Wax stove

[gemgenie]

Those tins that 'Travel Sweets' come in look like they would be perfect for this and you get to eat the sweets first.

Martin

I like your thinking there Martin - also while im here anyone know why my profile pic is not displaying in the threads? I feel like a faceless being...

[Martin]

I made loads of these years ago, but the design I copied from said to fill the tin up with tightly rolled card board then add the wax, however I like the design in the link much better.. the ones I made worked well and burned for about 5 hours but they did make the billycans as black as, well..er..soot.

Ashley made one of these, with loads of rolled up cardboard, when we went out on a coastal foraging trip last winter. From memory, it burned really well but maybe there was too much cardboard and not enough wax?? Not really sure but would be worth further experiment.

Maybe someone would like to have a go and post a video of their handywork??

Martin

[Bambii]

the ones I made worked well and burned for about 5 hours but they did make the billycans as black as, well..er..soot.

Lol, reminds of hexi blocks on your mess tins.

[paul standley]

I made one a short while ago out of 'large version' of a tea-light candle aluminium case and used a glass fibre matting as the wick (in a spiral to fill the container approx 75%). glass fibre wick means it can be reused. Ideal for simmering a pot or for a general light. Just top up the wax as it depletes, wick lasts ages.

Hair dryer is a good way to melt candle wax or else break candles up, put bits in any old tin can (or the tin you are going to use as the stove) and put over a standard tea-light candle to melt.

Round sweet tins about the diameter of shoe polish tin but deeper would make good wax wick stoves but would take a lot of wax.

[Bambii]

Im going to try that now, melting the wax with a hair dryer. Seems better than putting wax in a pan

[CanadianMike]

Why not put the chunks of wax into the tin you will be using, then put that tin in a pot of shallow water on the stove and bring it to a low boil? Seems to be the easiest way to melt the wax.

[Bambii]

Why not put the chunks of wax into the tin you will be using, then put that tin in a pot of shallow water on the stove and bring it to a low boil? Seems to be the easiest way to melt the wax.

Why use water anyway? I never understood it, how do you get the wax out?

[CanadianMike]

I mean to do it like cooking with a 'Bain Marie', take the tin you are going to use for the stove and float it in the boiling water. Literally it gives a controlled slow heat, and is much safer than using a pan on the stove to melt it, because the wax is flammable.

[Martin]

I mean to do it like cooking with a 'Bain Marie', take the tin you are going to use for the stove and float it in the boiling water. Literally it gives a controlled slow heat, and is much safer than using a pan on the stove to melt it, because the wax is flammable.

That's a great idea Mike. The flashpoint of parafin wax is quite low (200 to 250 degrees C) and you wouldn't want to spoil your hard work by seeing it go up in flames, nor would you want to see your house going the same way.

Martin

[Kieran]

I like your thinking there Martin - also while im here anyone know why my profile pic is not displaying in the threads? I feel like a faceless being...

you need an avatar i think