Process!
Astute individuals are quick to point out when first examining a Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder, "Why, that's just a bunch of flower pots turned upside down!" And then the guys, (of course), go on to say, "Why, I can make that at home!" Well I want to help you out. This page will contain enough information for the average person to indeed make a product similar to the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder at home. (Just as soon as you finish fixing the front door, the annoying leak in the bathroom sink, that sticky lower drawer in the chest of drawers, change the oil in the car, repair the doghouse, mow the lawn, and pick up the garage/workshop enough to find the tools you will need. Of course by then it will be Spring and you can put this project off until the Fall.)
Anyone who chooses to make a product similar to the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder and uses this discussion as a guide for their own design does so at their own risk! DOSS Products assumes no responsibility for the potential hazards of your own design and recommends that you forego any attempt to manufacture a product similar to the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder on your own. This discussion is intended primarily as a free will offering of the general (but not specific) design of the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder to familiarize customers and potential customers of the general (but not specific) details of the manufacture process and the quality of the various components. If you choose to make something similar to the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder you do so at your own risk.
The process breaks down into three parts. Part One is Quad-Core™ Radiator manufacture, Part Two is Steel Stand Manufacture, and Part Three is Integration and Packaging. The entire manufacturing process is labor intensive and is accomplished with common hand tools.
Part One -- the Quad-Core™ Radiator, the "Heart" of the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder.
The Basic Components consist of three "nest-able" unglazed terra cotta pots (an "Azalea" pot, a 3" pot, and a 1-1/2" pot). The quality of the terra cotta is very important. Low grade terra cotta may break up when being bolted together, will not retain heat as well as higher grade terra cotta, and often does not have a favorable esthetic appearance. We use primarily imported Italian Terra Cotta. The Italians have been making Terra Cotta for thousands of years, and their quality and consistency is excellent! We would like to locate an American company making a comparable (or better) product, but have not found one so far. (Expect to spend $5-$7 for pots.)
The pots are joined together and held apart by a 3 inch 1/4" diameter standard
steel bolt and an assortment and assemblage of 1/4" hex nuts, thrust washers,
and flat washers. The assemblage of nuts and washers increases the thermal mass
and expedites effective and efficient thermal transfer of the heat concentrated
in the steel inner core into the surrounding matrix of ceramic cores. One of the
unique aspects of the Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder is
that it tends to "heat up" from the bottom up. This is because of the assemblage
of washers and nuts on the 1/4" bolt. Without the assemblage, the heat from the
candle rapidly flows upward to the top of the unit, and thence (uselessly) to
the ceiling. The increased thermal mass of the steel inner core effectively
concentrates the thermal energy of the candle inside the matrix of ceramic cores
and transfers the heat to the surface of the outer core from the bottom up!
(The "hole" in the bottom of the smallest pot may be need to be enlarged to
1/4" diameter -- be sure to use an appropriate ceramic drill, or you may bust
the small pot.) Expect to spend $3-$4 on inner steel core components.)
Assemble the components using a 7/16" deep well socket on a 3" extension. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN ANY NUTS -- YOU MAY BUST THE CERAMICS! Use the photograph on the home page which shows an exploded view of the inner part of the Quad-Core ™ Radiator to help guide you in the assemblage.
Of course if you use your assemblage "as-is" you will be leaving the head of the 1/4" bolt exposed -- this is definitely a serious burn issue. In operation, this bolt becomes very hot, and touching the head of this bolt will result in an immediate severe burn! So, use a 4" ceramic saucer as a "cap" to the radiator unit. (See home page for photo of completed unit.) Be sure to use a high temperature glue or cement to secure the saucer to the base of the largest pot. We use a product called Cast Iron Stove Gasket Cement manufactured by Rutland Cement of Rutland, Vermont. (Expect to spend $1-$2 for the saucer, and $3-$4 for a small tube of the cement.)
Allow the assembled and capped radiator to dry for 24 hours.
Congratulations! You have (perhaps) successfully completed the first part of your manufacturing process.
