Many tourists, hunters and fishermen, in order to boil water at a rest stop, had to decide how to light a fire in windy weather. More than once or twice they thought about how to make it so that they did not have to constantly adapt to the changing wind, placing firewood on the right side, or moving a stick with a pot hanging on it. And the way out of this situation is not difficult. It is enough to light a “Finnish candle”.
This memorable name hides a whole group of wood structures that allow you to warm up and cook food in hiking conditions with sufficient comfort. The ability to make a Finnish candle, both among tourists and among hunters, fishermen and simply lovers of outdoor recreation, is not common. Let's try to fix this. So, let's start.
Today there are many names for this method of making a fire:
- Finnish candle;
- Swedish candle;
- Indian candle;
- hunting candle;
- wooden primus stove.
Underneath them are hidden fires that are fundamentally similar in design, built inside a specially prepared chock or between several combined chocks standing vertically.
Application area
Such options are suitable for both cooking and heating.
Moreover, a full-fledged fire can be lit even with a lack of fuel, sometimes making do with just one log.
This long-burning fire tolerates windy weather well, it is quite compact, economical, does not require installation additional accessories for cooking and tolerates precipitation quite tolerably. Since even heavy rain, with the pot standing on the fire, will not be able to extinguish it.
During its use, many changes were made to the design, depending on the conditions of use. The classic “Finnish Candle” fire originally consisted of a log split into two halves, which were then fastened together in places where they were chipped using wire, rope or other available materials. Over time, for better combustion, the chock was no longer split into two halves, but into more parts. Then, instead of splitting, they began to make cuts and even assemble a fire from several logs pressed vertically against each other.
How to make a Finnish candle
First of all, you need to decide on the design. This depends on several factors:
- the presence of thick logs at the resting place and good tools;
- the presence of wire for tying thin logs and split logs;
- soil composition;
- number of people in the group;
- the need to dry things.
Almost all options are divided into two groups according to manufacturing method:
- from one fairly thick piece of wood;
- from several logs with a smaller diameter.
Now let's proceed directly to manufacturing.
Solid block with cuts
To do this, take a piece of wood with a diameter of 20 cm. We make cuts in it so that we get several lobes. Usually their number ranges from two to eight. Then, in the center of the log, using wood chips and available materials, a fire is lit. To do this, you can lightly chop off the central parts of the lobes.
Gradually the fire spreads down the cuts. The fewer cuts, the longer the combustion, the more of them, the hotter the fire. The cuts are made to a depth of up to 3/4 of the height. Oxygen penetrates through the cuts to the combustion site. Over time, this version of the Finnish candle burns out the upper middle part, and the open fire turns into smoldering. After this, cooking will be quite difficult, but for heating it will be quite suitable.
Split Wood
This option is very similar to the first. In it, all parts of the initially chopped lump are tightly connected with wire to each other. First, the central parts of the lobes are slightly planed. This will provide enough wood chips for ignition and create channels for air draft. After this, the parts of the chock are tightly tied together with wire, starting from the middle.
You need to tighten the bottom especially carefully, otherwise your fire will fall apart as it burns out. You can also use rope instead of wire, but this option is less reliable. Please note one nuance: unlike sawn wood, the chips are pressed very tightly. There is practically no fire coming through the sides, so this option cannot be used as a heater. But it burns longer without disintegrating, it can be moved quite easily from place to place if necessary, and it has a fairly strongly directed flame.
Chock with two holes
As the name suggests, a couple of holes are made in a vertically standing block. One from top to bottom, to the same length as the cuts in the first option, at 3/4 of the height. The other is at right angles to the first at a height of 1/4 from the bottom of the block, so that the holes are connected.
You can ignite both through the top hole and through the bottom. This method is the most effective for cooking, but also the most difficult to make due to the need to use additional tool.
Assembly of thin logs
This option is suitable if you don’t have a tool. In this case, three to five logs are placed on their ends and tied in a vertical position.
Such a stove is easier to manufacture and ignites much easier, which is important if you have insufficient experience.
The first three options require a log with a diameter of 20 to 30 centimeters. Large diameters are not advisable. The height should be approximately twice the diameter. With this ratio of diameter and height, your hearth will be the most stable.
Now let’s take a closer look at perhaps the most important issue. How to light a fire, which is described above. Even for experienced tourists, this problem will arise during their first attempts. How can you make a Finnish candle burn faster? Yes, very simple. It is enough to remember the elementary laws of nature:
- the flame burns only if there is a sufficient supply of oxygen;
- heated air always tends upward.
