Tea candle and "globe/chimney"

[flyfisher]

On my AT section hike last week, there was an evening when two of us brought out candles to read by. (As the fall comes on us, I find it hard to sleep from dusk to dawn - there are too many hours.)

She had a tea candle - a little flat candle about 1.25 inches in diameter and a half inch tall, contained in an aluminum "dish."

I had a 3 inch long plumber's candle.

There was a little breeze - hardly enough to feel - but enough to fan the flame from the right to the left.

Within five minutes of lighting the candles, mine was dripping wax down its side, creating a little puddle next to the candle. It was bothersome enough that I soon put my candle away and read by the light of my LED head lamp.

Her candle was enough to read by for hours. The flame did blow around a bit and have a lot of flickering, but when I awoke a few hours after putting my book down, the tea candle was still burning.

When I came home, I began to think of some way to improve a tea candle for my hiking. I found a box of ten of them at the dollar store for a buck. So I had some to experiment with.

I kept thinking about that blowing flame and wondering if some sort of chimney could be made that would protect the candle from the wind, yet not be too heavy or fragile.

I ended up taking a pair of scissors to a plastic 20 oz coke bottle. I cut around the bottle just below the label, and also just above the bottom. I ended up with a clear "chimney" about 3 inches high. I have only used it outdoors at my house, not yet on the trail. However, the chimney seems to guard the candle from the wind and make it a better light to read by.

I have given some thought about where to pack the little chimney. I usually pack my candle in my food pouch, along with emergency fire starting materials. I have found that the little chimney can be stuffed full of a baggie of noodle mix or GORP, which protects its shape and takes up almost no room.

Result: a tea candle and chimney which weighs almost nothing, yet preserves my LED head lamp's batteries for a longer hike. In addition, the candle just feels more friendly as the night becomes inky and the owls come out to play.

I will get some official weights and pictures of the set-up out on my hiking pages soon.

[Dances with Mice]

I like the idea. I just made one, in fact.

Do you hold the chimney down somehow? Seems like even a slight accidental nudge would slide the plastic ring awful close to the flame.

[Hellbilly]

Would it be feasible to cut a hole the diameter of the tea candle in the bottom-center of the soda bottle? Then it could be weighted with small rocks placed around the candle for more stability. Going to have to try this when I get home.

[orangebug]

I have a tea candle lantern from REI. It is not light. It gets very hot. It is made of aluminum and glass, but has managed not to break for about 4 years.

I'm real keen to hear how your lantern works with a plastic globe.

Bill....

[flyfisher]

I like the idea. I just made one, in fact.

Do you hold the chimney down somehow? Seems like even a slight accidental nudge would slide the plastic ring awful close to the flame.

The edge is a tiny bit rough, because I cut it with a pair of scissors. It does not slide much in most evening drafts I have seen, when the candle and the chimney are placed on a rough piece of board.

If I need to give it a bit more stability, I would put about 4 small stones or twigs aroung the outside of the globe. However, the edge of the tea candle gives a pretty good safety margin around the candle flame.

I think there may be a little less stability of the globe if the bottom is cut out to center the tea candle - because the nobs on the bottom of the bottle are not as wide as the bottle - but with care, this is probably OK anyway. (It may be difficult to cut a round circle in the complex geometry of the bottom of the bottle.)

[flyfisher]

I posted a photo of the way I used the coke bottle as a globe. I also developed a little lantern made from a recycled Pepsi Can and a recycled water bottle.

http://www.imrisk.com/teacandle/teacandle.htm

Walk Well!

[Nightwalker]

http://www.imrisk.com/teacandle/teacandle.htm
I also like this one. Maybe no better, but looks cooler!

http://www.imrisk.com/teacandle/teacandlelantern_web.jpg

[flyfisher]

I also like this one. Maybe no better, but looks cooler!



Thanks. Build one and see how it works for you.

[Jack Straw]

i've never tried using a "chimney," but i'm curious, would the effectiveness of the "chimney" be improved with a reflective material such as aluminum foil?

[Rain Man]

.. I also developed a little lantern made from a recycled Pepsi Can and a recycled water bottle....

I'm IMPRESSED!!!! Gonna try this on my NC AT section hike over Halloween.

Rain Man

.

[Rain Man]

I posted a photo of the way I used the coke bottle as a globe. I also developed a little lantern made from a recycled Pepsi Can and a recycled water bottle.

Flyfisher,

I made a couple of these this evening for practice, and have a couple of questions now. Did you cut any holes for ventilation? Or does all the oxygen come in the drinking hole in the top of the Pepsi can? My tea candle wanted to go out.

