Great job Lilly, I like the fact that you didn't go spend a bunch of money on molds but instead used what you had around you. Very ingenuitive!

To reduce the 'piping' effect, you have to slow down the cooling rate where the wax meets the metal tubes. Try insulating around the tubes by adding a boxed-in top to the mould stuffed with cotton wool or old rags. You could always try casting the candles bottom-up, instead of top-up, though that would complicate the mould.

If you heat the exterior of the metal tube with a hair dryer after they are cool, then the new candle will slide out easier. Great idea! Thanks for the inspiration.

Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! This is what Bushcraft is all about. So happy to see you doing this! Thanks for all U do! God Bless!

The cost of the candles is exactly why I haven't pulled the trigger on getting it. Great video Lily. Appreciate you doing this.

Nice video Lilly. Something to check into for wicks are 100% hemp wicks, they tend to burn slower than standard wicks also echo friendly. :)

Add Stearin (Stearic Acid) to make candles burn longer with a steadier flame and and also makes them droplets. Also soaking your wick material (not waxed) in Boric Acid and salt solution and then drying to make a longer and better burning wick with less soot and ash. Also makes for a brighter burn too!!!

that's probably the best build I have ever seen you do.

UCO Candle Lantern USA: amzn.to/3otdCJ5 Warning: My method of heating the wax works, but if the wax gets too hot, it can catch fire. For safety reasons it is better to use a waterbath for melting the wax! Also, the wick I used in the video is a bit too wide in diameter. Make sure you use a really thin wick otherwise the flame will get too big.

Most candle wicks are made with braided cotton at 1/16" in diameter for candles under 2" in diameter. The next size larger is 3/32" in diameter and is designed for candles 2" to 4" in diameter. Beeswax has almost the same energy density as all common candle waxes but when burned in the UCO candle it last 33% longer due to it's higher melting point and as a result a lower heat output and lumen output.

Oh man. It is amazing to search for a topic, click on a video, and then I hear “Hi guys, my name’s Lilly!” You are so cool. I would love to spend two weeks in the bush with you. I realized in my last survival gig I had become lazy with my tactics. I was teaching primitive survival so the basics were our main focus. After a few stays I realized I wasn’t building to my primitive pack. I had plans at the beginning to make some rabbit down socks and turn them into camp slippers as I had time to collect and tan some thicker hide. I never even attempted them. I would hike, teach, and rest. My gear stayed at about two weeks of work, which was partially on purpose because students often didn’t like when the teachers gear was better. Anywho. I’m trying to say I love your continues quest in the field. And I really enjoy learning from others with different experiences and knowledge. Thanks for the always great content Lilly.

Also burning the beeswax has been shown to provide other health benefits. Thank you for sharing.

I want to get the UCO Candelier - the one with 3 candles in it. It's $40 US, and the natural beeswax candles are $64 US for 20. Very expensive. $30 US for 20 of the white candles. You did a fantastic job making new candles, Lilly! They are perfect!

Great project! A couple of tips... when melting candle wax, always use a double boiler for safety. Wax can flash fire very easily. If you get some either some food grade silicone spray or high temp baking spray like Pam and grease your pipes with it before you pour, the candles will slide right out of the pipes easily. Also, you will LOVE their 3 candle candelier lantern. You can actually put a metal cup on top with a lid and boil water on it! Plus, 3 times the heat and light. I really recommend getting the neoprene cases for the uco lanterns to protect your investment from damage. Especially if you get the three candle candelier.

When I went to buy one of these a couple years ago, I saw how expensive their proprietary candles were and went looking for a different lantern. I pretty immediately discovered that they make one that just uses tea candles, so I got one of those, and a 300 pack of 8 hour burn time tea candles for like $35. For anyone who doesn't want to pay for the expensive UCO candles, and doesn't want to make your own candles, it's a great option.

