LED CANDLES FOR CHANDELIERS AND SCONCES

Some of my clients have antique chandeliers and sconces that are not electrified. There is a certain beauty and romance to candlelight.

However, burning candles creates soot, beeswax candles do drip no matter what. Bobeches catch the wax drippings but change the look of the fixture and cleaning wax is no fun even if you have staff. Cleaning was off of a gilded fixture WILL take off the finish eventually.

So clients, like Ann Getty, has opted for an LED battery operated beeswax drip candle as shown at left.

The LED is actually a Maglite that has been ground or filed down to remove the color and inserted in a narrow acrylic tube and dipped in wax and then dripped with beeswax.

When the light is on, the effect is near that of candle light in that there is one source of light and gives off about as much light as a bright candle. The light is also warm (about 2700K).

The Maglite takes two AAA Duracell batteries that come with it and lasts about 4 hours. The beauty of this system is that they dim as they go out, they do not just turn off.

A downside is that they do not flicker like a flame, which to me is not a problem. If you have a chandelier with several candles the light doesn't feel like it is flickering.

Also, you can put these candles outside and in a windy area without fear of drips or fire.

When you have another even just tilt the candle over and the Maglite falls out change the battteries reinsert and put the candle back in the candlecup. Quick and easy without matches.

I start with an Acrylic tube that is 3/4" in diameter and the inside diameter is a bit smaller than the Maglite but after it is filed down it fits nicely and the color does not show through the translucent beeswax. The transculency of the beeswax adds to the candle's appeal. So use white refined and a little yellow or unrefined wax. But before you dip you will need to sand the outside of the tube with 60 grit snad paper so that the wax sticks and plug the ends. Then dip it four times, letting it cool completely between dipping. A good source of was is http://www.sinopia.com/ and 4 dips give you a good thickness.

Before you begin dipping cut lengths of 3/8" polypropylene plumbing tube pictured below from http://www.homedepot.com/

Cut to length so that the flashlight bulb just peaks over the wax at the top. The candle tube is usually 10" long and the flashlight stop is about 4 3/4".

When you are all complete and so that they last longer, without dirty finger prints, I spray each of them with gloss lacquer which gives a bit of a sheen and protects the beeswax. Satin lacquer also works.

I make these in two diameters, 7/8" to fit a standard candle cup and 1" with a AA Maglite for the older chandeliers. It takes quite a bit of time, a palm electric sander and a bench grinder are very handy. I have made dipping reservoirs for this process, but it takes time and they are delicate but can be repaired and with care last for years.

Lighting is so important - MWS DESIGN www.mwsdesignhouston.com