Also, you have the three support tabs attached to the bottom and inserted through slots in the top. I might try reversing that, as I found the top gets hot in a hurry, too hot to hold while trying to align and insert all those hooked-end tabs. I'm thinking it might be easier to work them at the bottom rather than at the top. Clear as mud? Of course, maybe it's supposed to be permanently attached/connected? Hmmmmmm.

Also, what about ditching the Pepsi can top altogether, and just using the plastic bottle top (just cut off the bottom of it, to fit into the Pepsi can bottom. I'm still thinking about that one, but it would be simpler... if it would stand up to the heat.

How did you flatten the bottom of the Pepsi can enough for the tea candle to sit securely in the middle?

You can tell I'm liking this home-made gear idea!

Rain Man

.

[Alligator]

That's an interesting design, both the globe and then the globe within the can. I have used candle lanterns for years. I had a cheap Coughlins (sp) one that used a tea candle, and still have a more durable brass one. I would like to throw a note of caution in using the aluminum can setup for hanging. No matter how careful, invariably the candle gets bumped in the tent. Also, in winter, high winds shake the tent. I would be concerned about hot wax hitting the combustible globe.

I used to carry the lantern all the time, but now I typically carry it only in the winter for use in the tent. My LED headlamp, with much higher battery life, is sufficient the rest of the year.

P.S. The glass was real cheap on the Coughlon's, and started to chip away. It was also hard to load should the candle need replacing. It was the lighter of the two though.

[flyfisher]

I did some longer term testing with both designs. The "globe" in the lantern got a little soft and deformed a little. I don't know how well it would work long term.

I carried the stand alone globe with me on a 3 and a half day section hike. I put all my fire starting stuff in a ziplock and rolled that up and slipped it into the globe to keep from crushing it in my pack.

It worked great in the evenings to cheer me up in solo camps when the sun went down early and I did not want to build a fire.

[Dances with Mice]

Flyfisher - At the last minute Saturday I grabbed my pack and headed for the hills. I intended to try out your tea candle globe idea but realized that I forgot to grab a tea candle! No problem, I pulled into the Wal-Mart in Dahlonega and headed for their candle section. They only sold plain, unscented tea candles by the giant bag for $3 or so, great price but more tea candles than I could ever use. I could buy 6-packs of scented candles but didn't want to. But there were little tea-candle sized oil candles, a plastic bottle with a plastic snap-top cap and little string wick, for about $1 each so I got one. Seems to weigh as much as a tea candle, and it's about the same height and diameter.

I started at Winfield Scott park and walked up to the tent pads near the Slaughter Gap area on Blood Mtn for the night. The little oil candle worked great! The plastic lid can be pried off with a coin or knife blade and re-used. It put out a decent sized flame but the wind made it flicker until I cut up a small water bottle I'd carried along for that purpose. The chimney steadied the flame and made a big difference. I kept it lit for a couple of hours, used it to prepare supper, eat, clean up, etc. It barely looks like any oil was used at all. This morning the lid snapped back on the candle and the globe fits around my alcohol fuel bottle. I carried the little oil candle with my fuel bottle in an exterior mesh pocket.

Now I wonder how well it would simmer if used for cooking? I also want to try a side-by-side of tea candle vs. oil candle to see which one would burn longest.

[Tha Wookie]

As was mentioned above, I use aluminum foil folded three times over in a ten inch square. I can shape it depending on wind conditions, and it drastically magnifies the amount of light available. It can be stored anywhere when folded. It takes 5 seconds to make, weighs nothing, and has a flexible utility. Tea lights rock!

[Rain Man]

Flyfisher.... how's this for my experimenting with your design...

I flipped the Pepsi can upside down. That give me both a flat "bottom" for the tea candle to sit on, and a bottom vent (the pop top hole).

Instead of cutting the top and bottom apart, I just cut out two rectangles on the sides, leaving two side strips connecting the top and bottom.

I cut two small vent holes near the top (i.e., the "old" bottom).

I punched two holes in the top (old bottom) rim for a paper clip hanger.

I slipped in the water bottle chimney from the side. Things flex enough to do this.

So far I like this for the following reasons:

Uni-body construction is more sturdy.

Flat bottom and vent hole in bottom (can slide candle over or off it as needed).

Top vent holes on sides keep hanger clip from heating up so much to the touch.

I'll try it out on my section hike from Wesser, NC to Fontana, NC over Halloween and will report back. Of course, I expect it to get crushed in my pack! LOL

Rain Man

.

