An occasional twist of a knob provides light without battery power.

A common problem with small torches is the short life-span both of the batteries and the bulb. The batteries of a small "penlite" torch will commonly last only two to three hours, and many bulb filaments burn no more than a few weeks before fusing. Besides this, torch batteries can sometimes be hard to come by, especially when camping or visiting remote areas.

The idea for a better torch was born a few years ago when the author was caught in a violent tropical storm on a remote dirt track, and his penlite torch rapidly faded and died. With new light emitting diode (LED) technology, it is now possible to build a torch that quite adequately lights the way five to ten meters in front. In fact, since power consumption is so small, it is possible to power the light for a considerable length of time from a few turns of a small generator with a capacitor "reservoir" – the sole source of power for this torch (no batteries).

While the light output of the Wind-up Torch is modest in comparison with some modern torches, it matches several candlepower at medium power, and is thus quite serviceable. It will provide ample light around a camp table, for walking on a footpath, or for reading.