Modern, robust, candle lantern

[Glow_worm]

I'd still like a candle mould the shape of the original household candle.

I've been avoiding this discussion as I've been a candle and lantern addict since childhood. I tend to avoid anything which may flare up my condition. But it's the best time of year for light and hard to avoid it, so here goes.

I have made silicone moulds of various candles which are hard to get hold of, including the classic Prices household candle. And Christmas tree candles, yes I do real candles on my Christmas tree.... And various obscure lengths and diameters to suit my lantern collection which runs from 18th century lanthorns to 1930s mass produced tinplate offerings. I also make candle lanterns in tinplate and brass, I enjoy making replicas of my historic examples. Mostly basic sheet metalwork but satisfying!

Silicone candle moulds are easy to make, but I usually incorporate a pouring funnel into the mould which I fill to the brim with each pour, like the runner in metal casting. This results in a large blob on the end of the candle. Easy to cut off and chuck in to the next melt. The advantage is that on cooling the hollowing occurs in the funnel and not in the candle. If the mould is simply the shape of the finished candle the hollowing can often end up running half the way doen the candle. You can top up, but the resulting candle is often unstable as it burns.

Silicone moulds are easy to make from a candle you want to replicate, or if you don't have an example, getting creative with suitable tube or pipe.

 

[Pattree]

Not the straight whites.

Are you allowed to say that?

 

[ged]

Not being cheeky, but have you considered an oil lamp and re-purposing that ?
....

I haven't yet seen a folding one.

 

[Wayland]

Nothing, if you burned them in a saucer as the instructions on the box (and the cardboard cup) clearly stated....

And today we have to tell people not to drink bleach.

 

[Pattree]

I was told not to chew my nails long ago but I’ve never seen a health warning in the box.

Sorry, yes, CANDLE LANTERNS!
.
I doubt that I’ll get to it until after Xmas but I’m going to try and drill a cafetière. I do like that idea very much.

 

[Toddy]

I haven't yet seen a folding one.

It was the glass chimney he fancied

 

[slowworm]

I have made silicone moulds of various candles which are hard to get hold of, including the classic Prices household candle.

I have noticed you can get the silicone but resisting yet another hobby. I make candles as we use them and I get plenty of wax from my bees and have picked up a few moulds to make some basic candles. I think I'll try dipping candles next, just sorting out a tall pot for the wax and I'm going to order a bulk spool of wick.

I'd like to see some of your moulds and home made holders if you get some time. I mostly pick up ones from charity shops and cheap auctions, quite partial to a candelabra for a bit of fun, but was looking for something a bit more practical for storm use.

 

[slowworm]

Not being cheeky, but have you considered an oil lamp and re-purposing that ?

I was really after something ready made, not just for me but others sound interested.I

I can't believe there's not something being sold somewhere with all the prepping, survival and historical sites. It's just trying to find it. I'm also not a fan of all the decorative or scented candles and they do clutter up the search results.

 

[Toddy]

Have a look at Lehman's or some of the Amish stores

They won't export to us, but sometimes the ideas are very good

Lehmans.com

 

[Wayland]

Uco used to make a great little lantern called the Micro which folded up with three tealights in it. One in the top, two stored in the bottom.

I bought one off Mad Dave in a BushMoot bring and buy one year and it goes everywhere with me now.

 

[slowworm]

I have a standard Uco candle lantern and it's fine for what it is but I don't tend to use it inside.

The tea light one looks fun but I don't find tea lights give out as much light as a decent candle. (Which is logical as they burn less wax).

Funnily enough, I was thinking about the 3 candle Uco light as, if I made something that didn't need to be that portable then three candles would give of more light. And added to a reflector that could be enough to do tasks by.

I have looked at Lehmans and some other stores but been disappointed. They don't seem to have much of interest and several of their candle lamps were just LED lights.

Whilst digging around I have come across travel carriage lights like this one: https://www.ifranks.com/silverware/j1325-silver-lamps

I could afford £75 or so but that is still £2,900 over budget!

