AWGB Woodturning Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bryan Milham on March 10, 2018, 12:59:53 PM
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A well done to Les (Gwyntog) for his short article in Revolutions on the need for a Non-Flammable Interface in candlesticks, especially when associated with such a striking image of the danger and damage that can be caused by not using one.
I know this issue has been discussed several times in this forum, but by publishing it for all AWGB Members to read, brings the matter to a far wider audience.
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Thank you Bryan....as you know, there are many of us in the AWGB and in the RPT who are staunch advocates of the argument in favour of lining the tops of all candles and tea light holders, and yet it continues to amaze me that there are still people out there who argue against the need for it.
On another note, and related to this matter....,my local Catholic Church bring me their spent tea-lights and votives, which can amount to a carrier bag full every few weeks. I have a little deep-fat fryer which I keep for melting the unused wax out of them, which I then cast into bricks to re-melt and use for sealing timber. In my last batch there were two plastic containers which the church had bought, each about the size of a small mug, with a candle set into them. Both of them had caught fire when used in the church....needless to say, they won't be using any more of them!
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The sad thing is that by publishing in Revolutions we are not actually reaching the audience we should be talking to: the low end crafters and the importers of cheap stuff made in other countries. They don't read revolutions, and (judging from attitudes I have experienced myself) they won't let a few safety concerns get in the way of a decent profit.
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Here in darkest Norfolk there is an abundance of craft shops sadly many of them still display and sell inferior (safety wise) candle holders etc. Very sad that this is not better addressed at all levels.
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Here in darkest Norfolk there is an abundance of craft shops sadly many of them still display and sell inferior (safety wise) candle holders etc. Very sad that this is not better addressed at all levels.
It's a harsh answer but if you tell the shop proprietor and they shrug their shoulders (I've had it happen), you could inform the Trading Standards Office. You might be saving someones life by doing so.
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Yes I guess the responsible thing would be to bubble them up to trading standards, guess I should but just feels like causing problems for small independent traders who possibly are blissfully unaware. I certainly wouldn't approach the shop owner directly as I am sure it would be met with a don't care less attitude.
A lot of these cheap knick knacks come from abroad so must miss the elf and safety elfs on route.
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Sadly there is not a great deal we can do. Very difficult to find legislation about candle safety but even harder to enforce it. I do not think that any law that was passed regarding the construction to include Non-flammable interface as Bryan verysuccinctly describes it would make any difference as there will still be those that do not care less. All we can do is tell our customers that our products are ethically produced with the customer's best interests at heart and explain why our products are better than others. I remember attending a craft fair where there was another stand of very"amateur" work. They were selling tea lights of the same sort of size and shape as me and about a pound or so cheaper, one lady pointed this out to me .that their tea light were cheaper, I replied that mine would not kill her. The look on her face was priceless.
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It's probably also worth bearing in mind that most if not all public liability insurance policies will have a clause that more or less puts the onus on you to take all reasonable steps to minimise risks. I think the absence of a non-flammable barrier would make it impossible to defend against that clause so if there was a fire, any claim could be against you and your assets.
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Hi,
Reading this old(ish) thread with interest and being a newbie to turning almost everything here is of interest😀
However having turned a very few candlesticks and given them as gifts (and sadly without a non flammable interface), I'm still at a loss, and couldn't find anything at all.
Just where do you get 'non flammable interfaces' from. Have tried every search reference I can think of to little result? Maybe I should try 'non flammable interface'😀
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...where do you get 'non flammable interfaces' from...
They are readily available for both candles and tea lights. For candles, search for "Candle cups", most of the good UK turning supplies businesses sell them and prices vary considerably, but once you start finding them and getting into the terminology, you'll be able to widen your search onto internet auction sites etc.
For larger candle stands; for candles of a few inches diameter, I use plain slate coasters or metal disks. Again, a search of ebay found me a supplier of brass, copper and aluminium disks in all sorts of diameters. I've made several alter candle sticks for churches, and they like to be able to carry the candles stick, with burning candle, for various services, so I insert a 50mm-long piece of 50mm i/d pipe into the top of the candlestick, this holds the candle quite safely.....and has a 50mm diameter metal disk glued into the bottom of the recess in case a candle is ever allowed to burn right down.
For tea lights, again try the main suppliers of wood turning accessories. Ikea used to do a product called "Glimmer", which was available in its thousands, so there was always people selling them on in tens or hundreds, but Ikea no longer do them and the supply seems to be running out.
There is a business called Candle Cavern http://www.candlecavern.co.uk/shop/candle-accessories/candle-holders (http://www.candlecavern.co.uk/shop/candle-accessories/candle-holders) which sells some good quality candle spikes for larger candles, and I'm sure there's plenty more suppliers if you search thoroughly.
Les
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A non flammable interface is simply a metal plate or cup that the candle can sit on or in. You can buy these at most woodturning accessory suppliers. I would say that a plastic part is not non flammable and definitely stick to metal. I use brass or spin pewter for this. Hope this helps. Malcolm.
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'Non imflammable' surfaces can be metal or glass and, as said purchased as t light holders, plates etc from either reputable turners suppliers or candle suppliers. I also make my own in pewter or use glass variants from charity shops, boot sales etc.
Pete
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Thank you all. Am now on the right track. Great advice.
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Try places like Wilko's. They have some like this one I used here
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ASDA have basic glass tea light holders for 50p at the moment.
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For tapered candles you can get pressed metal, brass effect, holders from some suppliers, but they look cheap and are not cheap.
I tend to use 22mm stop-ends (plumbing supplies).
As said above, I use glass holders for tealights.