Introduction: USB Rechargeable Fire Starter

About: After being laid off in 2009, I got rid of my car to save money. The difficult transition from a car to a bicycle led me to start Solarcycle and design USB chargers that keep smart phones alive.

This Instructable is for a USB rechargeable Fire Starter. I've tested this with lighting some paper towels on fire and could be promising for a camp fire starter device. Here are the list of materials:

MATERIALS:

QTY DESCRIPTION

1 2" Long piece of Kanthal 28 ga wire http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kanthal-A1-Resistance-Wire...

1 Solderdoodle Pro 2.0 https://www.instructables.com/id/Solderdoodle-Pro-2...

A/R Kapton Tape

Step 1: Install Kanthal Wire

First, removal the soldering tip of the Solderdoodle. Then, wrap a few turns of the Kanthal wire around a small screwdriver shaft then attach one end of the wire to the inside of the Solderdoodle receptacle and the other end to the outside. A good way to attach the Kanthal wire is by bending one end to stick inside the receptacle and taping the other end to the outside with Kapton tape.

Turn on the Solderdoodle and the Kanthal wire should glow red with fire starting heat! I found that letting the Kanthal wire cool before each try yielded the best ignition results. Also, I pushed the Kanthal wire in to the paper towel before turning on the Solderdoodle.

CONGRATULATIONS!! You built a USB rechargeable fire starter!