Technical Tuesday: 11 February 2014

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

Candle Heater

by

Doyle Doss

Wow!
During a power outage, in the winter, you and your family are going to need a source of heat. An inexpensive heater can be made with a ceramic flower pot. Plus, this heater can be used as an emergency heater for your vehicle, if you're ever stranded, like Atlanta two weeks ago.

Here is my efforts.

Materials needed:
1 * Small Flower Pot
1 * Small Flower Pot Saucer
1 * Medium Flower Pot
4 * Tea-Light Candles (of course, you will need more for a longer event)
2 * nonflammable supports
1 * Bolt that fills in the small flower pot's drain hole

Tools Needed:
None

Procedures:

First, remove all flammable items away from the area, you plan to place the candle heater.

First, remove all flammable items away from the area, you plan to place the candle heater. Got it?

Next, place the small flower pot saucer on a nonflammable surface like a pizza pan (or in my case a metal footlocker.

Next, lay the flower pot saucer on the nonflammable surface.

Next, lay the nonflammable supports on the flower pot saucer.

Next, place the three tea-light candles in the saucer and light the candles with a match or lighter.

Next, place the small flower pot over the tea-light candles and place the bolt in the flower pot's drain hole.

Lastly, place the medium flower pot over the smaller flower pot. 

Oh, sh*t!, Oh, Sh*t!!, OH, SH*T!!!
Needless to say, I didn't follow my advice the first time around.

First, I tried using a votive candle. If you know your candles, you know a votive candle is a lot taller than a tea-light candle. The votive candle would start to burn then almost go out because the carbon monoxide and other hot gases, that collect at the top of the inner flower pot, would almost extinguish the votive candle.

Second, I didn't have an outer flower pot (medium flower pot) covering the smaller inner pot. Guess what?

That smaller flower pot gets really, really, really f*cking hot. How do I know?

I want to pick up the smaller flower pot, after it had been heating for a little bit, (no, I'm not that stupid) and the gloves, I was wearing, had a little bit of polyester content and the gloves melted!

Needless to say, you should have a outer flower pot covering the inner pot to protect folks from that hot pot.

Third, at first, I used a pair of wooden pencils. Bad idea 'cause ...

You guessed it.The pencils caught fire!

Fourth, the tea-light candles, I used only, lasted two hours, not the three to four hours everyone else has said the candles will last. Plus, I had a tea-light candle malfunction; one of the wicks fall out of its holder, extinguishing the flame. 

Lastly, I tried to heat a 14X14 foot room. It didn't work; the room was too big.

So, ...

If you plan to use this method, you and your family will probably have to heat a smaller room, build more candle heaters, or ...

Improvements
If your notice the very first picture, you will see some improvements compared to the candle heater that I built.

First, the candle can be easily removed, relighted, and different sized candles could be used.

Note:
In some of the methods, I link to, they use a bread pan that would allow using different sized candles, too.

Second, ...

I have to think about this, so I'll see you later.

Link:
YouTube: Chris Topher - Candle Powered Heater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXO7HKjtYZM

YouTube: AxeBros - How To Make a Candle Powered Space Heater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bus9EUMUmJM

YouTube: Vegitate - Flower Pot Heater - The reality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCAfAT9MVrY

YouTube: The Suburban Hippie Experimentalist - Review of the UCO Candlelier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTCIjbX2u9g

Note:

Thanks to Jadinardo for the last link above to a manufactured product that you might be interested in.

 


Safety
Just to remind you.

Link:
YouTube: COUNTRYFinancial - Candle and Space Heater Fires
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPt32qp1Rfc

Technical Tuesday: 4 Feburary 2014

Welcome Preppers and Survivalists,

“Use It Up-Wear It Out-Make It Do”

source

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Reduce, Reuse, Make Do, or Do Without
I was over at Of Two Minds blog the other day and read this post by Charles Hughes Smith about the "Renaissance of the Fix-It Society?"

And that had me thinking.

Taking Care of the Things You Already Have
Everyone 'knows' cast iron pots and pans are the 'best' prepper cooking vessels.

Not really!

'Cause most of us aren't getting ready for a multi-generational collapse in an expensive fuel future ; - )

So, ...

The mid-priced Teflon-coated pots and pans are probably 'best' for most folks.

Pots and Pans Bought at a Garage Sale and a Local Charity Store

Or, ...

The copper-bottomed stainless steel pots and pans.

Or, ...

The inexpensive teflon-coated pots and pans from the China-Marts.

Or, ...

You get the point

But, ...

Did you know that these Teflon-coated pots and pans will started to lose their Teflon coating if they're scratched? It seems the Teflon will start to peel, and the pot or pan will lose its anti-stickiness. Plus, stainless steel pots and pans will get nicks and dings causing food to stick to the pot, making it harder to clean.

Well, ...

There is a solution, for $10 or more!!!

Or, ...

The price of a pair of worn out denim jeans.

Materials Needed:
Thick Material, like denim

Tools Needed:
Scissors
Tape Measure or some other measuring device (I used the biggest skillet and 'eyeballed' it)


Procedure:
Measure the pot or pan that you're going to provide protection. Next, add 4-inches (or more) so there protective material will protect the sides of the pot, too

Next, cut the material to the needed size. Continue to do this until you have all the pot protectors you need.

Next, place one pot protector between each pot and start nestling the pots together.

Just So You Know:
I made the pan protectors all the same size because I didn't want to have to dig around and match them up with a specific pot or pan ; - )

Note:
Needless to say, for you handy folks, y'all can recreate the 'starfish' design, finish the edges on your 'circles,' add elastic, or come up with your own ideas.

Link:
Of Two Minds blog - Renaissance of the Fix-It Society?
http://www.oftwominds.com/blogjan14/fix-it-economy1-14.html