Wick Lighter Case

Goal: Create a method of easily adapting a normal lighter, to a cleaner burning wick based lighter.

Status: Prototyping version four. Version four is a plastic case, meant to fit around a mini Bic lighter, with a spool of wick contained in the bottom that is raised and lowered by an external wheel connected to an internal gear. There are four fabricated parts, and one purchased part. Currently testing the friction fit of the gear and the wick.

Two methods are being used to prototype the parts. The first method is to cut a model of the desired piece out of wax with a CNC machine, and then create a silicon mold out of which will be used to create th; wlastic piece. We will call this the model method. The second method is to cut the mold directly out of the wax using the CNC. We will call this the direct method.

One the left we have the spool as cut with a round end-mill, in the middle is the same spool except cut with a square endmill, and on the right are the finished molds.

The firsmold pictured did not function correctly; it's design proved too difficult to use. Version two of this mold with have a larger interlocking surface.

This is another mold to create a piece using the direct method.

The finished wax block from the CNC machine after creating parts for the direct method.