About the Birthday Cake and How to Make your Own.
The Birthday Cake is one of the most enjoyable fire-lighting activities for Scouts and bushcraft groups. Designed to improve ferro rod skills in a fun, competitive way, participants race to light multiple cotton wool "candles" using sparks from a fire steel. It's perfect for camps, training days, birthday celebrations, and bushcraft events, encouraging teamwork, accuracy, and confidence with traditional fire-lighting techniques.
I first came across this idea when a fellow Scouter, Terry, used one at an event. It was such a simple but brilliant idea that I decided to make one of my own not long afterwards. It proved so popular that I eventually built a second one, and they have become regular features at camps, activity days, and Scouting events.
Credit goes to Terry Longhurst for the original inspiration—it's one of those activities that brings together fun, teamwork, and fire-lighting skills in a way that everyone can safely enjoy.
Parts needed for the Base.
Cable Reel, note it needs one with hollow rifting to hole the candles. Some of theses have a cardboard core but you are looking for a ply core so it will last.
Two Lenths of CLS (3x2) Timber 50mm x 75mm (finished size 38 X 63mm)
15mm Copper Tube for the Base of the candle, 15mm to 22mm straight connectors and 22mm pipe.
6 Small brackits for fifing the post to the top part and some screws to join everthing together.
Putting the base together
Cut the top and bottom of the real to around 600mm round is ideal. Make out the 6 slots to cut out of the top for the CLS Posts (finished size 38 X 63mm).
Cut the CLS Posts to size 600mm tall, cut the v sape out for suporting the extra large strikers.
The post will simply screw to the base would use two if you want it to last, and the post slots into the cutout and the small barackits are use to hold them in place.
Six Holes to Hold the Firesteels at an angle near to pop of the post will be needed.
Open the Hole up on the base to let you get unused or burned cotton wool out of the base, if it builds up it could catch fire.
Parts for The Extra Large Firesteels
Poll for the Handles can be large broom handle or foraged wood, these are made form tomahawk hadle of cuts.
Firesteel Blanks 12.5 x 150mm would be ideal.
Scrapers for Firesteels large 8cm are available and are cheep to replace to keep sharp.
550 Paracord for the Scrapers is avable in a number of colours.
Cut the handle to size 160 to 200mm long. Part Drill for the ferrocerium firesteel rods, you will need a two pack glue to to join them done for get to remove the black coating. Drill a hole for the Parracord neer the other end. Tye the Scraper to the end, long enough to use the Scraper with out it pulling/geting in the way.
Competition Idea
The Birthday Cake can also be run as a fun Scout competition at camps, activity days, district events, or leader training weekends.
Teams of up to six participants line up around the Birthday Cake, with each Scout responsible for lighting one cotton wool "candle" using only a ferro rod and striker. On the signal to start, everyone works together to light all of the candles as quickly as possible.
The winning team is the one that successfully lights every candle in the fastest time.
Suggested Rules
- Teams of up to 6 Scouts.
- One ferro rod and striker per participant.
- No matches, lighters, or accelerants.
- Each participant may only light their own candle.
- Timing starts on the leader's signal.
- Timing stops when the final candle is fully alight.
- If a candle goes out before the final one is lit, it must be relit.
- Leaders should supervise throughout and ensure all fire safety procedures are followed.
This makes an excellent inter-patrol or inter-troop challenge, encouraging teamwork, communication, fire-lighting skills, and a little friendly competition while practising an essential bushcraft skill.
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Location: Essex