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(123 votes) Published: Oct 21, 2007 6:39 p.m. In 5 Favorites Lists Viewed 774 times
Well today I remembered something my Dad taught me a long time ago. How to make Cat-Tail Torches! Since I have a pond for a backyard it was pretty easy to get materials. But if you don’t know where to find cat-tails then look around lakes, ponds, marshes, or low lying areas where water collects. Your pretty much own your own to get the Cat-Tails but I can help you with everything else.
Materials:
Cat-Tails
Knife
Diesal or Kerosene (you can use Gasoline but I don’t recommend it)
Electrical Tape
Container
Harvesting the Cat-Tails
You can either do this on boat or walking the shore. It’s pretty simple just cut down the ones that look good. Ones that are good for making a torch are...
...Ones that looks like this
But the kinds you don’t want look like this...
Some fluff coming out which can casue problems later on.
This one is way to messed up and will just fall apart.
Another bad one.
Once you find the ones you want cut them down leaving about a foot and a half on the stem. If its too big you can always trim it later.
What your Cat-Tails should look like.
See all the leaves?
Peel them off.
This is what the stems should look like.
If they have something that looks like a twig coming from the top break it off.
Now this is the most important part. You have to dry them, preferably one or two days when its sunny. Or if you have a Dehydrator and want to speed up the process you can try to fit them in there. It doesn’t matter how you do it just make sure they’re dry.
Now get some Electrical tape and wrap the tape around where the stem meets the top part. I was a little rough with mine (you can see where it exploded). Make sure you do this outside because it can get messy.
I’m sure you can do a much better tape job than me.
If they have something that looks like a twig coming from the top break it off.
Finished Product.
Now get your fuel and pour it in your container. It should cover about half of the top part of the Cat-Tails.
Now you play the waiting game...leave them in for about 2-3 hours and make sure when your take them out make sure it is completely wet. Shake off the excess and light the bitch.
Don’t light yours inside make sure you do it outside.
W3WT!
It’s a pretty big flame.
Btw the Electrical tape is so the flame doesn’t burn the stem underneath it. If it does then it falls off leaving you with something that looks like a flaming turd.
It’s very wind-resistant and you can swing it around and throw it at stuff.
Still burning about ten minutes after.
I got tired with it and tried stomping it out.
It didn’t go to well. Just exploded.
If you try kicking it it will just spread it around.
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