You can use modeling clay to cap off the pipes, much easier. Just make a clay patty (like a tiny hamburger) and poke your wick through the center. Lower your pipe onto the clay pad, with the wick through the center, and embed the pipe into the clay. Self standing, re-useable, and releases easily.

i found i little glass bottle with a metal lid who fits inside the candle tube. i managed to install a little metal tube in the bottle lid as a wick holder - now it is a dual use lamp works perfekt as oil lamp and also with candles. with lamp oil it burns much cheaper than with candles, even cheaper than with homemade candles. your candle project gives me an idea to make some candles for an other candle lantern who also needs special size candles - the swiss military folding lantern.

Fantastic video Lilly! I loved the breakdown of how to complete the project and the cost savings. It is crazy how much those candles would cost you to buy new in Europe. It was very wise to look at making them yourself.

I have been having a go at this too. I tried 32mm PVC waste pipe with beeswax, but it was impossible to remove the candles after drying. I tried freezing and reheating to get a quick change in expansion/contraction but this did not work. Nor did a mallet and a piece of 1 inch dowel. I had to saw them in half in the end. Some of the wax stuck to the inside of the pipe, so the candles came out somewhat broken. I am going to try metal tubes, and I found a great source for the pipes - a vaccuum cleaner extension tube. For a well known small brand, this is exactly the correct diameter - 32mm!!!! I will report back. I am also using 40mm push fit plugs which look like the ones Lily is using. They fit with a similar bit of taping.

Saving all of your used cooking oil is good too. Making oil lamps out of bacon grease and cooking oil after you filter it is VERY cost effective…. Just need jars and coffee filters.

A friend makes her own ,she adds peppermint oil ,it helps repel mosquitoes. Excellent video as always Lilly!

Poke holes towards centre of wick while it’s still cooling so it helps prevent as much shrinkage and you can see where you need to fill and have no holes in the middle 💕🇨🇦

lubricate your candle mold, with silicone it'll come out easy

I keep my UCO in my winter emergency survival car kit. They give off enough heat to eventually warm up the interior of a midsize car. UCO is expensive here in North America as well, but not as expensive as Europe. The prices have never gone down after all these years being on the market. You're a very good DIYer btw.

I use an old crockpot to melt wax. Put an old tin can in it with my wax, set it on high and wait. It doesn't take too long once it warms up. I use old toilet paper rolls for forms, or sometimes mini cups (Dixie cups) But believe we have the same wicks. Great idea on the clothes pins.

These are the kind of videos that made me watch Lilly in the first place. These and the survival shelter videos.

Thanks to you Lilly, I am no longer living under a rock!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Also you can buy candle molds to make these candles.

For this particular UCO lantern, there is also a "hack" using a small red bull can instead of the aluminum tube that normally holds their proprietary candle and then using a stack of tea light candles with a circle of cardboard under the burning one to keep the one under the burning one from melting.

1st an electric hot plate would be a much better choice than an open flame for melting wax. 2nd you should use a double boiler to melt wax. 3rd candles can be picked up pretty cheap in secondhand stores (in the US anyway) if they are not the size you need, they can be melted down and recast to what you want. All that said you have sold me on the idea.

Me and my son watched this and are amazed at your ingenuity! Thank you for showing this! Great idea!

Well done! I've tried making my own and here is my big discovery: the candle doesn't need to be the exact same shape at the top, what is important is that it fills the diameter of the tube to prevent molten wax from flowing down or IT WILL go through the side opening and create a major fire hazard (at least a horrendous mess if you catch it on time like I did). Secondly, I learned that modern candle wicks are "self-trimming", meaning they will burn out past a certain length. If you use cotton twine, the wick may keep growing longer and require you to trim it by hand on a regular basis or it will create a lot of soot.

