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Haven't read the whole thread, but I bet you could make a spring loaded candle holder with a spring and some plumbing supplies i.e copper pipe and end cap etc.
I can't see any reason why not. I've been burning home made pure beeswax candles in my spring loaded holders without any problems.
The main downside is the holders can be picked up cheaply, for a couple of pounds. If I made my own the spring might cost more than that.
The whole point of my original post was to see if there's something ready made for sale somewhere. With all the self sufficient, prepping, off grid type shops I'm still surprised there's not something.
You know what works well ? a home made bigger brass or copper version of the wee trench candle, the pocket candle lanterns. View attachment 91923
Pretty sure JohnC and Wayland have done tutorials on the small ones in the past.
A few years ago I made a very, very simple oil lamp.
I based it on a thing I'd seen in Greece, little oil lamps using old jam jars to leave on graves.
So I bought a box of phytilakia; these are short wax-dipped wicks supplied with a little cork disc to float on the surface of the oil and a disc of monkey metal to protect the cork from the heat.
1. Place the metal disc on top of the cork float, push a wick through the holes in both.
2. Fill a jar about 1/3 to 1/2 full with some kind of vegetable oil. I've used olive oil, rapeseed oil and grapeseed oil, and all worked equally well.
3. Light the wick, the wax establishes the flame, then gently drop the float onto the oil. The oil is drawn up by the wick and burns from now on.
I've made bigger versions of this using a yoghurt jar and a 3/4" or 1" diameter punch to cut the float from a thick cork insulating tile and the metal from a beer can. Tin snips or a cold chisel would do for the disc, and any crazy knife would do for the cork.
My thought is that the float and disc should be big enough to keep the flame away from the glass, although of you use a jar that was made to withstand being sterilised and filled with hot jam, cracking should not be a big problem.
If I was to use these in camp, I'd probably carry the lamp empty and the oil separately in a small bottle, and I'd also rig up some kind of bail or maybe a handle using thicker wire. A wire coat hanger would be easily strong enough for a 500ml jar.
I'll see if I can dig out the last one I made, otherwise please remind me in the New Year to pay a tutor.
We make these out of clay. We just bake them in the fire once the clay moulds are dry. They're not hard fired ceramic but they're sound, easy for kids to make, and easy to use.
The Romans made masses of them with the wick coming out of the spout...think mini alladin's lamp
Indians make similar ones called Diyas for Divalli and the like too.
We make these out of clay. We just bake them in the fire once the clay moulds are dry. They're not hard fired ceramic but they're sound, easy for kids to make, and easy to use.
The Romans made masses of them with the wick coming out of the spout...think mini alladin's lamp
View attachment 92259
Indians make similar ones called Diyas for Divalli and the like too.
Mine are almost as-new but are without the glass and one of them is missing the cap for the wick, certainly they've never been used.
The handle has a hole in it so that you can drive a nail with a big head into a post and hand the lamp from that. A bit like the holes for mounting some shelf brackets or toilet roll holders.
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