Introduction: *EASY* Emergency Candle Kit & Survival Burner Using Snus Tins

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About: I enjoy electronics, software, and DIY almost anything. I love posts that solve/improve/self empower everyday things we normally leave to purchased products. I work as an IT Technician and like to draw, tink…

No, really.  We're talking *EASY*.

This instructable includes two possible end products:
    1. Emergency Candle Kit: No crafty skills required.  Things just fit well in a Snus tin.
    2. Survival Burner: Crafty skills required, but at a minimum.
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DISCLAIMERS:

Okay...yes, tobacco products are bad for your health and are a waste of money...make your own choices, people.
Feel free to comment about it if you feel the need...I don't care.  Altoids are just flavored sugar disks, so...yeah.

Hot things burn you, and being burnt hurts most generally.  Also, inhaling noxious fumes usually isn't a good idea.
So...let's use common sense all around and ventilate as needed like most humans already know.

Step 1: This Sounds Complicated...what Do I Need??

It's not complicated, but you do need a few things:

*Required Materials:
    1.  At least one Snus tin
    2.  At least one paper cup (like Dixie cups...bathroom type)
    3.  At least one book of matches (paper backed, not box)
    4.  At least two "tea light" candles (more would be desirable)

*Optional Materials:
    1. Silica packs (in many OTC medicines/vitamins, shoe boxes)

*Tools:
    1. Range top oven/hot plate/heat source (to melt wax)
    2. Oven mitt
    3. Needle nosed pliers/scissors (or similar)
    4. Channel lock pliers (optional)

**The Altoids tin pictured is only for a size comparison**

Step 2: Emergency Candle Kit

So easy...it's like they made Snus tins for this.

Turns out, Snus tins are a perfect size to fit two tea light candles and a book of matches! (Plus a silica pack if you're worried about moisture.)

Snus tins are:
    *water resistant
    *bouyant for extended periods
    *remain water resistant while fully submerged
    *However, are NOT water proof

Step 3: Survival Burner

Still pretty simple, but will take a little work.

I love the smokeless alcohol stoves seen around here...they're great, and are indefinitely re-useable.  However, they are also tricky to make (try it...getting those holes exactly right is tricky.  Just sayin') and require liquid fuel.

This make is not smokeless but generates minimal smoke and requires *NO* fine tuning or liquid fuel of any kind.  Just regular candle wax.  The perforated paper cup bottom takes care of the ring shape you need to create smoke convection easily.  As the finished product burns you can watch the smoke being created and burned within the paper ring! Pretty nifty stuff.

Note: Smoke production increases as wax is depleted. With wax levels at max virtually no smoke is emitted.

My end product was also wind resistant.  Use the tin lid to extinguish.

Basic steps:

    1. Melt two tealight candles directly into bottom (deeper) half of a Snus tin after discarding the tin foil.  I used my oven range top on "low".  No double boiler needed.  Just place the tin directly on range coil. 
    2. Cut away bottom of a paper cup (around 1/4"), poking multiple holes/slits in middle.  **holes/slits are necessary**
    3. Center paper cup bottom section into molten wax, allowing wax to fully permeate.  You may need to flip the paper cup bottom to "marinade" it.
    4. Allow wax to cool before storage/use.

Step 4: There You Go!

See? That wasn't hard! 

Both the emergency candle kit and survival burner are totally compact, portable, (relatively) safe, and pretty radical in the "re-up, re-use" sense!

While not explicitly pictured, a matchbook can be stored in the survival burner kit as well (in fact it has extra space, one could store more survival-type things inside such as fishing line/hooks etc.)

Notes:

    * Pliers, scissors, etc are useful for flipping/positioning the paper cup ring and removing tin from the heat source.
      ...yes, the tin will be crazy hot while you melt the wax and during/after use.  *sigh...*
    * Yes, if you set a pot/etc directly on top of this burner it will extinguish the flame.  I have some ideas about incorporating a complete mini cooking system within one tin, but until then, use something to elevate your cooktop above the burner as you would any other.



Editing Notes:  Removed references to being "smokeless" as smoke is produced when wax levels are reduced.