So I Crafted a new coal lighter

[nuschultz]

The other night, i set off the fire alarm in my room lighting coals, because i dropped the coal into the tea light, which causes massive ammounts of white smoke.  This was even more embarrasing because I am a member of the fire department, so it was all my coworkers responding.  So I did what any self respecting person would do.  I told them it was steam from my hot pot.
At any rate, I crafted something to heat coals up with for those of us that don't have access to a stove to light them.  This would work well for people in dorms, like myself, or people that like to smoke in the park and don't want to use quicklights.
Items Needed:
5 or so paperclips1 Pepsi CanFoilScisorsHammer (or other mashing device)Sweing NeedleTea Candles ($2 for a bag of 50 at walmart
1.  Cut the pepsi can in half.  You want the bottom half of the can, so dont cut that half too small. 
2.  Wrap the sharp edges of the pepsi can in foil so you dont cut yourself.  I did a nice full wrap and then taped the outside so I knew it was secured.
3.  Take the hammer to beat the bottom of the can so it is flat.  The bottom of the can is curved, which causes the tea light to slide around.
4.  Straighten out all the paperclips.
5.  Using your needle, puncture holes in the can across from one another.  I used 5 holes on each side.
6.  Put the tea light in the bottom of the can.
7.  Run the paper clips through the holes so they go across the can.  This creates a grate that will prevent the coal from falling into the candle and creating evil white smoke which sets off fire alarms.
8.  Light the tea light.
9.  Place a coal on top of the grate, heat until red hot, and enjoy!
10.  You can use the top of the can as a makeshift windcover if you are doing this outside.
I would love to hear reviews of this.  Please post!

[steve07]

Sound like a good idea if it works you should patent the idea.

[nuschultz]

But I already shared all my corporate secrets with you guys!

[LestOH!]

what a wonderful ideahow long do these tea candles last?

[LestOH!]

& how about using those candles people place at the bottom of food trays to keep them hot?o_O

[Lukasa]

Using a candle to light a coal is a bad idea in my opinion,  if
you've ever run your fingers over the flavor of a candle you'll notice
that a black residue forms on your fingertips, this is because the
burning wax of a candle (yes, it burns, it just doesnt melt) escapes as
smoke.  Lighting a coal with a candle would cause a great deal of
wax residue to get into the coal which would affect flavor and could
possibly make you sick/not be good for you (well, more worse than
regular hookah).

Also, you mentioned tape.  Tape will melt and create unpleasant
fumes. But i am interested in a stove-less method of
lighting natural coals.  I'll give it some thought.

[nuschultz]

The tape is on the outside, so it wont affect the coal in any way.   You really don't need to add tape, I just did it for additional security. 
As far as the candles are concerned, this is a point that I hadn't thought out, but you are putting tobacco into your lungs anyway, which is a risk in and of itself.  Also, a butane torch or lighter also burns with a black smoke.
I am by no means saying this is the be all end all way of doing things, but it does get the job done.  Thanks to Lukasa for the points to ponder.

[nuschultz]

[quote name='LestOH!']what a wonderful ideahow long do these tea candles last?[/quote]
They last a solid 2 to 3 hours of continual burn time.  But it shouldnt take more than 5 mins to get the coals red hot.

[nuschultz]

[quote name='LestOH!']& how about using those candles people place at the bottom of food trays to keep them hot?o_O[/quote]
This is also a possiibility, but I wanted something that I could contain easier, inside the pepsi can.  I have not tried these food warmers for hookah coals, but I get the impression that they would give off a toxicity because I can smell a strong gas odor when using them to heat food.

[IzA-Hookah]

Good idea, one question.  Do you have to take the paperclip grate out everytime you need to light or replace the candle?  What about a hatch on the side for that purpose?

[nuschultz]

Negative.  You should be able to fit a match between the grates without any problem to light / relight the candle.

[IzA-Hookah]

I guess you can just take out a few select paperclips to insert a new candle when you need to. 

