Candles

How to make effective candles.

Simple Torches

Making simple torches.

Hot Glue Flames

An easy way to make flaming torches with hot glue.

Spent Torch

Adding a spent torch to your layout.

Fancy Torches

Making fancier torches using jeweller's pendant clasps.

Free-Standing Torches

Taller torches designed to stand on the floor.

Cotton Bud Flames

Adding flames made from the end of a cotton bud.

Sconces

Making sconces for your torches.

Chandeliers

How to make chandeliers.

Candles

Materials:

Cocktail stick / kebab skewer / dowelling / plastic rod

Plastic Sprue

Fuse Wire

Superglue

Stage 1

Drill a hole into one of the circular blobs on the sprue, the same diameter as your candle.

Stage 2

Superglue candle in place, trim to length and cut from sprue.

Stage 3

Drill a very small hole in the top of the candle and superglue a length of thin fuse wire.

Stage 4

Cut wire to length. Drill a small hole in the base and add a small loop of medium fuse wire for a handle.

Stage 5

Paint in a suitable colour, then add dribbles of undiluted paint down the sides.

Simple Torches (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Kebab Skewers

Cotton Thread

PVA

Craft Knife

Scissors

test

Stage 1

Cut a length of cotton from the reel. I found 20cm / 8" was about right for the skewers and thread I used. Loosely tie an overhand knot, and slip the loop onto the skewer around 19mm / 3/4" from the point. Secure the thread with a small dot of PVA if you wish.

Stage 2

Wrap the rest of the thread around the skewer, and secure the loose end with a little more PVA. Try to cover the short tail of thread whilst you wrap - you can always cut it off later if you don't manage to hide it. Leave to dry.

Stage 3

With a sharp craft knife, trim the skewer about 1mm from the top of the wrapping. Rotate the skewer as you cut - do NOT try to cut right through in one go.

Here is a completed torch - simple but effective.

...and a dozen torches in a crate ready for use.

Hot Glue Flames (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Kebab Skewers

Craft Knife

Hot Glue Gun

Clear Glue Stick

Permanent Markers (Sharpies)

Stage 1

Using a black marker, colour a black band at one end of the kebab skewer.

Stage 2

Add a blob of clear hot glue, pulling the end to a point. Hold the stick with the point hanging downwards and allow the glue to cool.

Stage 3

Add some more fine lines of glue to the first, allowing time for each to cool and harden.

Stage 4

With a sharp craft knife, trim the shaft of the kebab skewer to form a handle for the torch.

You can do this step first if you prefer, but you'll need some way of holding the piece safely away from the hot glue.

Stage 5

Using a brown maker, colour the rest of the torch handle.

Stage 6

Using a yellow marker, colour most of the hot glue.

Stage 7

Add a little orange leaving the base of the flame mostly yellow.

Stage 8

Add some red highlights near the tip of the flame.

Example 1

The torch shown against a white background to show the effect more clearly.

Example 2

A second torch made using the same techniques.

Spent Torch (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Pyrography/Soldering Iron or

Lighter / candle

Craft Knife or Secateurs

Kebab Skewers

Black Chalk Pastel

Paint Brush

Stage 1

Trim the kebab skewer to the length for a torch with a sharp craft knife or secateurs. About 19mm / 3/4" looks about right, though you may want to make it shorter.

Stage 2

Using a hot pyrography or soldering iron, scorch the end of the piece of skewer. Alternatively use the flame from a candle or lighter to set it alight for a couple of seconds. Use good ventilation and heat protection.

Stage 3

The spent torch should now look something like this. You can stain the handle with ink if you want it to look darker.

Stage 4

Drag a small paint brush across a black chalk pastel to pick up some of the dust, and apply a vertical streak going up a wall.

Stage 5

Glue the torch in place at the bottom of the sooty mark, and you have a burned-out torch that someone dropped.

Fancy Torches (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Pendant Clasps aka 'bails' or 'bead caps'

Kebab Skewers

Plastic Tube

Superglue

Craft Knife

Pliers

Paint & Brushes

Stage 1

With a sharp craft knife, trim the skewer about 19mm / 3/4" from the sharp end. Rotate the skewer as you cut - do NOT try to cut right through in one go.

Stage 2

Now cut a 3mm / 1/8" cylinder from the plastic tube, and slide it onto the skewer. Slide it to the thick end, with only about half of it overlapping the skewer, leaving a small hollow. Don't glue it in place just yet.

Stage 3

With the pliers, crimp the attachment loop on the base of the clasp so that it will fit inside the plastic tube.

Stage 4

Put a small blob of superglue into the hollow end of the tube, and place the crimped part of the clasp into the glue.

