Can`t have enough candles

[Pitchy]

Made some candles today using a vintage candle mold, worked pretty good, if ya heat up a 19 mm socket and stick the big end of the candle in it it sizes it proper to fit a candle holder.
Also made a couple molds.

[GunnyMack]

Thats a handy thing to have with winter bearing down!
Socket idea is a great tip !!

[Pitchy]

Thanks Gunny, yep and winter came early snowing hard right now.

[GunnyMack]

Yes, I've been watching the weather, you& Norma in MN and friends i have in ND I keep an eye on the weather up there.

[Pitchy]

6-8 inches on the ground now of wet heavy stuff, and worse the ground isn`t froze so hard to plow with out landscaping and the kids plow truck is broke down.

[M. M. Wright]

Made some candles today using a vintage candle mold, worked pretty good, if ya heat up a 19 mm socket and stick the big end of the candle in it it sizes it proper to fit a candle holder.
Also made a couple molds.

Now that socket trick is worth knowing Lenn. Esperanza got into candle making a few years back but she lost interest somewhere since we adopted these kids. They take up all her time and energy but I have been getting a lot out of the oldest boy. He's a real good worker and will try anything I tell him to.

[Pitchy]

Thanks Ron, should get some coloring dye for them.

[gamekeeper]

That looks like a useful bit of kit Lenn I always keep oil lamps and candles ready for power cuts.

[Pitchy]

Thanks John, something to do on a snowy day.

[piller]

With wood heat and candles, you should be able to survive. Smart.

[Bill in Oregon]

Good stuff, Lenn. Love the cheer of a candle. Plus one on the socket idea as genius!

[Pitchy]

Thanks piller and Bill.

Here`s something i found on the web that i never new about, it`s called a Rush holder.
Here`s a description off the web.

IN these days of cheap matches and lamps for mineral oil, one can hardly realise the troubles and difficulties in the way of procuring and maintaining artificial light for the long dark mornings and evenings of nearly half the year, that prevailed among cottage folk not a hundred years ago. Till well into the third or fourth decade of the nineteenth century, many labouring families could afford nothing better than the rush-lights that they made at home, and this, excepting fire-light, had been their one means of lighting for all the preceding generations.

In the summer, when the common rushes of marshy ground were at their full growth, they were collected by women and children. The rush is of very simple structure, white pith inside and a skin of tough green peel. The rushes were peeled, all but a narrow strip, which was left to strengthen the pith, and were hung up in bunches to dry. Fat of any kind was collected, though fat from salted meat was avoided if possible. It was melted in boat-shaped grease-pans that stood on their three short legs in the hot ashes in front of the fire. They were of cast-iron;.made on purpose. The bunches, each of about a dozen peeled rushes, were drawn through the grease and then put aside to dry.
Two pins crossed would put out a rush-light, and often cottagers going to bed — their undressing did not take long — ould lay a lighted rush-light on the edge of an oak chest or chest of drawers, leaving an inch over the edge. It would burn up to the oak and then go out. The edges of old furniture are often found burnt into shallow grooves from this practice.

[piller]

I had heard of rush light, but never knew the true meaning. Very cool.

[GunnyMack]

Thats where my duck bill pliers went!

Interesting bit of history there!

[Pitchy]

Thanks guys, makes a good incense holder.
Gunny i`m going to have to find another pair as they are handy.

[gamekeeper]

I had heard of rush light, but never knew the true meaning. Very cool.

+ 1 well described ...

[black river smith]

pitchy,

Now you are talking one of my interests. I have two - 6 candle molds. One is old but functional the other is a new made one that works. I use them for making paraffin and beeswax candles. I would use the beeswax candles for CAS outings and re-enactments.

Not real easy to keep the wicks center in my attempts but I was satisfied with the results.

Also funny that you mentioned the Rush sticks and how they were made. I just saw, last week, a Joel McCrae movie that had this item burning at a kitchen table. He was a doctor that somehow was shunned by the town and became too poor to buy coal oil for the lamps, so they were using this reed burner for light. It was not the first time I saw this particular movie but 'was' the first time I really noticed this different item. Was curious as to what it could have been. I never read about this before or was exposed to its making or use. Thanks from out of the blue.

[Pitchy]

Thanks black river smith, what i came up with that worked good with the wicks, as ya can see in the picture i put a long straight pin through the wick on the top.
Then i put tension on the wick on the bottom and put a short piece of round tooth pick in the hold to hold it tight, it also plugged the hole so wax doesn`t leak out.
Also when removing the candles i push down on the candle and it frees it up then they pull out good.
The rush holders are cool i may forge one from scratch.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[Pitchy]

We gotta keep busy pard, i have ten pounds of Paraffin coming and some coloring so will be making more candles.
I seen a utube vid yesterday of a German candle that looked like what you made, it was wrapped around a small board and a few inches left standing up on one end.
The problem i see with those is them burning down and catching the whole thing on fire could be dangerous.

The Betty lamp was another cool invention, here`s one i made many years ago which works nice, any dripping oil returns to the pot by running down the outer tube.

[piller]

If your wife uses one of those wax melt warmer things to make the house smell good, reuse the wax when all the scent is gone. It gets pretty hard, and would work for candles. Mixed with some olive oil or some other oil, it should be able to soften up for bullet lube or something like that. I think the wax is a paraffin type.
A place called Hobby Lobby sells candle making supplies. I do not know the price. They might have beeswax at a good price.

