UCO Candle lantern?

coote said:
I think I once owned a lantern as shown in the first picture. Don't know where it went.

I've posted this picture before, but I thought it may be of interest. I've made quite a few of these homebrew candle lanterns. The bottles get really hot at the top, so you have to take care not to touch them or let them cool suddenly with splashes of water or rain.

You also have to be sure not to hang them close below flammable substances as the heat is intense.

The bottoms of the bottles can be cut off if you have the gear, but I knocked the bottoms out by shaking something like a large nail up and down in the bottle. sometimes the bottom came out neatly, sometimes it was a disaster.... but there are hundreds of bottles around. A bottle with a bigger diameter neck might be better so more cold air can get funneled through it thus maybe letting the bottle stay a bit cooler.

A naked candle can burn down really quickly in windy conditions (plus it can blow out of course).... but sheltered in the lantern it should last longer.

bottlelantern2.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice idea. I have not seen that before. Would holes punched in the base help with the air draw? Did the heat in the bottle make the candle soft and burn down faster?
 
They work great. It pays to buy the official refill candles. They last 8 hours. I love candle lanterns especially for those times where you aren't allowed to light a fire. At least having a candle lantern gives you a sense of flame. I fart in the general direction of 'flashlight lanterns'. Now, I wouldn't dare to do that with a candle lantern :D

Seriously, I've been using them for about 15 years and love them. Keep those sterile LED things to yourself.
 
Well, I was wondering if you could hang it upside down because the chain was on the bottom and thought thats how you did it.

KGD, think you sold me brother. haha.
 
Loosearrow. The bottom of the bottle seldom comes off smoothly, and the sheetmetal base is seldom perfectly flat. So the base generally wont 'seal' against the bottom of the bottle. You could drill extra holes if you wanted to experiment, but I have found it to be unnecessary.

These lamps were a huge technological improvement at my camp compared to the old candlestands I used that were exposed to the wind.
 
I have a candle lantern and really like it.

Walmart sells the refil candles for them now, they last a long time.
 
I've got two of the originals, one in each of my two larger kits. As I'm not out overnight often away from my rig, I will use one in the van to save battery. We use them at home when we have power outages (along with a few oil lamps).
 
Most people have already said all the good stuff about these, but I will comment anyway.

When not car camping with my wife (she wants to bring everything with her :D ) I like the stuff that goes with me in the woods to be two things: 1) Simple 2) Multi-purpose.

With that in mind, it doesn't get much simpler than a candle. While the outer shell of the holder does add complexity, it is still super simple and gets you through the weather (espeically wind) too. It has a window to tell you how much candle is left, and you know how many candles you brought with you. Gauging your "fuel" or "battery life" is a no brainer. And in the winter, you don't have to worry about keeping your batteries warm :D You will hear about a lot of gear to "just stick it in your jacket or sleeping bag in the winter" and I try to avoid that. First it starts with batteries, the gps screens, fuel cans, more batteries. I tell you, I just want to worry about myself :D

It is dual purpose because it can be more than light. Wax dripping can be used for lots of things, and candles can easily be an emergency firestarter. In fact, I save the little "burnt nubs" after the candle is done for starting casual fires, but they could easily be saved for emergency. They also give off a small amount of heat, which is great for winter camping, in the example of building a new quinzee.

I don't personally do this, but I know folks that will bring more than one. They will set one in a location that marks the privy for the late night visits, in the dark, so that you can get in and out fast and not worry about finding it in the middle of the night grog :D That because even more important to most in the freezing cold winter :D They just let it burn all night.

I have always stuck with the UCO brand candles as well. However, UCO also sells a beeswax candle that is a LOT more expensive. I have avoided them for that reason, but I received a 3 pack as a gift, so I will have to try them. But, I hear that they burn longer than the standard candle, but still with no dripping or the bad things you have heard with the off brand candles. We will have to see.

B
 
My brother swears by his. He has had one for a few years now. I have not taken the plunge myself. I mean, can this thing peel a potato? Can it change the spark plugs on your vehicle? Can it even change the oil? Why, I think not. :D
 
bltjr1951 said:
Had mine for over 20 years, got it from Early Winters. Nice, plus it will keep the condensation down in tent. Didn't someone do a oil can insert thread here?? I've got an oil can insert, but it leaks like a sieve.
Bought my last ones from Walmart, priced down to $7.
Need to get the tealight one next.
Don't get the citronella candles, they melt too easy.

Plus you can get reflectors for top or side of lantern.
Watch out for the top one, comes in two pieces you put together. Can cut you like an Ulu knife.
Click to expand...

same here only i don't have an oil insert.
best lantern i have ever used
Early Winters was the best
buzz
 
I have a couple of these lanterns too, and as mentioned above they are pretty handy. The big one (3 candles) is nice for power outages. I take the original model backpacking/car camping. It hangs nicely in a tent and puts out a decent amount of light. I wouldn't really want to read with it, but it lights up a dark campsite pretty well. The candles usually burn longer than the 9 hours advertised. The only downside is when you bump it and spill the wax. Then you may need to clean the inside of the tube - I usually can scratch it out with a finger or you can put it in the oven at a low temp and have the wax drip onto a paper towel.
 
I love mine - as HD said, it's heavy but I'll often pack it anyway. If I can't have a fire, it's a good substitute for sitting around in the evenings. It's warmed up my tent several times before going to sleep (open flames of course should never be in tents but with care and consideration I bend the rules at times). And it'll heat up water well enough to make tea.

The only downside is if they tip over when they're burning - the melted wax gets all over the glass globe which can be a pain to clean up later. So just don't knock it over when you're using it and you won't have any hassle.

I've always wanted the mini tealight version - I should probably go order one...
 
I'll be pickign one of these up due to the intelligent input given by the forumites here. Thanks gusy.
 
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