By Dan the “Glassman” Garduno
Here’s a simple survival candle you can make at home from a few free recycled materials to help you get Back To Nature!
All you need is a tuna can, some cardboard, and some wax. These survival candles are perfect for heat in emergency situations, and can be used as a flame to cook over as well! A portable camp fire in a can! Simply snuff it out by stepping on it and covering it with your boot.
Here’s how you make it!
5 Simple Steps
- Gather your materials: tuna can, cardboard, wax, scissors, another can to melt wax in, and a heat source. I used a candle.
- Cut cardboard into strips as wide as the height of the tuna can, or about an inch wide. And about 7″ long. You will need 5-7 strips depending on if using a smaller or bigger tuna can.
- Roll them all up and try to hold them all rolled at then same time between your fingers. You want to be able to keep them rolled tight until you place them into the can. One rolled strip in the center with the remaining strips surrounding that center strip.
The strips will loosen and open up forcing them out and holding each other in place. - Place wax in another can with label removed. I used a tall soup can. I also made a hole towards the bottom of one side of the can to use as a pouring spout. You can heat can over a stove directly or place in a pan with water and allow water to boil. Or you can hold over a candle. I rigged up a few things to place the can on over the candle with the spout directly over the tuna can with cardboard strips that way it started to pour automatically as the wax melted. I used wax from the small cheese wheels. You can also use old broken crayons.
- The idea is to pour the wax over the cardboard and to fill up the can almost to the top with wax. Only fill to the tops of the cardboard strips. These act as your wick. The entire can becomes a flame, not just one small wick. Its a portable camp fire. Use outdoor only and in a safe and controlled area. Use common sense at all times!
These are perfect for survival, camping, or at home. It can also be made in a large Xmas cookie tin for a larger portable campfire. And the lid is perfect for snuffing the flame and for travel.
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Dan Garduno
“The Glassman” will be posting more blogs and ideas as well as hosting many workshops on Self-sustainability, urban farming/agriculture, windowsill gardening, composting, upcycling, self water planters and grow beds, solar passive heating, collecting and purifying rain water, mass heaters and rocket stoves, papercrete, hemp cement, and so much more throughout 2015!
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