Great video. I like your DIY projects. The traditional way to make candles is to tie a small weight to the end of a wick (I use a small nut) and dip the wick over and over in the melted wax until it reaches the desired thickness. This sounds inefficient, but if you tie 20 wicks to a stick you can dip a wick, move to the next, and so forth. This requires no mold and it is how candles were mass produced in the 1600s in colonial America. Since you have bees' wax, you can make a diy wood finish by mixing it with olive oil. I use this to waterproof the handles of my custom landing net handles.

they turned out beautiful!! when i do this i will probably add some citronella or peppermint oil to the wax to deter bugs!! thanks for doing this, i wasn't going to buy the uco lantern because of the price of the candles!!!

Wow Lilly! You are right , candles are expensive in Europe. You figured out a great fix.

Brilliant idea & excellent execution!

I always get the hole or shrinkage with beeswax. Mold release spray would make the candles come out easier. A heated knife makes trimming the top easier for the beeswax.

I use some Chapstick or FIXIN wax or even Antibiotic cream to lube the inside of the tube. I find it helps to let the candle slide a bit easier as it burns.

The residue is from when you did the second pour, that's the separation point between the two pours. Try doing the pour using a small metal funnel to make it easier getting the hot wax into the moulds. Good video. Try buying the beeswax in blocks instead of granules it works out cheaper. If you have the 3 candle UCO lantern you can use the three tubes as moulds and do a mass production using them and then revert them back to being used in the lantern until you need more candles.

I don't think that this degree of DIY will suit my needs personally, but I do thank you for reminding us over in America about how costly some things are for you. We're going through some inflation of our own right now (I've experienced it today more than once), but we still frequently need to be reminded that our experience of cheap consumer goods isn't typical of the rest of the world.

Just watched you on coming to America naked and afraid. And by far you two were my favorite of all time. You guys really had each other's back. I live in the states so you guys rocked!! 😊

Amazing idea!!! It’s hard to get good quality one now they are cutting the wax with something other then paraffin now to make them cheaper but have jacked up the price. Totally love love love this tutorial and will be making my own now‼️ Thank you Lilly

Another great presentation, thanks Lily!

Great job Lilly with a great result. Thanks for posting.

Great job Lilly!👍👍👍👍👍

Thanks for showing us Lilly! 👍😁

Wie immer sehr schlau gelöst liebe Lilly! Danke fürs zeigen! Beste Grüße Sepp

You're the best Lilly! Thank you for this awesome video.

Necessity is the mother of Invention! Good job lily

Great video. Cooking spray works well as a release agent. Just spray the inside of the tubes and let it dry. The candles should slip out.

Great project Lily!! Awesome savings in the long run and so simple now that you’ve got it all set up.

Christmas 2021 I got my 4 grown kids and my grown grandkids the 3 candle UCOs with extra candles. Then I got myself 2 UCOs and 60 extra candles for myself and whoever needs them. I also got a wood burning stove fan to sit on the candleir to distribute the heat. Rudy on Alaska Prepper had a great video on the UCO. If need be, you can place a cup or small pot on top of the candleir to warm up water and food.

That's awesome!! Great video Lilly 📹!!

Hi Lilly: I wish you had put this video up a few weeks ago. I just bought Three more of the UCO lanterns with three extra candles each. I bought my first one in 1984. Now I will use your trick to make my own candles.

Looks doable! Thank you for sharing this, Lily!

Silicone the pipe in and place it on good wax paper no need for the pipe end. Great idea. Love what you teach.

Excellent presentation Lilly, thank you.

I love making candles. I make my own soap as well. If you know anyone who keeps bees you can get wax from them. I get my wax from a friend of mine. Thank goodness. Great video as always Lilly😁

G'Day Lilly that is a nifty Candle lamp and good on you for making your own candles I keep a small amount in one of my prep boxes of odds and ends lol. Stay safe mate and good to see you.

Wow, I would have never thought of making them myself. You could add Citronella oil to your wax to help keep the mosquitoes away.

Wow excellent video....thanks for sharing Lilly

Excellent DIY project. Absolutely worth your time, especially when you add in the enjoyment factor. Thank you for posting

I like how creative and self sufficient you are. Thanks for this idea.