Therefore, for successful combustion it is necessary to ensure that these two conditions are met. Namely, there must be at least a small gap between the parts of the chopped wood so that the flame moves freely upward, and there must be a free flow of air from below. This can be achieved in the following ways:
- slightly cut off the central parts of the chopped logs with a knife or an ax;
- using available means (for example, stones or a pair of thin sticks) raise the fire above the ground;
- chop off the lower parts of at least two adjacent parts so that a small channel for air flow is formed into the center of the fire.
The second option is not very successful, since a fire lit in this way will not be stable enough.
Cooking
Finally, let's move on to the most “delicious” part. How to cook on a Finnish candle? It turns out that it’s also nothing complicated. Any cookware that can withstand cooking over a fire will do.
But we must not forget that the fire must be provided with a way out. If you place a saucepan or kettle directly on the chock, the fire will stop burning normally and the water will not boil. This issue can be resolved as follows:
- place a stand on top of the log in the form of two freshly cut sticks up to 5 cm thick;
- When assembling, two or three parts of your candle should be higher than the rest by the same distance.
In the second case, this can be achieved different ways. If we assemble a candle from several thin logs, then in advance, when cutting, two of them are made longer than the others. When placed vertically, they will provide the necessary gap between the dishes and the surface. Or, when assembling, you can move two logs slightly upward compared to the rest. You can do the same in the case of chopped logs. This method allows you to simultaneously provide two channels for air supply from below. And the fire will burn more steadily and hotter.
Happy travels!
A Swedish or Finnish candle is a simple and convenient alternative to a tripod with a pot or even a stationary outdoor stove.
Let's talk about something so simple, but very effective method build a fire, a real torch for lighting and cooking, like a Swedish candle. This method has other names: “Finnish primus”, “hunting candle”, “Indian candle”, “Canadian torch”. The option is simple, but very interesting.
How to make a Finnish Primus
The Finnish primus does not require candles at all! All that is required to create a Swedish candle is a suitable piece of log or log.
The wood for such an original hearth can be anything. According to reviews, pine and spruce are often used as the most available options, however, these woods do spark when burning, so care should be taken. Birch burns very strongly and produces smoke. But the aspen - perfect tree for a Swedish candle.
A piece of wood about half a meter high is required, although sometimes a log is taken a little higher or lower. The main thing is that it is level and can stand vertically. The diameter of the log can be from 10 to 40 cm.
The size of the log depends on the purpose for which you will use it. If you want to cook on open fire food - a log should be thicker, but relatively short and stable. A taller, but thinner log is suitable for lighting; it can be moved if necessary.
Important! The piece of log must be dry! A wet log burns very poorly, smokes a lot, and most likely you won’t be able to light a fire at all.
The logs are cut using a chainsaw. Can also be used regular saw, but the process will be much longer, you will have to put in more effort. The cuts should be approximately three-quarters of the log's height. They are made crosswise. It's very similar to cutting a cake, the pieces on top look exactly like this.
How many cuts to make is up to you. Four is the minimum, you can do six or eight. Remember that the more cuts you make, the faster your log will burn!
To start the combustion process, we recommend pouring a little gasoline into the center of the cuts and then setting it on fire. A Swedish candle burns much more economically than a regular fire. It burns for a long time, the flame is even, and you can put a kettle, pot, or frying pan on top of the log. You will definitely have time to cook food on a live fire.
The second way to make a Swedish candle is to saw and split the block of wood completely into four parts. The core is removed a little so that there is empty space inside. Then the four logs are folded back into one log, secured, and wrapped with wire. In this case, sawdust can be placed in the hole in the center, which will serve as kindling.
Making a Swedish candle or Finnish primus stove yourself is very simple, although you can buy blanks already cut if you are going into nature and are not sure that you can find a suitable log in the forest.
A simple but convenient fire that burns brightly and for a long time can be built on any flat area; sometimes the log is placed on stones or other support.
Even barbecue is prepared with the help of a Swedish or taiga candle. We are sure that you will appreciate this option for creating a fireplace, especially if you often go out into nature. However, during a picnic in own yard you can also surprise your guests with this method of making a fire. published
If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project.
Lovers active rest in nature, as well as hunters and fishermen, know how important it is to build a fire correctly in order not only to keep warm, but also to cook camp food on it. This is especially important in winter or in slushy conditions, when you constantly need to add firewood and make sure that the fire does not go out. Give warmth and light for a long time, and also provide fire safety in nature, a Finnish candle will allow, other names of which are taiga, Swedish, Indian. This fire design is easy to move without fear of burns, and it can burn all night. How to make a Finnish candle will be described in detail below.
