What are some interesting ways to start a fire without using matches or lighters?
963460
Sounds like you already have some fantastic ideas!  I personally like the soda can and chocolate bar method.  I have to admit, I'd never heard of it until you mentioned it.  Now, I look forward to trying it.\n\nDon't forget flint.  That's an effective and popular method.\nYou don't necessarily need the 9-Volt battery with steel wool, I've seen it done with flashlight batteries.\nYou can still do the condom and water, just use a clear balloon (if you can find one).\n\nI'd stay away from chemicals for that age group.\n\nHere are some links for you to take a look at...\n\nhttp://www.onagocag.com/fire.html\nhttp://members.cox.net/bsatroop218/skills/nomatch/nomatch.html\nhttp://www.christianhomekeeper.com/fire.html\nhttp://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/outdoorskills/article/0,13199,1149562,00.html\nhttp://www.alpharubicon.com/primitive/firewithout.htm\nhttp://www.bizarrelabs.com/firebow.htm
134869
If you mean one that  puts out fires, that is going to be quite a challenge. You must start with a robot that can move around and then locate heat.
1023923
When I was in Explorers, some Boy Scouts used a short section of heavy-walled pipe and an ignition source (like a piezo-electric lighter for a gas grille).\n\nThey welded the pipe to a flat plate on one end and left the other end open, but you could drive the pipe into the soil if you don't have access to a welder.\n\nWhichever way you go, install and test the ignition source before adding fuel.  You should hear a clicking sound, and you should be able either to see the spark or tell that there is a spark being made.\n\nGasoline can be introduced either as a mist or as a liquid (don't let it wet the igniter).  Even in warm weather, if it goes in as a liquid, you'll have to wait a few seconds for it to vaporize (make enough fumes) sufficiently.\n\nThe really neat thing about this experiment is that it lets you demonstrate the difference between "(combustion/ combustability/ flammability) limits in air" and "(explosive/ explosion) limits in air" -- the latter being a comparatively narrow band of concentrations usually between the maximum and minimum concentrations required for combustion (fire).\n\nThe experiment can be simply modified to use an ignited candle as the ignition source, and dust as the fuel.\n\nTHIS EXPERIMENT IS OBSCENELY LOUD!\n\nBE CAREFUL AND WEAR DEVICES TO PROTECT YOUR EARS AND YOUR EYES.  DO NOT ALLOW FOREIGN MATERIALS INTO THE COMBUSTION ENVIRONMENT.\n\nDO NOT PLACE THE EXPERIMENT UNDER ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CATCH ON FIRE OR BE DAMAGED BY AN EXPLOSIVE BLAST.  DO NOT PLACE ANYTHING OVER THE TOP OF THE PIPE (COMBUSTION CHAMBER).  DETONATE REMOTELY.\n\nWith adequate precautions taken, this experiment should be plenty safe for children ages 4-7.  Do not reduce attention to safety for older children: the "7" simply indicates older children are going to want a lot more "effect" and should be competent to handle more more powerful experiments.
218491
just buy filt-paper and cut it into 5 oval shapes, glue their edges, attach strings which are bundled at the bottom, attach a tiny basket filled newspaper, blow hot air into ballon with hairdryer, set basket on fire and let it fly.
199880
dugout, one hitter, and a stick of gum is the best so far.\n\nSome maintenance guys showed me a trick one time:\n\nThey would go into the filter room of a ventilation system in the 12 story building that we worked in.  They would light the joint at the door, then step inside.  Unless you were standing in the circle, you couldn't tell something was burning. You couldn't see or smell the smoke.... I don't understand the physics of it, but it really worked.
518413
pass a lighter or a match near to it, the smoke will make it look old, I tried that for a History assignment it looked cool =)
318162
Flint will spark when struck at a good angle with another really hard material- flint, metal, really hard kinds of rock, etc. A few other kinds of rocks will do this as well.\n\nFew people at any time in history depended on hitting rocks to start fires. Tools like fire drills are much more common historically. Sticks are available all over, while flint is hard to find.\n\nAlso, most native people start fires more rarely than you might think. Most used some form of carrying embers to start new fires with, and the job of the 'keeper of the fire' was an important one.\n\nIf you decide to go with the flint option, you'll need:\n- A hand-sized piece of flint with one flat surface\n- A fist-sized hard rock with a point or ridge or edge that can be used to strike on the flint\n- A handful of super tender tinder- mouse nest, really fluffy inner bark, lint\n- A ready supply of all sizes of wood fuel- a bunch of stuff not much thicker than toothpicks is an important first step\n\nThe basic technique, whch you'll adjust to fit your specific  rocks, is:\n- Position the tinder on a dry surface\n- Hold the flint in one hand, flat side facing the other hand, and positioned so the spark falls on the tinder.\n- Hold the other rock so a point or an edge pokes out and strike that edge against the flint.\n- Your goal is to try to literally knock a small chip of flint off into the tinder, so strike it with a 'loose-wristed' glancing blow.\n\nPractice the striking in a comfortable seated position at first cuz it will take a while! Have a pile of rocks to try- both flint and others, and try different combinations until something sparks.\n\nOnce you can get a spark most of the time, then practice just setting tinder on fire. Use cheap cotton or dryer lint to start. Once you can get the tinder going on command, you are ready to try a campfire.
