Candles

Homemade Candle Lantern Light

Here, reflective tinfoil or aluminum foil replaces the mirror. It will keep the light of the flame out of your eyes and direct extra light forward in a more brighter or focused beam.

The jar protects the candle flame from the wind blowing it out, and also serves as a holder so you can carry it around. Don’t use a jar any smaller than a 2.5 inch diameter, this way the glass will stay reasonably cool to the touch, and try to keep the candle flame away from the sides of the glass itself. Maby you can put a drop of hot wax in the middle and press the bottom of the tea candle into it.

A stainless steel or some metal screen can be used for a cover on top. Try to fasten it if you could so that it does not fall off easy, but is easy to remove to light the wick or to replace the candle.

To make it practically rainproof, you can afix some larger metal lid/metal raised above the safety screen/rim area. Maby it can be raised with some wood pieces or metal nails hot-glued onto the sides of the jar.

Some people say that bee-wax and like soy wax and other non petroleum (oil) wax is better to burn, especially indoors. But the oil ones are cheap and will serve you well in times of power-outages or camping. Get some before you actually need them, because safety first. This lantern might be considered low technology or “old fashioned” to some older folks, but look how useful a little technology is.

In place of aluminum foil, it is possible to use the “reflective mylar films” and “chemical silvering/chrome processes” to make a reflective surface. Chrome paint? maby…..let me know.

About 10 years ago or so, I did manage to make a vegetable oil lantern out of a small glass, a wick of cotton or paper towel, and some “bread ties/twisties” wire to hold the wick up straight in the oil. The flame is about the size of a candle or a bit smaller, but the main thing is, is that it does work. Multiple wicks are also possible for extra light. Candles seem to be a safer, and less messy and probably more dangerous, method.

If you make one candle lantern for camping, you may wish to afix the tin/aluminum foil very tight to the glass to prevent it from comming off. Any method you choose, but an epoxy/waterproof glue coat over it and onto the glass a bit might work ok. It’s possible to put the aluminum foil on the inside of the glass also.

There are “solar lanterns” available that have a solar electric panel, this is somewhat similar to the familiar “garden solar lights”. Typically, the “garden solar lights” have 1 or 2 AA rechargeable batteries inside, hence if you need a way to recharge your batteries (especially flashlight/radio batteries), that would be the method when power does go out unless you do have some other solar panels specifically for that purpose. Other than that, you can use them as portable lights.

Extra:

There are some cooking/warming devices that use “tea-light” candles. Some have a seat for one candle, and some have a seat for multiple candles. Something to look into, but i’m not to knowledgeable about them…however, check out the youtube vids about the small portable “rocket-stoves”, “wood-gas”, and “alcohol fuel mini” stoves. (I have a playlist with some of these YouTube vids). If your gas or electricity (or both) went out you’ll need some sort of cooking “grill”. Those stoves mentioned, are supposed to burn clean/low smoke levels with minimal amounts of fuel – which is usually scrap wood debris and twigs you find laying around. If gasoline wasn’t available for cars, consider having a bike so you can ride to the stream or river to get some water, but be sure to make it safe to drink if you don’t have a water well in your yard..

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