Science + Religion = Neat!
In ancient Greece, the Hestia (sacred fire) was sometimes kindled with a parabolic mirror -- this is how the fire was kindled for the ancient Olympic games, and the tradition lives on even today.
I saw that Edmund Scientific has parabolic reflectors for pretty reasonable prices. I bought a 12" reflector and today (a bright and sunny day after the summer solstice but before the Hellenic New Year) I used it to rekindle my hearth-fire.
When I'd done this ritual previously, I'd used a large magnifying glass, since it was what I had on-hand. Of course, this produced a smolder at best, no actual flame - especially if there was any breeze. Pain in the arse, is what that is.
This was a bit faster and stronger. I set the mirror over the tripod filled with dried grapevine, scraps of paper, and oak leaves ('cuz it's what I had on hand), and nattered around for a while trying to line it up and find the focal length. Meh. I set a few twigs and a stick of incense across the dish and turned around to get something -- and smelled smoke. I turned back around and the twigs were already smoldering. Wow! Using a couple of twigs like chopsticks, I held a piece of charcoal (usually used for incense) over the same spot and it immediately crackled and smoked as it began to smolder. NEAT!
I set that piece of charcoal on my laid fire, and threw more leaves on and gave it a couple of blows -- WOOF, Hestia!
If a 12" reflector can do this, I bet the 24" would be enough to light a straw-and-oil torch. Sweet.
I offered all the burnable items that had been put in the portable shrine for Hestia at Gaia Community over the last year, with other offerings of wine, incense, olive oil, etc. and thanked her again for being Gaia's patron for the year. The omen was good.
I saw that Edmund Scientific has parabolic reflectors for pretty reasonable prices. I bought a 12" reflector and today (a bright and sunny day after the summer solstice but before the Hellenic New Year) I used it to rekindle my hearth-fire.
When I'd done this ritual previously, I'd used a large magnifying glass, since it was what I had on-hand. Of course, this produced a smolder at best, no actual flame - especially if there was any breeze. Pain in the arse, is what that is.
This was a bit faster and stronger. I set the mirror over the tripod filled with dried grapevine, scraps of paper, and oak leaves ('cuz it's what I had on hand), and nattered around for a while trying to line it up and find the focal length. Meh. I set a few twigs and a stick of incense across the dish and turned around to get something -- and smelled smoke. I turned back around and the twigs were already smoldering. Wow! Using a couple of twigs like chopsticks, I held a piece of charcoal (usually used for incense) over the same spot and it immediately crackled and smoked as it began to smolder. NEAT!
I set that piece of charcoal on my laid fire, and threw more leaves on and gave it a couple of blows -- WOOF, Hestia!
If a 12" reflector can do this, I bet the 24" would be enough to light a straw-and-oil torch. Sweet.
I offered all the burnable items that had been put in the portable shrine for Hestia at Gaia Community over the last year, with other offerings of wine, incense, olive oil, etc. and thanked her again for being Gaia's patron for the year. The omen was good.