[nuschultz]

I spaced mine just right so all I have to do is remove the middle paperclip and I can change the candle out

[IzA-Hookah]

Damm that's pimp technology in action.  Any chance you could post a pic?  I have wanted to smoke outdoors for a while and this idea is golden.

[nuschultz]

I will grab my camera from my car tonight and post some pics.

[IzA-Hookah]

[quote name='LestOH!']& how about using those candles people place at the bottom of food trays to keep them hot?o_O[/quote]
AKA: "Sterno".

[Lukasa]

I would definitely not use sterno to light a coal.

Also, yes, by inhaling tobacco smoke you are damaging your lungs to
some extent; but to some degree inhaling further, less organic, smokes
will cause much more acute damage.  Do what I explained in my
first post.  Run your fingers through the flame of a candle, it
wont burn you if you have your fingers near the top of the flame and do
it not too slow not too fast.  Examine the residue that is left
after only a few passes of the finger through the flame.  That is
the buildup from the condensation of only a few seconds imagine a good
solid 10 minutes worth of that imbedded in your coal and then inhaling
the vapors and smoke from that residue.  I ain't no doctor or
nothin', but i can't imagine its too healthy.

I wish the hookah forum had a resident health specialist.

[SanguineSolitude]

the resident health specialist would tell us all to quit smoking.

[Joseph]

i only smoke outside in the woods by the puget sound.  I have a small butane backpacking stove.  Fits in my backpack with my hookah and supplies.  Works great, and provides plenty of heat to light my romman coals.  A small backpacking stove is cheap, and I think it is the best way to light coals outside.

[Lukasa]

[quote name='SanguineSolitude']the resident health specialist would tell us all to quit smoking.[/quote]
Did you read my post?  I'm reletively sure I addressed that point of view.

[nuschultz]

Everyone is taking a risk by smoking to begin with.  We can all agree on that.  Hookahs are generally considered a 'safer' way to smoke, but there is no research to prove or disprove this.
Various lighting techniques work for different people in different situations.  NONE of them are going to be healthy, and NONE of them are going to work for everyone.  You always always run the risks associated with this.  It is a proven health hazard.
Let's leave it at that.

[nuschultz]

Also, I forgot my camera last night, so I will grab it tonight.  Sorry for the delays!

[SanguineSolitude]

[quote name='Lukasa'][quote name='SanguineSolitude']the resident health specialist would tell us all to quit smoking.[/quote]
Did you read my post?  I'm reletively sure I addressed that point of view.

[/quote]I was trying to make a joke. lighten up people.

[Lukasa]

[quote name='SanguineSolitude'][quote name='Lukasa']
[quote name='SanguineSolitude']the resident health specialist would tell us all to quit smoking.[/quote]
Did you read my post?  I'm reletively sure I addressed that point of view.

[/quote]I was trying to make a joke. lighten up people.

[/quote]

ohhh, i thougth you were being sarcastic.

my bad...

[The Dude Abides]

[quote name='Lukasa']Using a candle to light a coal is a bad idea in my opinion,  if you've ever run your fingers over the flavor of a candle you'll notice that a black residue forms on your fingertips, this is because the burning wax of a candle (yes, it burns, it just doesnt melt) escapes as smoke.  Lighting a coal with a candle would cause a great deal of wax residue to get into the coal which would affect flavor and could possibly make you sick/not be good for you (well, more worse than regular hookah).Also, you mentioned tape.  Tape will melt and create unpleasant fumes. But i am interested in a stove-less method of lighting natural coals.  I'll give it some thought.[/quote]
Wouldn't a red hot coal quickly burn off any wax that has transfered from the candle-smoke to the surface of the coal?  If a candle converts wax into smoke, a coal will do the same.  The only difference is that the candle has an unlimited supply of wax to burn, compared to the coal which will only have as much wax that was able to be transfered during two or three minutes of exposure.  Should only take a few seconds for the coal to burn it off (if any wax was even transfered, that is).  Might just want to give it a minute or two after lighting before you start puffin away.