Part Two -- The Steel Stand
Okay, so now you got your radiator, how do you suspend it above a candle? On a stand, of course, but it can't be made of wood -- real fire hazard. Ceramics would be too easily broken, another fire hazard. Metal is the only practical and safe solution for the stand. We have produced Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holders with several different stand designs, refining and perfecting the designs as we improved the product. The original stand was manufactured from off-the-shelf components. Three 6" flat corner brackets were assembled together to create a three legged stand. These corner brackets come with holes pre-drilled which allow for their assembling together and also supply an upper hole on the three legs to pass two lengths of ball chain through to form a cradle to carry the radiator. This was a very tedious and difficult manufacture -- getting it "just right" to effectively support the radiator in the cradle without being too loose, or too tight. But it works very well! I have included a picture of one of these early stands to give you some idea of how to make one. Finished stands were given three coats of paint, not an enjoyable process. (Expect to spend $6-$9 on brackets and bolts, $3-$4 on ball chain.)
The new stand is far superior to anything that can be cobbled together from
off-the-shelf components
.
It is a unique specific one-piece design just for the Kandle Heeter™
Candle Holder and is the product of
State-of-the-Art Engineering and our deep concern for the Environment. The Stand
is “cut” from 14 guage mild steel with a Computer Controlled Abrasive Water Jet by
H2O WaterJet in Spokane, Washington. The legs are then “folded up” (by hand on a
custom jig --
see the movie) and twisted a
bit to create an esthetically pleasing and structurally sound one piece stand.
We wanted a finish that would be organic in appearance and complement the unglazed terra cotta of the Radiator. We use either a very mild acid solution to generate a natural rust coating on the steel and then we allow the stands to sit out in our coastal environment until they rust up. We retard the rusting process with linseed oil. The oil soaks through the rust into the steel and deepens and darkens the rust finish but is not “glossy”. (Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder owners are advised to apply a very light coat of linseed oil to the Stand every 6 months.) The bottom of the stand legs are then fitted with little “booties” to prevent scratching table surfaces.
The new design also incorporates a protrusion and a “hook” into each stand leg which allows for the Radiator to actually sit on the Stand and for the Radiator and Stand to be “joined” into One Integral Unit. Number 6 Ball Chain encircles the outer lower lip of the Radiator, and three smaller chains loop up from the “hook” and around the large chain. These chains tie the Radiator and Stand together into one unit.
Part Three -- Integration and Packaging
The Stand and Radiator are joined together using #3 Solid Brass Black Anodized Ball Chain. The present design uses ball chain to encircle the radiator and then connect it to the stand with three short chains that pass around the longer chain and through the "hooks" on the stand legs. The former design had no way of securing the radiator to the stand and used two lengths of ball chain to create a cradle for the radiator (two lengths, if one should break the second chain would still support the unit). The assemble of the stand in the former design was such that the legs were adjusted to be very tight and physically "grab" the radiator in a grip to hold the radiator in place.
The new stand either has little rubber booties or a double coating of Plasti-Kote on its legs to not mar surfaces.
Two ceramic saucers complete the overall design. A 5" saucer is placed on the platform of the stand. Its diameter is such that it will not easily slide off the platform, but must be tilted to be inserted or removed. The 4" saucer will pass through the opening between the stand legs without being tilted, but nests inside the larger saucer. The jar candle goes on the 4" saucer -- this allows for the jar candle to be removed without touching the jar (by using the 4" saucer), but keeps the jar candle secure in its holder since the 5" saucer will not slide out. (Expect to pay $2-$3 for the saucers.)
Surprisingly, an entire unit can be tightly packaged in a 8" x 8" x 8" box. We use recycled packaging material that we gather up at a couple of stores in town (We Recycle). We are usually able to ship within one or two days.
So, let's add it all up and see just what kind of value there is in our product. The costs given will vary somewhat, and if you have some of the components lying around you will be able to save a little, but to re-cap:
$5-7 for pots, $3-4 for steel bolts and washers, $1-2 for cap, $3-4 for cement, $6-9 for brackets and bolts, $3-4 for ball chain, and $2-3 for the final two saucers. (we have the additional costs of packaging, the little booties, the instruction sheet, the plastic bag it goes in, packing tape, and printing of shipping labels.) The total for the DIY Guy is $23-$33, and the 2 to 4 hours (or more) it may take to figure it all out.
The Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder retails for $34.95, plus shipping (and sales tax in California) -- what a bargain!
Please click the link to get your Kandle Heeter™ Candle Holder. And Thank You, I hope you have enjoyed my presentation. If I can be of any further assistance, please email at vegalot<at>gmail<.>com.