Emergency candles on the cheap

[Denim Deb]

I'd suggest trying that cattail candle outside....sometimes they explode as they dry and it could be dangerous if they are in flames!

I'll have to tell my son this! I think he's love that!

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Hmmmm on the cattail canes.

I think you can buy wicks in looonnnngggg strands, looped like rope in a package. You can always snip off what you need and weight it.

Something a very SS friend told me about once, but I've never tried. She was actually suggesting it as an alternative to Sterno cans for cooking flame, and it might be more steps/trouble than it's worth for candles (I'm like Orchick -- just save and remelt them) but here goes ...

She said save all empty tuna-type flat cans, and all wax-coated type containers like juice or milk cartons. Cut the cartons in strips the height, or just under, of the cans. Coil them and put them into the cans. Add a wick to the center. Melt wax (maybe you could use tallow also) and pour in so it fills the tiny airspaces. And that's it.

I keep meaning to try it but when I moved I didn't get to bring my saved cans and cartons, and haven't tried again to collect them. Would be interested if anyone HAS done this and know if it's worthwhile.

 

[k0xxx]

Shiloh Acres - "She said save all empty tuna-type flat cans, and all wax-coated type containers like juice or milk cartons. Cut the cartons in strips the height, or just under, of the cans. Coil them and put them into the cans. Add a wick to the center. Melt wax (maybe you could use tallow also) and pour in so it fills the tiny airspaces. And that's it. "

When I was a youngster, we used to do something similar to cook with during power outages (usually after hurricanes). We just took a cardboard box and separated the the cardboard so that the corrugation was exposed. Cut the cardboard to a height just below the top of a large tuna, or similar type can. Coiled up the cardboard and put it into the can, filling the gaps with wax. To use, we just lit the cardboard.

The reason we cut the cardboard just a bit shorter than the can, was that my mother always seemed to have plastic lids that fit the cans.

These were great for cooking with and they seemed to last a decent amount of time.

 

[ORChick]

Hmmmm on the cattail canes.

I think you can buy wicks in looonnnngggg strands, looped like rope in a package. You can always snip off what you need and weight it.

Something a very SS friend told me about once, but I've never tried. She was actually suggesting it as an alternative to Sterno cans for cooking flame, and it might be more steps/trouble than it's worth for candles (I'm like Orchick -- just save and remelt them) but here goes ...

She said save all empty tuna-type flat cans, and all wax-coated type containers like juice or milk cartons. Cut the cartons in strips the height, or just under, of the cans. Coil them and put them into the cans. Add a wick to the center. Melt wax (maybe you could use tallow also) and pour in so it fills the tiny airspaces. And that's it.

I keep meaning to try it but when I moved I didn't get to bring my saved cans and cartons, and haven't tried again to collect them. Would be interested if anyone HAS done this and know if it's worthwhile.

Yes, wicking can be got at any hobby shop in long strands, and you cut it as you need it. They also have little metel doohickeys to attach to the bottom of the wick to help keep it from floating. I have used these, and they are easier than tying the end to an extra screw or nail ... but I always have extra screws etc around, and so usually use those.
The tuna can burners are called "buddy burners". I've never used one, but would imagine that it would be too hot to use safely as a candle. Here is a description, and also instructions for using for cooking: http://www.justpeace.org/buddyburner.htm

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Cool, thanks y'all.

I guess I'm going to have to try it now.

I still buy some juice, but canned tuna is pretty much just a can a year that I freeze in small bits in order to give things to the cats they may not want to eat. I'm sure I can find someone who buys more of it tho.

thanks again!

(and I'm glad to know wicking is so easily available. I have a bunch of it looped up so I'm glad to hear it IS out there like that for when I run out. )

 

[Denim Deb]

Ok, I'm ready to go and eat a can of pineapple just so I can try that. (Not tuna, I hate tuna!)

 

[Bethanial]

Hmmmm on the cattail canes.

I think you can buy wicks in looonnnngggg strands, looped like rope in a package. You can always snip off what you need and weight it.

Something a very SS friend told me about once, but I've never tried. She was actually suggesting it as an alternative to Sterno cans for cooking flame, and it might be more steps/trouble than it's worth for candles (I'm like Orchick -- just save and remelt them) but here goes ...

She said save all empty tuna-type flat cans, and all wax-coated type containers like juice or milk cartons. Cut the cartons in strips the height, or just under, of the cans. Coil them and put them into the cans. Add a wick to the center. Melt wax (maybe you could use tallow also) and pour in so it fills the tiny airspaces. And that's it.

I keep meaning to try it but when I moved I didn't get to bring my saved cans and cartons, and haven't tried again to collect them. Would be interested if anyone HAS done this and know if it's worthwhile.

Yes, wicking can be got at any hobby shop in long strands, and you cut it as you need it. They also have little metel doohickeys to attach to the bottom of the wick to help keep it from floating. I have used these, and they are easier than tying the end to an extra screw or nail ... but I always have extra screws etc around, and so usually use those.
The tuna can burners are called "buddy burners". I've never used one, but would imagine that it would be too hot to use safely as a candle. Here is a description, and also instructions for using for cooking: http://www.justpeace.org/buddyburner.htm

Don't have personal experience with the buddy burner, but it's a Girl Scout trick, and got a couple friends talk about using that particular trick/skill, but either as cooking on or firestarter, NOT candle

 

[k0xxx]

Don't have personal experience with the buddy burner, but it's a Girl Scout trick, and got a couple friends talk about using that particular trick/skill, but either as cooking on or firestarter, NOT candle

You are right about that. I have used candles to cook with (once) though. After a hurricane I used one of those large pillar candles with 5 wicks to cook eggs, to heat water for instant coffee, and to heat soup. Slow, but if it's all you have....

 

[Emerald]

The best and cheapest way to get a few good emergency candles is to wait for the end of the holiday season and buy up the extra tea light candles that they sell in the bags of 50 to 100 for way cheap--I got a couple bags of 100 for a buck a bag one year-just make sure not to get the scented ones-if you have more than one or two lit in the house the fragrance can be overpowering.
You can get a few of your little jelly jar mason jars and you put one or two candles in each with a box of matches or a packet of matches and then put the lid on and put one in each room(out of reach of any naughty or curious kids of course) and you have emergency lighting in a blink!

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Maybe it's a Canadian thing but here emergency candles, not nice or coloured ones but just plain straight sided white ones are dirt cheep in packs of 10 to 50. They are all 6 or 8 inches and crafters often say that it's a cheaper was to buy wax than getting paraffin blocks. We always have them on hand here, but we live so far out in the bush that a power outage is common and could be for days.