Altoids tins are a Prepper’s best friend due to their small size and durability, and there are dozens of ways that you can put these small containers to good use now as well as in a survival situation. One great option is to use the tin for holding a candle that can burn for a surprisingly-long amount of time. These types of candles are also ideal when you want to conserve space or need to keep them protected in harsh conditions. Take a look at the following steps, and see how this simple trick can pay big dividends when you need quick and easy access to a source of light.
Getting Started
All you need for this project are a few candles, an Altoids tin, a paper clip and a book of matches with a good strike pad. The first step is to carefully trim off the top inch of each candle so that 1-2 inches of the wick is exposed. Snip off the wicks and set them aside. Continue cutting the candles into small pieces before putting them into a small pan. While you can melt down whole candles, the pieces will melt faster, and you won’t need as much fuel to get the job done.
The next step is to set 2-3 wicks into the tin so they are evenly-spaced apart and standing up. This is the trickiest part of the process, and you have a couple of options to consider. If you have small tea tree candles, you can use the metal clips at the bottom as a base for the wicks in the tin. You can also hold them up with your hand before pouring in enough hot wax and waiting for it to firm up before letting go of the wicks as well. Another option is to manipulate the paper clip so that it will support the wicks.
Finishing and Storage
No matter what technique you use, make sure that the wicks are standing up before pouring in all of the wax and letting it cool and harden. You can either let the tin cool at room temperature, or you can speed up the process by placing it in your refrigerator. In either case, the candle will be ready once the wax has hardened, and all you need to do is store it in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, until ready to use.
Finally, consider attaching a book of matches on the underside of the lid to ensure that you will always have a way to light the candle when needed. The easiest thing to do is cut off the strike pad and front cover of the matchbook. Secure the pad on one side of the lid with some melted wax, but be careful not to get any of the wax on the coarse surface. Next, do the same to secure the matchbook on the other side of the lid. You can also use the wax to hold a few thicker, wooden matches in place as well.
Don’t let the simplicity of this trick fool you, because this candle will be able to withstand a lot of abuse and work in less-than-ideal conditions. Try it for yourself, find ways to improvise to make it better, and you can easily build up a nice supply of emergency candles that can be worth their weight in gold when you need a fast and reliable light source.