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
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
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.
Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's ALL small stuff...!
Im going to try that now, melting the wax with a hair dryer. Seems better than putting wax in a pan
When in doubt Brew-Up!
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.
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.
Last edited by Martin; 13-12-2010 at 12:17 PM.
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.