[Bjorkin]

These are interesting ideas. Basically a hurricane globe or lantern. One benefit of a hurricane type globe is that besides the intended protection from wind, they also increase the amount of light due to some form of convection or other force. Not sure what exactly but I remember watching a program about this.

[flyfisher]

I also want to try a side-by-side of tea candle vs. oil candle to see which one would burn longest.

LOL! On my hike last week, I found that in nearly every shelter there is a little pool of wax from someone's candle. I chipped it off here and there and added it to my tea candle.

If the wick gets too low and snuffs out, I make a new wick by taking a little piece of my cardboard fire starter, 1/8th inch by 1/2 inch, make a hole in the wax with my knife, and then light the wax soaked cardboard. It makes a great wick and throws a little better flame too.

[Dances with Mice]

LOL! On my hike last week, I found that in nearly every shelter there is a little pool of wax from someone's candle. I chipped it off here and there and added it to my tea candle.

Excellent! The "Ultra Pure (TM) Liquid Candle" http://doitbest.com/shop/product.asp?dept_id=846&sku=662380
that I used can't compete with scavenged fuel sources, and you even help clean up shelters as you go. Find a way to use Gideon bibles as fuel sources for cooking and you'll revolutionize AT hiking!

I'm sure that after I've exhausted the liquid candle I'll use the wax tea candles that I already have, assuming I remember to pack one. You know how you always forget something on every trip? This time I forgot my toilet paper (no big deal, lots of leaves still on trees), my first aid supplies (which were in a gym bag, but I didn't need'em), and the candle. I was most embarassed about leaving the candle since I made sure I packed a plastic bottle to cut up for a chimney.

[CynJ]

Ok this thread has stuck with me now - and I had to try my hand at it....

here is my take on a mini-lantern!

http://www.geocities.com/cynjendrejcak/hiking/lights.html

I have a couple other ideas that require a trip to the store so stay tuned!

[Lanthar Mandragoran]

Cynj, nice thinking and double use as tea warmer is a good use of waste heat...

oh, and those pictures are plenty sharp... funny that you used a pic phone...

[CynJ]

Ok - bought one of the plastic shakers instead of the glass - weighed it on the digital scale at the grocery store - 2.1 oz.

I was concerned about the heat damaging the plastic so I tried a straightforward experiment when I got home - simply removed the top completely and dropped in a tealight, lit it, and let it burn.

It worked fantastically! I let it burn for a little over 2.5 hours - the plastic was warm but did not melt or get soft and I was able to completely hold the unit in my hand without a burn.

This worked very well! I have to cut out part of the cap to allow the candle to breath better but all in all its a nice lighter weight lantern.

I was looking at the candle lantern at EMS - I can't find a weight on it anywhere but its definitely much heavier then my 2.1oz version!

:D

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

CynJ, excellent ideas. Wonder if the basic idea could be expanded to become a windscreen for both a tea candle and a soda can stove? Also wondering if the plastic used in Glad Ovenware (link for those who haven't seen this product (http://www.glad.com/containers.html#ovenware)) comes in clear or translucent? I've only seen it in black, but it would seem to be the perfect material for a lightweight tea candle chimney.

[CynJ]

I actually tried some experimentation the other night with clear oven roasting bags - but the plastic is very sensitive to the flame. If it were used on a good frame system the oven bag plastic would work - but it would have to be taunt (sp?) and couldn't have any movement.

[Youngblood]

I just quickly read through this post and had a couple of comments.

First, I can't help myself on this one, I've got to do it: You are playing with fire so be careful.

Second, not all tea light candles are the same. I sometimes use them around the house and have bought different brands. Some brands last about 4 hours while others last only about 2 hours. The quicker burning ones have a much larger flame and put off a lot more heat. The point of that is that if your plastic holder works okay with a cooler '4 hour candle' that doesn't mean that it won't melt or even burn with a hotter '2 hour candle'. Be careful with that.

Youngblood

[Lanthar Mandragoran]

if you're using a hardware cloth pot stand, you could like make a tube of oven liner bag to go around it to reduce wind impace (that is the whole reason for putting anything around a tea light in my opinion), the cloth will give more than enough rigidity to keep it out of the path of the flame... also, you could slip a small bit of foil on one side between the bag and the stand and make it a directional light...

my guess is that the windscreen dtube wouldn't register on a scale..

of course, now that I think about it, you wouldn't be able to carry it while burning... well, you could, you'd just have to apply a little more ingenuity than I've already listed...

[Alligator]

I suggest you knock it around a bit and see what effect the hot wax has on the plastic. Invariably, it will get bumped.