How to Make a Water Candle

Intro: How to Make a Water Candle

I show how to make a very easy water candle. This type of water candle is a wick that is centered inside a jar filled with water. The wick is fueled by a thin layer of oil on top of the water.

STEP 1: Materials

STEP 2: The Wick

The wick of the water candle will be suspended inside the jar between the water and a thin layer of oil. Remove the wick from a candle. Find a glass jar that you would like to use for the candle and cut out a thin plastic disk that will fit inside of the jar. Make a small hole in the center of the thin disk. knot the wick about an inch from the top and then put the wick through the hole.

STEP 3: Putting It Together

Fill the jar with water leaving about half an inch empty. Then place the plastic disk and wick on top of the water in the jar. Pour the cooking oil on top of the plastic disk making a thin layer of oil. The water candle is ready to be lit. This candle should not be moved once it is lit so position it where you want it to be before igniting it.

STEP 4: Watch the Video

If anything was unclear perhaps this video will help.

Comments

[oilitright]

Does anyone remember the Corning "Un-Candle"?

Back in my much younger days I thought these were very romantic LOL

What I recall was they were high Gauss dust magnets.

[blodefood]

I still have a couple of the wick floats from the Corning Un-candles I bought years ago. I even have one of the short glasses. They look nice in a drinking glass, too and the light spreads better than wax candles since it shines out the sides and bottom of the glass.

[MonicaC23]

i still have the 2 tall glass containers that came with the boxed set. I just ordered wick from amazon and will cut the bottom of plastic bottles. i think i'll put plastic fir branches in them for the holidays.

[mkslocomb]

Awesome 'ible. Thank you for making the pictures so clear.

[RollyH]

I remember when I was a little kid, my grandmother would light two water candles every Friday night. Her water candles had a little float with three little pieces of cork, some steel wire connecting the corks, the wick was held in place suspended in the oil by the steel wire and that's it, no need for the plastic.

[mkslocomb]

A product like this is still available from some religious suppliers. Ex. I got a couple from a Greek Orthodox supplier (found on ebay) that was actually located in Greece (just for the cool factor).

[XtremeAaron]

Does the wick need to be that long? I'd love to do this if the wick could be shorter!

[shelly.c.ray.5]

Not at all, it's only a catalyst for the oil;Bottom of the wick just needs to lay sideways in the layer of oil just under the floating wick holder. Once the layer of oil is used up, there's nothing but water..so light's out. All other videos show extremely short wicks that are just touching the oil.

[dorothy.chant]

You're cutting up one candle to make another candle...
Wicks are sold seperately at craft stores.

[CrawfishYAY]

I really wish I could upvote this.

[alba100]

If you use citronella oil, it might keep flying nasties, like mosquitoes away.

I think it would be a more pleasant odour .

Love the idea of food colouring in the water.

[pieceful_daphne]

I made these for the centerpieces for my daughter's wedding reception. I colored the water to be purple to match her color scheme. With 3 wicks in each small fish bowl and flowers around the base, they went over well.

[Jack Rodgers]

Is there any reason for the water, perhaps to absorb the heat from the wick?

Would a short wick work just as well.

How about combining this idea with those for making radiant heaters using a candle and clay pots?

And as an idea for campers and those lacking electricity, how to use this to create a cooking device. More wicks and fry an egg?

[rnorton2]

as for the wick, can you just use string? does the wick burn away or is it fueled by the oil? also as for the fish suggestion why not a beta?

[RoddyTheGreat]

Looks lovely, but wont this just make my room smell like a chip-shop?

[Raitis]

Can you elaborate on the advantages of this type of candle?

[cumba89]

I know another advantage for this candle... if it tips over accidentally, there will be water to help put out the flame.

[wantoniak]

Oil floats on water. It will spread the flame and catch more on fire.

[blodefood]

Vegetable oil is not volatile enough to sustain a little flame and spread. The flame will be easily extinguished by the water if it tips over.

[shaddoty]

the oil doesnt burn that way it only assists and slows the wick burning