[floss187]

I've been looking to up my supply of candles in the house, and i'm not finding what i want. Bees wax ones are just too expensive for me it seems... but are they THAT much better? Do they last their price longer?

I'm looking for BIG things for the house, not to carry/BOB.

Is it better to get a few big ones, or a bunch of smaller ones?

 

[PistolPackingMama]

I like the "Saint" candles you can get at Mexican grocery stores, Save-A-Lot, or Dollar General. They're designed to be left a long time and already come with the glass container. No scent either. They run $1-$1.75 a piece.

 

[keepingon]

Dollar Tree sells them too; they seem to really last.

 

[Sanderhawk]

Do they make them without all the religious stuff on them? I can do without that.

 

[AtkPilot]

The local surplus store has what they called plumbers candles. They last for 12 hours and were only 79 cents each.

 

[keepingon]

Dollar Tree often has the plain ones.

 

[keepingon]

The local surplus store has what they called plumbers candles. They last for 12 hours and were only 79 cents each.

Do they come in a holder?

 

[PinkFloyd43]

Wax with 'wick' inside and light the top part of the wick, or the bottom, where ever the little piece of string is. I used to make these by taking old candles and melting them down into various glasses and placing a wick with a large nut and allowed it to drop to the bottom supporting it on the top with a stick until it dried. Attempted to make 'scented' candles but they smelled like the crapper

 

[rextex]

Beeswax candles are the top of the line but definitely not worth the cost difference.

 

[Pangea]

I used to make and sell 100% pure beeswax candles. A 3/4"-1" diameter candle will burn one inch per hour with no wind. There is no drip and a light honey smell. I used to go to the small time bee keepers and buy their raw wax for $1 per pound. You can get about 6-8 candles per pound. I have about 100 left and I'm saving them for bad times.

 

[AtkPilot]

No holder, they are white, about an inch and a half in diameter, and 7 to 8 inches long.

 

[rachelinnys]

I have to be careful with candles. the scented ones can give me headaches. I tend to use long burning emergency candles or hurrican lamps. I prefer oil hurrican lamps for they last longer and the wicks and oil is cheap.

 

[willow]

Another poster on here (sorry, I can't remember the name to give them credit) came up with shortening as a candle. Buy the cheapest kind you can find and stick wick or two or three in it. It will burn for a long time. You can put a bunch of the shortening in a glass jar, stick a wick in it and light it to get more light. That's probably the cheapest way to go if you don't want the religious candles.

 

[MikeK]

Do they make them without all the religious stuff on them? I can do without that.

Often the religious art is just a stick on that can easily be removed.

 

[Strawbale]

You can get those little tea light candles for very little.
I've read that 15 can warm a large room. I haven't done that yet, but I have tried what this guy did:

It's a slow cooker, and I'd suggest wrapping the cooker with tin foil so the heat is channeled up to the pan. It takes about 20-25 minutes to cook an omlette. I didn't make tea or anything so breakfast will need 6 to 9 candles if you want a hot beverage and some toast with your eggs.

On their own a tea candle can last 3 to 6 hours, depending on what the manufacturer says.

Also you can go to craft stores and get slabs of wax and make you own candles or even emergency candle stoves:

Just save tuna fish or cat food tins, take off the labels, rinse them out and use them.

Those craft stores have everything, molds, wicks etc.

Just be careful making the candles as the wax does splash and it gets everywhere, so put down some newspapers and be aware that open flames and hot wax don't mix, you could get burned pretty bad if you do this sort of thing over an open flame.

 

[keepingon]

Strawbale, great info! Thanks.

 

[bluewolf]

make sure you get the lead free ones, otherwise your breathing all that Cr#p in.
A lot of the cheap ones are made in China, and come with lead.

 

[HaroldWayneHamlin]

Over the last couple of days I have been hearing about candlesinacan.com

They are selling this as a survival item but I am sure we could make them on our own.

later
wayne

 

[Wombat]

You should be able to get 100's of 12 hour candles at target on nov 1 for next to nothing.

 

[prankster]

My wife says to keep an eye on candles at Walmart at Christmas and just after Christmas for good prices. A couple of folks said Dollar Tree is a good place to check-also a good place for other things (canned food,etc) all for a buck!