DIY Emergency 100 Hour Candles (Cost $1 Each!)

When I say these couldn’t be easier to make, I mean it! You need just three things to make these 100-hour emergency candles – a jar, a cheap table type candle and some shortening (Crisco or cheaper alternative). You simply spoon the shortening into the jar and when almost full you push the candle down into the middle, and apart from a bit of tidying you are all but done! If you like you can add some essential oils to the mix to give the candles a nice fragrance.

Now I said these 100-hour candles could be made for $1 and I believe they can. In the video BacktoBasics Gal purchased the jars, but you can clean out a reuse food jars, so then you just have to purchase the shortening and the table candles. I have seen packs of 12 of these type of candles in Dollar stores and you can pick up large containers of shortening pretty cheap too. You can pick up 48oz tub of Crisco on Amazon for $11.95.

How To Make Emergency 50 Hour Candles

Normal candles are fine for the odd short power outage, but if you are going to be days or even weeks without power/lighting, you want something bigger and more efficient like a 50 hour candle.  The problem is these are expensive… The good news is you can make around 15 of your own 50 hour candles for around the price of purchasing two.

You can reuse food jars, so they are free, and you can purchase 5 LBS of soy wax here and candle wicks here from Amazon; you can then make around 15, 50 hour candles for less that $25. For a full tutorial on how to make the candles, check out the link below.

How To Make Emergency 50 Hour Candles

(Photo from: TEOTWAWKI Blog)

Altoids Tin Emergency Candle (Stove & Heater)

This Altoids tin emergency candle is a great little project that actually has several different uses in camping and emergency preparedness scenarios. This DIY Altoids tin candle has a candle with four wicks in the base and some matches and strikers glued to the underside of the lid, to make a complete emergency candle kit.

Personally, I actually think this Altoids candle is far more versatile than simply a light source – in an emergency, you could light all four wicks and it could be used to warm food and sterilize water in small quantities. Also if you were surviving outdoors or camping, I am fairly sure that with all four wicks lit, this would pump out a good amount of heat to help keep you warm, or at least warm up your hands to get some feeling and dexterity back into them. Check out the tutorial below to see how to make this simple but versatile Altoids candle.

Altoids Tin Emergency Candle (Stove & Heater)

(Photo from: EaKLondon via Instructables)

How to Make an Everlasting Candle from Crisco (it doesn’t smell!)

Ok, here’s the thing, I was always going to get around to doing a post on making a candle with Crisco, but then someone commented on our Facebook page about our make a candle with olive oil post saying olive oil is expensive and Crisco is a better option.

This got me thinking and tinkering and do you know what, it’s nice to make an olive oil candle (there is just something nice, healthy and clean about olive oil), but if you are up against it and you want the functional no-frills, but works like a charm option, then Crisco is the way to go.  Also, it couldn’t really be simpler as Crisco comes in a tin, so once you have inserted a wick, you are ready to go!

And NO, No, No it doesn’t stink!  So don’t ask! I admit I thought it would, but to my surprise, it doesn’t.

One thing I would do differently to the video is – I find it easier to use a straw to insert the wick.  Simply cut your wick to size, insert it into the straw and then use the straw to slide the wick in the Crisco, easy! It is preferable to buy and use proper wicks as these burn better, but at a push, any similar sized cord will do if you are stuck.

So there you go folks, but a few tins of Crisco in the cupboard and keep some wicks/string handy and you have cheap everlasting candles, which you could eat if you got really desperate…

You can get your Crisco  and candle wicks from Amazon (Crisco at Amazon, is there anything you can’t buy from Amazon now?)

How To Make An Emergency Candle From Butter

In the past I have posted about how to make DIY candles from things you have at home: How to Make an Everlasting Candle from Crisco (it doesn’t smell!) and Make a Candle with Olive Oil.

I had never really considered making a candle out of butter, but I guess it makes sense as butter is mostly fat the same as Crisco and olive oil…

The great thing about this candle is you only need two things to make it – some butter and some toilet paper (to make the wick!). Anyway, head over to the Instructables and check out the video and tutorial.

Make a Butter Candle – Emergency Candle McGyver Style!

(Photo from: The King of Random via: Instructables)

Make A Lip-Balm Candle (Another reason to carry lip balm)

I have previously done a post called: How To Start A Fire With A Chapstick but here is another great reason to carry some lip-balm with you… You can make a create little candle with it, whilst still having the lip-balm available to protect your lips.

So for all you tough guys out there that don’t carry lip balm, now you have two extra reasons to consider taking some with you.  It can help you start fires and you can make candles from it. Oh yeah, it will also keep your lips nice and soft!