save those shoe-laces for opening wine bottles, push the cork into the bottle, tie small knot in end of the shoe-lace, push the knot past the cork and pull up...

Styrofoam and gasoline mix burns hot and bright is damn near impossible to put out. It's great to use as a perimeter light etc. Add some aluminium powder filed from a set of alloy wheels and it gets even hotter... some call it "homemade napalm"

(had to use the flame emoticon )

Originally posted by Oneshot1
Coolio...The paper from money is "stronger",

I'm so broke ATM i'm down to pennies ~ literary, do they work as well

If you live in Hawaii or other tropical areas, kukui nuts (often called candlenuts) can be burned for light, these were used by ancient Hawaiians for light, and as a measure of time.



[edit on 8/26/07 by AcesInTheHole]