How to Make a Stone Candle Oil Lamp

As the pages of my calender move on, I see it is time to think about winter craft projects. When I think of winter, I tend to go right to thinking about ways to stay warm and keep my surroundings warm and comfortable. There are so many great projects to get started on this time of year. I decided to write today about one of my favorite winter crafts.

Stone candles are really oil lamps. They are made with a flat stone and they are absolutely gorgeous. The light from the burning wicks reflecting on the stone give any room or yard area a beautiful warm glow. Making your own stone candle oil lamp is a fairly simple task. It does require the use of a power tool and flammable liquids. For that reason, I would only recommend this project for the adult craft enthusiast.

You will not need much to get this project started. The most important thing when getting started is to choose a nice flat stone that you find attractive. Here is a list of the things you will need to make your very own stone candle.

Items Needed To Make A Stone Candle Oil Lamp :
1. A large flat, thin stone.
2. A wick kit ( consider clicking here to find wick kits )
3. A small glass saucer
4. An eye dropper or funnel
5. A power drill
6. A 3/16Th drill bit
7. lamp oil
8. A tube of silicone caulk

Getting Started On Making A Stone Candle:
The first thing you will want to do is to choose the stone you want to use for your project. I have made several of these stone candles and have had great luck finding the stones I needed laying at the bottom of bluffs along roads. Choose a stone that is nice and flat and not more than an inch or so thick. Also, be sure to choose a stone that you like the shape of and texture.

Once you find the perfect stone, you will need to drill two or three holes straight through the top of the stone and clear through to the bottom. Be sure to drill these holes with a half inch of space between them. Also, be sure that you do not space them so far apart that your saucer will not cover both holes on the bottom. You will want to use a power drill for drilling these holes and i would suggest you use a bit that is a 3/16Th size.

Now that you have the holes drilled, you will want to attach the glass saucer to the bottom of your stone. To do this, simply use your caulk to spread a very thick layer all around the edge of the saucer and press it firmly in place. Be sure that the saucer covers any holes you have drilled in the stone.

Once the caulk dries, go around it again with another very thick layer of caulking to be sure there will be no oil leaks. You will be using oil lamp so you will want the saucer to have a complete seal.

Finishing Touches For Stone Candle Oil Lamp
It is now time to add the oil and wicks to your stone candle oil lamp. I highly suggest purchasing a wick kit that includes a funnel for oil. You can find the perfect kit for this project by looking here. If you decide to purchase wicks that do not have a funnel, you can use an eye dropper to add oil to your lamp.

No matter which way you go, fill the stone candle with oil lamp and insert your wicks into the holes you have drilled. Give the wicks a few minutes to get nicely saturated with oil before lighting them. As soon as the wicks are fully saturated, your stone candle is ready to light and use.

Stone candles are a fantastic craft project to get started in the early Winter. They make great gifts and they bring such a warm and cozy feeling indoor and out. I hope you enjoy this Winter craft project. If you found this project to be fun, you might want to consider clicking here for more of my articles on craft projects. Enjoy and Stay warm this Winter!

Source :
http://wicklight.com/