316983
You make fireworks by taking something that burns in a special way, fast, slow, or with lots of sparks in a certain color.\n\nWrap it with paper, or sometimes aluminum foil, to control how and when it burns (a firecracker should be one big, quick burn, but a sparkler needs a long steady burn with lots of sparks.\n\nI would study chemistry, which helps a lot in learning how to make things blow up in particular ways.  For example, pouring sugar in to sulfuric acid makes a show much better than the "snakes" in a fireworks kit.  A little pure sodium in water gives a great show too, but wear your safety goggles.
60081
Try doing flame tests; adding certain compounds to fire make really awesome colors; it's kind of like putting on your own fireworks show.  Check out http://webmineral.com/help/FlameTest.shtml
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Celestine is sometimes used to produce a red color in fireworks. Charcoal (carbon) is also used in pyrotechnics. Charcoal from soft woods, such as grape vine or willow, is good for fast-burning compositions like black powder, whereas charcoal from hard woods like pine are used to create long-lasting spark effects. \n\nIn any laboratory setting proper personal protection equipment should be employed. I recommend using safety glasses, a laboratory coat, full length pants and latex/polyethylene gloves. You shouldn't wear open toed shoes and loose articles of clothing that could snag. In cases were an explosion is possible, proper shielding is required. A fume hood is also required if hazardous fumes are expected.\nAlso, if you are resorting to using an online forum to recieve answers to potentially dangerous reactions, you obviously do not know what you are doing and should gently place down your little pyrotechnics and slowly back away.
232210
heat coal in an oxygen free atmosphere. without oxygen it will not burn but bond of the carbon and hydrogen atoms will be broken.\n\nCheck out an aquarium store.
85894
If you are referring to a flaming arrow as lighting a campfire ... here you go:\n\n**The Powered Flaming Arrow**\n\nThis next variation is a much more complex, but much cooler. It can be done in an area where the closest tree is up to 200 yards away. \n\nConstructing this modified version takes a while longer, but if it is set up correctly, it is well worth the effort. \n\nFor this version you will need to use some kind of wire instead of kite string. This is a little more expensive, especially if you need a couple hundred feet. Using insulated wire works better than bare metal. \n\nTake your wire and fasten it onto a stake in towards the back of the fire ring. Run the other end up into a tree making sure that the wire is clear of branches. \n\nNow the fun part, take a flare, a dowel, a model rocket engine (size B or C), and some duck tape. With this assemble a unit where the dowel is taped above the flare, and the engine behind the dowel. Once you have made some kind of assembly (make sure the flare is pointing forwards and the engine is pointing backwards) cut 3 pieces of the wire into about 4 inch segments. Make a loop in the middle, and fasten the 3 loops to the flare assembly making sure you put the loops on the main wire first. \n\nTie a string to the flare and pull it up into the tree. Now put an ignitor in the engine and hook it up to a battery ignitor. Now you are ready to build your fire. Remember to put plenty of dry tinder so it will easily catch when the dowel hits. Suggestionfor use - a bag of pine shaving hampster litter. \n\n*Hint: Have the dowel extend out past the flare so when it hits the stake in the fire pit it protects the flare from snuffing out. \n\nWhen the participants arrive have one person up in the tree ready with a lighter to light the flare. The MC of the fire should have some kind of script like, "I call upon the spirits of the trees to send forth a ball of fire to light our fire!" This can be adapted and modified to make it more special and magical. Once this is said, the flare is to be lit, wait a few seconds, and ignite the engine. If all this is done correctly your flare should come speeding into the fire ring, it will be dark for a few seconds, then your fire will come alive.
17616
dont play with fire you can get burnt.
1097281
have a resivoir for the alcohol, have a wick that will pull the alcohol up, keep other flammables away from the flame source, have a fire extinguisher ready, don't drink the isopropyl alcohol.  Use the tip of the blue portion of the flame for heat.
163980
Wow.  There are only several thousand recipes.  You can do this over a camp fire, on the stove, in a steamer or crockpot.  Either just throw in what you like or, if you are one of those "by the book" people use one of the sites below to find a recipe:
763846
do a erupting volcano. \nAll you need is viniger and baking soda.  Red food coloring on viniger if you want it to be red lava.
431639
Spontaneous combustion?