 

[Glow_worm]

I think your stumbling point is the desire for a sprung candle in a lantern- through history almost all candle lanterns have simply had a candle shoved in the socket inside. The exceptions being those mounted to the front of carriages, bicycles and the interior walls of road and railway carriages, none of which were freestanding. There were plenty of indoor sprung designs but all student/reading/lacemaking lamps with reflectors or lenses requiring a constant flame height but no enslosure to the design.

The need for an enclosed indoor lantern with a sprung candle hasn't existed, until you created the demand that is!

 

[Toddy]

I make lace. I have a wooden stand that holds a globe that gets filled with water. There's a candle spike behind the globe.
It provides a bright round disc of good clear light that lets a woman see the fine threads to make lace in the evening.
Very old fashioned, but it works.

Maybe something of that ilk ?

It's called a magnifying glass or flash, globe.

 

[Glow_worm]

You must have good eyes for lace work! I struggled enough trying my hand at Dorset buttons a few years ago.

Some of the more elaborate (expensive)(upper class) lacemaking lamps used a sprung candle holder to keep the flame height constant, so it was always at the optimum position to be magnified by the globe. And lots of brass for the servants to polish!

 

[Glow_worm]

First time I read this I saw the phrase 'for the home' and assumes you meant indoors, but re-reading I take it you're after something to use around the home.

Again, no outdoor candle lanterns I've come across from history with sprung candles, a lot of the height would be in the candle holder mechanism and to keep the height down for stabilotybthere would need to be a small area of glass, you'd end up with something with the proportions of a lighthouse

All the old designs were just a box or tube with as much glazed area as possible, plonk the candle into the socket and it just burns down as usual.

Wish I could upload some photos but I don't want to be dealing with image hosting sites!

 

[Pattree]

I have at the back of my mind, a candle that can be manually raised as it burns down but it will only be a “proof of concept” design (should it work!). There probably won’t be any advantage to the mechanism if I use an eight hour candle in a long glass lantern (cafetière). As far as I can see, lanterns with a rising spring mechanism had/have a relatively small window.

 

[slowworm]

First time I read this I saw the phrase 'for the home' and assumes you meant indoors, but re-reading I take it you're after something to use around the home.

I mean in the home. Something you could move room to room but that's not essential. Main use would be to be safe and provide a good light.

The candles don't have to be sprung but the lanterns I have with a glass need the candle flame to remain roughly in the same place. If you were to add a lens then the flame staying put is more important.

Carriage lamps do this and are designed for outdoor use. For indoor use I would need a holder of some sort and would like to find something designed for indoor use.

 

[Pattree]

Most lacemakers couldn’t afford candles and used rush lights behind the water filled globe or even a bottle. The flame position was adjusted s as the rush burned down, by moving the jointed gripper that held the rush. As Toddy says; this gives a tight beam focused at short range. They aren’t very portable and they aren’t very attractive.
My wife makes bobbin and needle lace but has a brilliant (in several senses) “Z” bend led lamp.

I got the impression from the OP that it should be attractive and portable and have the rising candle.

As @Glow_worm points out it’s an unconventional wish list. Which aspects have priority?

Thanks for this thread - I’m looking forward to a project in the new year!

Edited to add something about adjustment.

 

[Glow_worm]

There are plenty of new good enough quality decorative indoor candle lanterns on the market with lots of glazed area to let plenty of light out, just need to find one with a socket for proper candles rather than tealights. A bit of polished alloy or even foil could be added inside to make a reflector..

 

[slowworm]

I didn't mention looks, I would be only interested in function. I mentioned the handle as an example of lanterns being made purely for looks and not use - if a handle is over the flame it gets hot and is unusable. Too many things these days are made as pointless decorative items.

I wouldn't say the list is unconventional at all, just what I would want in an ideal lamp. I'll also add not costing a fortune.