Modifying the Fuel Mechanism
Pry the metal hood off of the lighter with a pair of pliers. Wriggle the pliers in under the sides of the metal hood and pry it off. It may take several attempts. Try not to bend the metal as much as possible, because you’ll need the metal hood later. If the metal hood gets quite bent when you take it off, just squeeze it back into position with the pliers.
Locate the tab sticking out under the jet. This will look like a small plastic tab that sticks out over the gear that controls how much fuel gets fed to the flame. Normally it isn’t visible, but you’ll be able to see it now that the metal hood is off. You can normally adjust the flame from low to high, but this trick will let you make it go much higher than ordinary.
Lift the tab upward, move it to the left, and then to the right. Lift the tab upward so that it disengages from the gear. Move it as far left as it will go and press it down. Then lift it up, move it as far right as it will go and press it back down again. This lifting and pushing process disengages the gear and makes more fuel available for the flame.
Repeat the lifting and pushing process 2 more times. Again, lift the tab up, bring it to the left, and push it down. Lift it up, bring it to the right, and push it down. Once you’ve repeated this process 2 times, your lighter should be modified enough to get a big flame. Don’t try doing it more than 2 times at first, because you could end up with a way-too-big flame that spits out gas and is dangerous.
Replace the metal hood on the lighter and test the flame. You might need to squeeze the metal hood with your pliers to get back into shape. Then snap it back onto the top of the lighter. You’re ready to test your flame. Make sure you test your flame in a safe, fireproof location.
Lighting the Flame Safely
Find a place that’s free of flammable material. Before you test your flame, make sure that you’re somewhere fire-proof, away from stacks of paper, wooden tables, or other things that catch fire easily. You could go outside and test your lighter over the asphalt or the sidewalk, so that if you drop the lighter, it won’t light anything on fire. Don’t light the flame near anything that will burn, like paper, or melt, like thin plastic.
Hold the lighter far from your face and tie back your hair if it’s long. Long hair can easily catch on fire by accident, so tie up your hair before you test out your new flame. Angle the lighter far away from your body so that you don’t ignite your clothes, and hold it far from your face to avoid accidentally singeing your eyebrows. It may be a good idea to wear safety goggles for extra protection.
Test the flame and see how high it goes. Press down on the lever that you use to ignite a flame. You should see a big spurt of fire. If you don’t, retry the steps of removing the metal hood, and pushing the tab back and forth. Keep trying until you get a big enough flame. If you get a big flame, it will run through the lighter fluid quickly, so be prepared to refill the butane more frequently, or just buy a new lighter sooner.
Avoid burning the flame for too long, because it will heat up the lighter. If you make the big flame last a while, it will really heat up the lighter and you’ll end up scalding your fingertips, not to mention running through all your fuel. After you’ve lit the flame, avoid touching the lighter or touching it to any surfaces that might not do well with heat. For example, keep your lighter away from thin plastic material that could easily melt.
Comments
0 comment