Trench Candles

[Wayland]

Just spent a productive couple of hours making trench candles from pipe fittings.

This should convert my few remaining candle lanterns over to paraffin in line with most of my other camp lighting.

 

[Robbi]

Very nice, don't suppose you have.a build tutorial do you, i wouldn't mind having a go at those

 

[crosslandkelly]

I look forward to seeing them. I'm guessing 22mm with end caps, one end soldered and some 8mm soldered over a suitable hole at the other?

 

[Wayland]

I used a bit of 5.5mm copper tube that I had in my workshop for the wick holder and the tube goes right through a drilled hole, could have been just a friction fit but I did add a bit of solder for durability.

 

[Wayland]

Very nice, don't suppose you have.a build tutorial do you, i wouldn't mind having a go at those

Sorry, didn't think to take photos while I was working but CLK has the basic method other than the tube going right through the cap.

Only the base is soldered, the top cap comes off for refilling.

 

[Robbi]

Is there wadding in the main body ?

 

[Wayland]

Nope, just a liquid reservoir and a wick that reaches to the bottom.

Just test burned the one in the Stonebridge Lantern and it ran for five hours with a smidge of fuel left in the bottom.

So I reckon the mid sized ones that hang on the chuck box should last six and the long one should easily do eight.

 

[Mesquite]

Those are so simple but I bet really effective.

What did you use for wicks Gary?

 

[Wayland]

I actually salvaged the wicks from the cheap, leaky oil burners that came with the repro carriage lamps.

Standard round cotton about 6mm diameter.

I've ordered some more to fit out the others, hopefully before the weekend.

 

[Janne]

Very beautiful. And practical!

Do I understand you correctly?:
You solder the bottom and top covering bit, drill a hole in top, then solder the tube?

 

[Wayland]

Not quite, the base is soldered and the tube is soldered into the top cap but the top cap is loose so it can be removed for refilling.

 

[Broch]

I like those a lot!
I might have to have a go at some of those

 

[Janne]

Not quite, the base is soldered and the tube is soldered into the top cap but the top cap is loose so it can be removed for refilling.

Got it!
Thanks!

 

[Nice65]

Nope, just a liquid reservoir and a wick that reaches to the bottom.

Just test burned the one in the Stonebridge Lantern and it ran for five hours with a smidge of fuel left in the bottom.

So I reckon the mid sized ones that hang on the chuck box should last six and the long one should easily do eight.

From what you’ve posted, probably not, but with copper being such an effective conductor of heat, is there a chance of the fuel getting too hot and beginning a Trench “stove”.

 

[Janne]

You could call those lights Steampunk Fairy Lights!

 

[Wayland]

From what you’ve posted, probably not, but with copper being such an effective conductor of heat, is there a chance of the fuel getting too hot and beginning a Trench “stove”.

Actually that conduction seems to act as a heat sink.

When I blew the candle out after 5 hours, I was quite surprised how cool the body was.

Warm to touch but not too hot to handle.

 

[Nice65]

Actually that conduction seems to act as a heat sink.

When I blew the candle out after 5 hours, I was quite surprised how cool the body was.

Warm to touch but not too hot to handle.

Cheers, I can get that, copper could work either way. With the closed design, I thought it possible to get some heat expansion of the fuel, maybe forcing leakage, or at worst vaporisation. They look superb, I reckon I’ll have a go at something like it.

I’ve a lovely little battery light made from copper pipe, it doesn’t do much for illumination, but it has a light sensor in it and a massive 5mm led on top. I’ll take a piccy, you’ll like it.

There you go, just glows quietly all night.

Pity about the plastic battery box, I reckon with a bit of fettling or redesign the batteries could be hidden in the legs. It’s also a bit unstable, but the idea’s there, a tripod would work well.

 

[Wayland]

That's great. Pipe fittings are such a versatile resource when creating "Steampunk" inspired objects but batteries, when needed, are always a pain to hide.

When making this a couple of years ago, I was lucky and found a cylindrical recharchable power pack that just fitted inside a 28mm copper pipe so the battery holder became part of the design itself.

I did notice a little weeping of paraffin, up through the wick, when slipping the cap onto the top. I think that was caused by a small amount of air compression and I didn't notice it being any worse after the burn test.

I am considering adding a tiny breathing hole in the top cap to mitigate that in the future. No more than 1mm diameter but enough to alleviate any compression or heat expansion.

The "leaky" nature of a hurricane lantern's design avoids this kind of issue but the close fit of the pipe fittings does not naturally include that pressure relief. Another test in order I think.

 

[Wayland]

Decided, on reflection, to go ahead and add the breather hole mentioned above. It won't make much difference to the leakiness but it will deal with the initial weeping caused by compression.

Quick job, took about thirty seconds per candle.

 

[Broch]

Decided, on reflection, to go ahead and add the breather hole mentioned above.

My smallest 'Miner's Lamp', a reproduction, not original, has a small hole close to where the wick comes out; presumably for the same reason. Or it could be to make sure there's no depression created in the reservoir that would reduce fluid wicking?