We’ve all struck a ferro rod, rubbed sticks together, or on those real special days, used water to start a fire, right? Or maybe you were just in a hurry and used a Bic lighter. Regardless, anyone can start a fire, but getting it to rage and to keep it going is another story.
And it doesn’t even matter if your lost in woods or in front of your fireplace. Getting that nice big piece of oak to light is a challenge. Sure, you could keep feeding it tinder until it eventually lights, but there’s a better way: the DIY Pocket Bellow.
Materials Need to Build a DIY Pocket Bellow
- a “selfie” stick or any other tube that’s fire resistant – main body
- a drill with a small drill bit (I used a 3/32 bit) – hole for pull ring
- 5/16″ drill bit – hole for mouthpiece
- heavy gauge wire, coat hanger section, key ring, or similar – pull ring
NOTE: I used an old selfie stick because I had one, and honestly it’s probably the best choice. It’s compact when collapsed and extends to about 41″, which will give you plenty of reach. But if you don’t have one, no big deal; you can use any tube as long as it’s fireproof. The collapsing / extending is only for convenience, but since selfie sticks are so cheap, it might be worth it to just pick one up.
Building the DIY Pocket Bellow
- Preparing the selfie stick. Rip the camera attachment off the selfie stick. Be careful not to totally deform the tube.
- Making the hole for a pull ring. Using the small drill bit (should match the size of the pull ring you will be using), drill a hole from one side of the tube to the other. Make sure you are drilling the last section of the selfie stick.
3. Install a pull ring. This can be anything that you can grab when extending the selfie stick. I used a key ring which I reshaped into a hook. More on this later.
4. Drilling out the mouthpiece. Your average selfie stick has a 1/4-20 threaded hole at the bottom. Unfortunately, the hole is blocked and therefore needs to be drilled out so that you can blow air through it. Using a 5/16″ drill bit, punch a hole through the bottom of the selfie stick until you see light. Note: the existing 1/4-20 hole will help guide your drill bit.
Congrats. You now have a means of building a raging fire at your fingertips. And in case you’re new to fire building, putting the DIY Pocket Bellow into action is simple. Start by extending the DIY Pocket Bellow using the pull ring. Place the small end of the DIY Pocket Bellow close to the base of the fire or ember. Gently start blowing air into the fire. You will see the fire glow as heat increases. Adjust and continue until you’ve reached the desired effect.
SAFETY: Never breathe it through the DIY Pocket Bellow. Be careful and DO NOT inhale through the pocket bellow. You don’t want hot air and/or metal shavings going into your lungs. Pull your mouth away from the DIY Pocket Bellow, breathe in, then blow out through the bellow.
Remember the pull ring that I turned into a hook? The reason I did that was after using my DIY Pocket Bellow to maintain my fire during this winter, I learned a couple of things. 1st, having a stationary hook made moving pieces of wood around my fireplace a lot easier than a floppy ring. 2nd, the hook can be used to lift items, such as a coffee pot, away from the fire.
And finally, you can use it as a makeshift fishing rod. I know I’m reaching here, but that’s survival. You might find yourself in a fishable area without a stick in sight. And I already know it’s not the ideal rod, but it can get your line out a little farther or over an obstacle if your fishing from the bank. And what this little 41″ telescoping No Action/Heavy Power rod lacks in sensitivity, it makes up for in building a fire so you can cook your catch.
So make yourself a DIY Pocket Bellow and have a great summer impressing family and friends with your campfire skills.
Cheers / John
