Homemade Torch Lights

Materials

• Torches have three basic parts: a stick or long handle, a tip that is capable of catching on fire and holding a flame, and a flammable substance that starts and keeps the flame going. Homemade torches might use cotton, wood and cloth on the tip and gasoline, diesel or petroleum jelly to start the flame. The size of your flame will depend on the amount of fuel you apply to the tip. A lot of fuel will make a large flame but will burn faster. A little bit of fuel will create a longer-lasting burn time, but the flame will be smaller. The amount of time your flame burns doesn't depend on the fuel type as much as it depends on the material being burned. Paraffin oil (or kerosene) is a common fuel for store-bought tiki torches because it does not produce as much smoke.

Putting it Together

• To make a long-lasting flame, use a little bit of fuel and a dense material for the tip. Wood chips or tree twigs are good choices. You'll need only a little fuel to get the fire started, and the wood will burn for a long time. Bunch up the wood in a piece of cloth and place it on the tip of a long stick. You want to secure it to the tip with something that won't catch on fire, such as a twistie-tie. You don't want a short stick because it would be hard to manage the torch. Instead, choose a broom or mop stick or another handle about 4 or 5 feet tall.

  Once you have the tip securely tightened, dip it into a flammable substance and light it with a charcoal lighter or a fireplace match. You don't want to have your hand really close to the torch because you risk getting burned when the flame jets out as the lighter hits the fuel. The farther away you can be from the torch tip when you light it, the better.

Uses

• Once you have the torch put together, you can stick it into the ground and use it as a source of light. Secure the torch before you light it by driving it up to a foot into the ground. This will be easier if the bottom of your torch is pointed. You won't get a very secure fit if you have to dig a hole, insert the torch, and then refill the hole. If this is your only option, however, place rocks around the base of the torch to make it more sturdy.

  Depending on the size of your backyard, a few torches strategically planted in the ground will be enough to light up your entire area.

Safety Considerations

• Little kids shouldn't play with the torches because of the risk of getting burned. Wherever you plan to burn the torch--at a campsite, beach party or backyard barbecue--you should never leave it unattended. Torches that fall on a pile of dead leaves, twigs or dry grass can quickly start a dangerous fire. Don't place a torch directly underneath a tree where the flame can possibly ignite it. And the torch should have about a 3-foot radius of clear space all the way around it.