Tweezers are a good idea at this stage and a blob of blu-tack or clothes peg to hold the skewer.

Stage 5

When dry, spray the piece with black primer.

Stage 6

For a simple effect, dry-brush with a metallic colour - these two were done in pewter.

Stage 7

To add flames to the model, see here:

Cotton Bud Flames

Stage 8

For a fancy sconce to hold the torch on a wall, see here:

Sconces

Free-Standing Torches (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Pendant Clasps aka 'bails' or 'bead caps'

Toothpicks or Cocktail Sticks

Plastic Tube

Superglue

Craft Knife

Wire cutters and file

Paint, Ink & Brushes

Stage 1

Insert the end of a toothpick into one of the jewellery bits you are using as a base. You may need to sand the wood a little to get a snug fit.

Stage 2

Trim the stick to length using a sharp craft knife.

Stage 3

Add a small collar of plastic tubing around the top of the stick and trim it flush with the top of the stick

Stage 4

Trim the loop from the top with a pair of cutters, and file it flat. Then attach it to the top of the stick with a small drop of superglue.

Stage 5

Prime in black. I liked the bronze colour of the base piece, so I hand painted the undercoat on the rest of the model, but you can spray the whole thing if you prefer.

Stage 6

Paint the model using a metallic colour. I tried to match the existing base piece using bronze, gold highlights and a brown/black ink wash.

Stage 7

The finished torch with hot glue flames added.

Hot Glue Flames

Stage 8

A variation using a different bead cap for a base, with flames made from a cotton bud.

Cotton Bud Flames

Cotton Bud Flames (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Cotton Bud

PVA

Paints & Brushes

Stage 1

Pull the ball of cotton wool from the plastic shaft of the cotton bud. A cotton bud is a good size and has a nice rounded end, so it is much simpler than starting with a cotton ball.

Stage 2

Twist the ragged tail of the cotton to form a point. Remove any trailing wisps if necessary.

Stage 3

Insert a pin into the thick end of the cotton to act as a handle, and paint the bottom section red.

Stage 4

Add some yellow paint above the red, leaving a few streaks going into the white.

Stage 5 

Whilst the yellow paint is still wet, blend orange between the red and yellow bands.

Stage 6

Once dry, remove the pin and put a good blob of PVA on the base of the cotton. Carefully press the piece into the clasp of the torch.

Stage 7

An alternative flame done with shades of green. This could represent the presence of gas, or the magical flame of an evil wizard.

Stage 8

Another alternative painted in shades of blue, which looks good as a clean magical flame.

Sconces (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Pendant Clasps aka 'bails' or 'bead caps'

Pliers

Tweezers

Paint & Brushes

PVA

Stage 1

Hold the chain loop of the clasp firmly with the pliers. Using the tweezers, bend one of the 'leaves' of the clasp outwards.

Stage 2

Continue around the clasp, bending all of the 'leaves'.

Stage 3

To flatten the leaves further, place the clasp on a firm work-surface. Now press down firmly on opposite sides with the pliers, as shown.

Stage 4

Rotate the clasp, and continue to press opposite sides until the new base looks nice and flat.

Stage 5

Undercoat the piece with black primer.

Stage 6

Dry-brush with a metallic colour - in this case, a pewter.

Stage 7

Apply a blob of PVA to the parts of the clasp that will be touching the surface, and fix them to the wall.

Stage 8

Add the torches of your choice. You can glue the torches in position, or leave them removable for greater variety.

Simple Torches
Fancy Torches

Chandeliers (Click thumbnails for larger images)

Materials & Tools:

Pendant Clasps aka 'bails' or 'bead caps'

Cocktail Stick

Plastic Tube

Superglue

Craft Knife

Tweezers and Needle-nosed Pliers

Paint & Brushes

Stage 1

Flatten out the larger of the two bead caps. Try to get all the arms spaced evenly - use a pair of pliers if it helps.

Stage 2

Glue the second bead cap so the points line up between the arms of the first. If you want a stronger connection you could use a tiny dab of two-part epoxy.

Stage 3

Next I made a candle for each arm, sliding a short piece of plastic tube over the cocktail stick and cutting to length. You can also make candles this way:

Candles

Stage 4

Put a small blob of superglue on the end of each candle and fix them in place on the arms. Tweezers are a good idea at this stage.

Stage 5

When dry, spray the piece with black primer, then paint it in your choice of colours. I opted for a bronze chandelier with red candles.

Stage 6

Attach a length of chain and hang the chandelier in place on your model

Alternative

I glued this chandelier on top of another bead cap to make a table-top version.