UNI
Adventurer
Smudge Pots
As you know when boon-docking/primitive camping, its dark, real dark out in the forest. We have always used Tiki Torches to light up the campsite perimeter. The Tiki Torches work great, the only draw back is getting the torches into the ground, we pack a 3/4" x 3ft. piece of galvanized pipe and hammer to make a hole deep enough to plant the torch and still be safe. Now for all of you that have tried this you know its not as easy as it might seem, the Missouri & Arkansas Ozarks have more rock than soil. Driving that pipe/stake into the ground and to get it deep enough can be difficult at best sometimes. So I went on the hunt for something that could be used when boon-docking and still give us the perimeter lighting needed for our campsite. I did some research on a product that was used years ago, called the Smudge Pot or Toledo Torch. The Smudge Pot is approximately 7.5" Diameter/6" Tall and weigh about 5.5 lbs each. They are rather heavy, but for safety reasons each Smudge Pot is weighted to stay in an up-right position. The Smudge Pots have a great burn time (24 hrs.) before a fuel refill is needed. In doing my search, I found that most of the companies that were producing the product are no longer around or they are imported in from china. Except one company, one of the first companies to produce the Smudge Pots years ago is still producing the product today here in the states. Fisher-Barton Company still produces a high quality Smudge Pot and if taken care of can last for years. The Fisher-Barton Smudge Pots run about $25.00 each. and can be ordered directly from Fisher-Barton. (Note: replacement parts and wicks are available from Fisher-Barton, so you can maintain your torch for years to come.) No special fuel required, standard Tiki Torch oil is all you need.
Just place the Smudge Pots around the campsite, fill'em and light'em.
NO HOLES TO DRIVE INTO ROCK! :sombrero:
A Little History On Open Flame Torches:
Highway torches (a/k/a "smudge pots") have an obscure background but may be traced to the McCLOSKEY TORCH COMPANY,TOLEDO, OH, PAT'D DEC 14, 1926. It's unknown if that is a patent grant or application date, but the originals appear to be cast iron affairs. The best known were first produced in 1927/1928 by the Toledo Pressed Steel Company and others quickly followed (Dietz and Embury of course); Handlan made them and Piper sold 'em. Even non-lantern manufacturers, such as Shanklin, later Park Industries (Storm King), and Anthes (Flame Guard) got in on this business, as well as truck-lighting K-D Lamp Co. Their open flame required little maintenance and they also had long burning times. Large fuel capacity with easy filling , bright signal, as well as few parts (including no globe that needed to be cleaned) made them very popular with road contractors and highway departments. For many applications, particularly in rural areas with higher speed traffic, they began to displace lanterns. But in cities where low speed traffic and most water, gas, and other underground utility companies provided service, the lanterns ruled until transistors replaced them. NO HOLES TO DRIVE INTO ROCK! :sombrero:
A Little History On Open Flame Torches:
(Smudge Pots are still being made by Fisher Barton of Fountain Inn, SC.)
How do you light up your campsite perimeter?
How do you light up your campsite perimeter?
