UCO Candle lantern?

markv said:
wow, the bottle candle lantern is a pretty cool idea.
buzz
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Some guy said to use 3/8" drill bit to bounce in bottle to pop off bottom.
Had a buddy "saw" off bottle top for a glass years ago. Talk about glass dust.
Anyone remember the bottle kits that scored the bottle and you tapped the inside on score line with long metal rod to break top off?? You had to sand glass smooth too. Then you had fancy glass to drink from.
My Great-aunt used mayo and mason jars to drink from, I thought she had the neatest drinking glasses when I was little.

I'm pretty sure I've seen an idea of using a mayo jar with holes in lid and small lit candle for a night/come home light for camping. Jar keeps flame from being blown out and won't start fire if tipped over.

Per the mini tealight, years ago I ordered a mini lantern, don't remember brand, damn thing had thin glass, could cut you and had little glass shards in package. Sent it back real fast. The Uco glass is thick and no cutting edge.
BTW, on another site some guy is using tea candles in regular lantern, still not sure how he's doing it.
 
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These are good for kids too. Before I was comfortable with my kids preparing and building (and maintaining) a safe fire, I used the mini lanterns (used the tea-light candles) for their kits. Even during the summer, if they got lost, that little amount of heat and light can be a big morale boost without the fear of them starting an accidental brush fire. I care the standard one in my backpacking kit...they will take the chill off and definitely help with condensation inside the tent.

ROCK6
 
bltjr1951z: I think that a 3/8" drill would be good to shake up and down in the bottle in an attempt to pop the bottom off. I've used similar sized bits of metal.

Loosearrow: I didn't fully answer you last time sorry. Do the candles get soft in the lamps? I've made maybe six of these lamps now, and I've never seen anything to indicate that the candles get significantly softer because of the heat created within the bottle while the candle is burning.

The bottle itself can get very hot. The base of the bottle generally never gets too hot to touch, but the neck gets dangerously hot.

I have had candles get soft enough to bend and fall over in these lanterns if the lantern is left in a place where it is really hot. But that will happen to a bare candle stuck in a tin can if the room temperature gets too high.
 
coote said:
bltjr1951z: I think that a 3/8" drill would be good to shake up and down in the bottle in an attempt to pop the bottom off. I've used similar sized bits of metal.

Loosearrow: I didn't fully answer you last time sorry. Do the candles get soft in the lamps? I've made maybe six of these lamps now, and I've never seen anything to indicate that the candles get significantly softer because of the heat created within the bottle while the candle is burning.

The bottle itself can get very hot. The base of the bottle generally never gets too hot to touch, but the neck gets dangerously hot.

I have had candles get soft enough to bend and fall over in these lanterns if the lantern is left in a place where it is really hot. But that will happen to a bare candle stuck in a tin can if the room temperature gets too high.
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Still think it's a neat idea you posted. Is that idea something that is common knowledge in your area? I see you post from New Zeland. Any other local tricks?
 
I have used one for many years, hung inside my tent. I like the soft light and the warmth it provides.
 
I'm glad you like that candle lamp Loosearrow. I certainly do. It was a technological revolution at my off-the-grid camp. We often have to bathe or go to the long-drop toilet after dark and it was great to finally have lanterns that didn't require batteries or kerosene.... and which wouldn't blow out in the wind (it is a relatively windy area).

Here's a picture of the camp showing the outdoor bath:

OutdoorBath.jpg


I'm not sure how widely these lamps might be used around New Zealand. It is quite likely that a number of folks with a similar problem to mine might have come up with the idea independantly. I may have even seen a similar idea in a book when I was a young kid because for years I've had some knowledge about how to remove a bottle bottom and I don't recall the specific circumstances that made me interested in the subject. My first bottle lantern had a different design... it was more complicated. My brother saw a lantern in another city one time that is more or less like the one in my picture. Because it was simpler, I adopted the design.

Hmmm. I'm struggling to think of any other unique New Zealand tricks that you might appreciate. I'll think about it.

Best wishes.... Coote.
 
I've just thought of a trick. One apprentice mechanic filling the drawer of another apprentice's tool box with possum guts.

No unique useful tricks have sprung to mind yet.
 
coote said:
One apprentice mechanic filling the drawer of another apprentice's tool box with possum guts.
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I like the one where an oil derrick hand put rabbit guts in another guy's lunch box, after hand found out the other guy had been stealing his chicken breast and thought his wife was just giving him a wing to eat for lunch. Hand complained to wife about just having wing to eat and she set him straight. Guy had been stealing lunch for a week.
 
I'm late getting in on this one, but I'll say that I've used one for years and love them. It will raise the temp inside a small tent by ten to fifteen degrees, puts off adequate light, and being enclosed, isn't quite the fire hazard that an open flame is. Weight can be a bit of an issue at times, but it is worth it to me. My compromise is to carry a small headlamp for reading and walking about, saving the weight of a larger flashlight and batteries.

Codger
 
I've used them for at lest 20 years. I've misplaced them replaced them and found them over the years, I've got 5 of them. Strangely I have located all of them in the last few years.

I've been considering making a silicon casting of the candle and pouring my own 100% beeswax candles. It would be an easy mould to make, add just a bit of paraffin and stearic acid and they would be drip proof, though beeswax is drip proof if you keep the wind off of it, beeswax also has the advantage of having a higher melting temperature than paraffin.
 
coote said:
I've just thought of a trick. One apprentice mechanic filling the drawer of another apprentice's tool box with possum guts.

No unique useful tricks have sprung to mind yet.
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I hear you guys have a problem with possums there. They are different that the ones here. I meant survival tricks. Ha. Regards
 
Be sure and watch out for the top, it gets HOT!
Some folks have said they warm up their cold coffee on it.
A full cup would close up lantern.
 
You should use the uco candles, the wax burns away rather than drips down and clogs up the lantern. The reflector increases the amount of usable light tenfold.

 
I have the original and the mini... I prefer the mini, to tell you the truth. I realize this thread is directed at the original but I can pack (3) 8hour tea lights in my mini and the whole thing slips into a small soupcan for safe keeping.

I have used them as a heatsource when crouched down under a blanket... excellent kit addition IMO.

Rick
 
Magnussen said:
I have the original and the mini... I prefer the mini, to tell you the truth. I realize this thread is directed at the original but I can pack (3) 8hour tea lights in my mini and the whole thing slips into a small soupcan for safe keeping.

I have used them as a heatsource when crouched down under a blanket... excellent kit addition IMO.

Rick
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Absolutely!
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I found some 9 hour tea candles in a general store in Camden, and since then I've only ever used the mini.
 
One more bought from Early Winters here in about 1982. Loved that company! Way ahead of its time. The new ones at Wallyworld seem to work fine. I will stick with what works even though its a little heavy. Super item to have on canoe trips and of course car camping. Well worth it!
 
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