[M. M. Wright]

Lenn, that picture of the little lamp by just it's own light is really a great image. Made me nostalgic. I buy toilet bowl rings when I find them on sale at Lowe's or similar places. They say on them that they are bees wax but I doubt that but is good stuff when mixed with olive oil (not much). I use it for black powder bullet lube but have to put the bullets into a metal, rat proof cabinet or the rats eat the lube off them. We have six Tiki Torches around our deck and pool. Have to replace the wicks every year because I neglect to bring them in. They work just like that little lamp.

[Pitchy]

Thanks piller and Ron, i like the Betty lamp a lot.
I just made this floor model i seen a picture of, used a forge tongs, it burns a stick soaked in cooking oil but that skeeter stuff would work better.

[Pitchy]

And yet another model candle and rush holder.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[black river smith]

Pitchy,
Thanks for the advise on the straight pin. I went back to original pics and then pick it up. Nice option.

The Betty lamp was another thing I tried but I went more to the slightly larger miners wink lamp or a genie brass lamp design. I tried using a small watering can but still too much lift on the oil or beef grease. Never did get one to work. You are correct about the dripping problems of the Betty - Miners lamps.

I do not have your forging skills, that is for sure nor the tool to do so. The only thing I did do, one time, was solder a can for a Rail-Road lantern.

[Pitchy]

Pitchy, if you ain't got a davinci, edison, or tesla in the wood pile (ancestry) I'll vote for sleepy Joe !

Yep got it, because i can and have.

Black river smith i have half dozen miners lamps but all are lighter fluid type but did see a oil lamp the other day.
As far as the candle molds the one i have has pretty small holes on the pointed end so the toothpick trick worked pretty good.
Oh heck boys get at it and bring back some of this old stuff
Wind up phonographs and candles, yeeeehaaaa

[Pitchy]

They call this one a ratcheting candle holder.

[gamekeeper]

Pitchy's candles reminded me that I have a repo Civil War campaign candle holder, it's just a oblong tin box with a swivel candle holder and enough room for a couple of spare candles, when polished up it reflects enough light to write letters back home.

IMG_20201025_204249.jpg

Click to enlarge photo.

[M. M. Wright]

They call this one a ratcheting candle holder.

Now there's a way to get the candle in the right place. This past year I have been carrying a very bright, rechargeable light in the leg pocket of my bibbies. I'm sure the problem of getting the light source in the right place was even more important when the light was so dim in the first place. Nice build Lenn.

[Pitchy]

Neat one John.
Thanks Ron it`s a cool design.
Built this oak candle box with a sliding top and we are getting quite a few candles made.

[Bill in Oregon]

Liking that last candle box, Lenn. Great idea to have a holder on the lid. Also admire the heck out of that sweet little Betty you made.

[Pitchy]

Thanks Bill, i ordered a 12 stick mold and am going to mount it in a wood frame they made them that way but they get1-2 thousand bucks for them.
Do a search on vintage wood candle molds and you will see them.

[piller]

Living in oilwell country for most of my life, I have seen the fields have to burn off the paraffin so that it doesn't clog the wells. They now remove the paraffin mechanically and use it for other things. When the flaring used to be done, it looked like the biggest fire you could imagine when it started. I find beeswax candles to have a better smell than paraffin candles. The flame is a different color, too.

[Pitchy]

I`ll put this here as not to clutter up the board with my makings.
A Blue berry picker made with Oak.

[gamekeeper]

I've never seen a wooden one, looks classy....

[Pitchy]

Thanks John, might be a while for we see blue berries.
We just got done making a wood mold out of to halfs of boards that clamp together, poured it and in the freezer now.

[Pitchy]

Went pretty well, first to finished.

[gamekeeper]

Lenn, that's absolutely brilliant. I reckon back in the pioneer days you would have been a very popular and necessary guy to have in the community... probably made a lot of money too....

[Pitchy]

Thanks John, used one of those flat bits to drill the holes so that long point made the wick hole.
They`er a little rough because the wood isn`t perfectly smooth but i`m happy with it.
I imagine dipping candles came first then something like this.

[black river smith]

Pitchy,

I like your new additions. Cannot wait to see the 12 candle mold mounted. You really do great work with wood, that oak wooden mold looks like it works well.

Thanks for sharing your ideas and talents.

[Pitchy]

Pitchy,

I like your new additions. Cannot wait to see the 12 candle mold mounted. You really do great work with wood, that oak wooden mold looks like it works well.

Thanks for sharing your ideas and talents.

Thanks, going to make a latch to hold the mold together today, the clamps don`t fit the period.
Will post a pic later.

[Pitchy]

Here we go, the stick is curved.

[gamekeeper]

Simple BUT very clever.......

[Pitchy]

Thanks John, it`s primitive cool.

[piller]

One thing about candles and oil lamps is that they work even when the electricity is out.

[Pitchy]

One thing about candles and oil lamps is that they work even when the electricity is out.

Thanks piller, glad ya liked the molds and holders we made.

[piller]

They are really nice looking. Hope you don't need them, but it is smart to be prepared.

[Pitchy]

Might as well throw in a cranberry picker we made this morning.