Nice job on showing how too make the candles!!! Nicely done on video! Thanks for the idea. 🇺🇸🪓🔪👍👍

Awesome project, great results. Thank you for sharing.

Great job, Lilly! You are a woman of many talents. 🙂

Thank you for saving us a bunch of money!! Well done! Keep the great videos coming!! 🎉

Hey lilly,i own couple of these candle lanterns and can agree that the candles are expensive, citronella and bees wax especially,until this point it was just easier to purchase new 1s after your video it seems quite simple and cost effective to make your own so im going to give it a try and make my own 😁thanks for this awesome tutorial, your awesome!have a good day and god bless from 🇺🇲🇺🇲

Brilliant build Lilly! Great money saver , nice!

Excellent video! Thank you for posting!

Great job Lily, I’ve been considering doing this for a while now.

Very creative DIY. Thanks for the idea!

Great job Lily!

Beautifully done!

I just purchased the uco candle lantern. Thanks for sharing this great idea for making your own candles.

This is by far the most unique prepper project I’ve ever seen! Thank you!! Amazingly useful! Various uses.

I love making things by myself even if are just common things you can buy. It's so satisfying

Good work! Excellent way to stay ready and also save money. Thank you for the video.

I am so impressed. I can't wait to try this. I bought wax years ago and probably have all the pipes here except the bottom. Loved this, thanks. You saved a ton of money..

We’ll done Lilly, another useful video! I have the UCO lantern also and I am going to try making my own candle now

It's just fantastic, very creative.

Super Lilly!!!

Thank you so much Lilly! A couple of days ago I just ordered more UCO candles, which have gone up very much in price, and they were expensive to start with. Now I can make my own! I have a few UCO candle lanterns, and someone got me the candolier for Christmas. I had never got it for myself because it takes three candles. Now I love it, and I don’t have to worry about the candles.

You can convert these to use oil fairly easily. You can search online for vids on how to do so. Makes these lanterns even more useful.

You are very creative and handy in many ways. good for you!

Gratulation Lilly, 7 vs. wild ruft nach dir!! Freu mich schon dich in der wohl erfolgreichsten deutschsprachigen internetshow zu sehen!! Lieben Gruß, Frischi

Thank you. This is extremely helpful.

The number one reason I have never bought a UCO lantern, despite liking the design and quality _has always been the price of the candles_ . I'd have bought a dozen of these ( _excellent presents for my friends_ ) had the price of use ( _the candles_ ) been remotely reasonable. Anyone can do the math and discover how much more cost effective over time a battery powered light is, while simultaneously being safer, brighter, more controllable, easier to pack, and way smaller than a UCO. You'd think the company would have figured out how much market share they lose daily due to the cost of their candles. I can think of only one reason that they would continue the self-limiting practice: _they make their money off the candles . . . not the lanterns_ . The lanterns might even be loss-leaders in order to get the "marks" hooked into the con. Too bad. Good on you, Lilly, for solving the problem!

Excellent. Thanks for sharing this.

Most excellent Lilly!

That’s a brilliant little invention

Hi Lilly Love your videos, quite a few candles I bought at yard sale a while back. Will need to get pipe and wicks today. Its a rainy day..... a perfect day for making candles. Going to insulate the tubes(as was suggested by other folks} and see if it will help with the hole issue. Cant wait to get started.

That's pretty awesome!

Thank you for this video!!! 🕯️🕯️🕯️

Você é o Máximo, adoro sua inteligência!

Amazinc Lilly!! What a great idea! I have the single uco and the 3 candle one. You are such a smart lady!! Xo

You are so creative!

Excellent, thanks for sharing😊

I have a three candles lantern from UCO, I will get some more beeswax when catch it on sale again.

Awesome is right! Love my UCO lantern.

yes the bees wax will burn a really long time i made some tealights and they had about a 3 to 4 hour burn time just for a little tea light