Cooking with a Finnish candle
An effective candle for burning is a log with a diameter of 12 cm and a height of more than 18 cm. When building a fire, the type of wood used does not matter, but it is better not to use conifers due to the release of resin, which sparks and cracks. In other cases, the main thing is that the wood used is dry, but not rotten. The proportions of a Finnish candle depend on its purpose: for heating it is more convenient to use a thick and long log, for lighting it is more convenient to use a long and thin log for ease of carrying, and for cooking the candle should be thick and short.
Finnish candle for cooking Finnish candle: how to make, video
The most in a simple way is the so-called camping, or - making a Finnish candle from a ready-made log, if any were found in the forest. You need to select three cuts of the same size and place them in a circle close to each other. A fire is lit in the middle. Uniform burning in all directions will be ensured the right choice chock in height, which should be two diameters of the logs in width. If you place a three-liter pot on these logs, it will boil in less than half an hour. As the logs burn out, they will need to be placed in a “hut”, and then simply add firewood.
If it is possible to use a chainsaw, a Finnish candle can be made with your own hands as follows: take a thick log at least 50 cm long and cut it crosswise in the middle to about three-quarters of its height. If the log is too wide, you can make cuts so that the log is divided into eight “slices”. If you make more of them, then the Finnish candle will burn out faster. The log needs to be well secured to the ground, supported by stones or slightly dug into an earthen depression. Sawdust, dry fuel or a mixture for ignition are placed inside the cuts.
If you don’t have a chainsaw, you can make a Finnish candle using an axe. The log splits like a regular wood splitter, only into identical logs. Then they are gathered together and tied at the bottom with wire. A thick branch is inserted into the middle of the hearth, which serves as a kind of wick for a Finnish candle. If the log is not too large, a branch can be stuck into the ground, then it will act as a leg for the fire.
If there is no tool nearby, you can assemble a Finnish candle with your own hands. Thick poles with a diameter of at least 5 cm are collected and installed around the branch in the same way as the method described above. On inside The pole located in the center needs to be scored with a knife so that it ignites faster.
You can watch the video on how to place a Finnish candle correctly.
How to make a Finnish Primus candle with your own hands for cooking
The Finnish Primus candle is used only for cooking, since its heat is not enough to heat it. Its difference from a regular Finnish candle is as follows:
- The log should have a notch inside if it is whole. If the fire is assembled from separate logs, they can be planed in the middle, then connected as described earlier, secured with rope or wire so that they fit tightly to each other, forming outside no gaps.
- The logs located opposite each other are trimmed or pushed up a little more than the others by 5-6 cm. Made in this way, they form a structure that allows the fire to be fanned by air, while the flame will be directed predominantly upward.
Thus, the fire is concentrated inside the structure, giving off heat to instant cooking food. For cooking, it is better to chop the log into four parts, not eight. If possible, it is better to place the fire on stones or logs so that there is a gap for air below. Otherwise, you can cut a small air duct from the bottom of the logs. It should be taken into account that the hearth concentrated in the upper part of the logs will burn long time, but not too intensely, and when ignited from below, the fire will be stronger, but the candle will burn faster.
The original mini-bonfire is also called a taiga, Indian, or Swedish candle. Thanks to the peculiarities of making Finnish candles and the use of intense flame, they successfully replace traditional fires on hikes, at picnics and evening gatherings in the yard. You need a minimum of tools and skills, 5-20 minutes of simple effort, and you will get a source of vertical flame with a burning duration of half an hour to 7 hours.
4 ways to make a Finnish candle
Using any method, a Finnish candle is made with your own hands from chock, sometimes replaced with a block of wood logs. Acceptable use small stumps, if only one piece of log is required. The duration of combustion depends on the length and diameter of the workpieces.
Method 1. Candle with paraffin wick
- Burning time: from 30 minutes.
- Production time: 20 minutes.
Tools and materials:
- drill with drill 20-30 mm;
- saw (manual, electric or diesel engine);
- sawing sawhorses;
- lighter;
- block for a candle;
- a block of larger diameter for counterweight;
- paraffin or wax;
- paper or newspaper.
To get a fire with vertical burning, just light the wick. We recommend installing Finnish candles away from trees on paved or concrete platforms, cleared land, fire-resistant tiles, a metal stand to prevent the surrounding vegetation from catching fire.
Method 2. Candle made from logs
- Burning duration: up to 2.5 hours.
- Production time: 7-10 minutes.
Tools and materials:
- axe;
- a log or four logs.
Manufacturing sequence
The whole lump is split into four equal parts. The logs are installed vertically in the form of the original log. When a Finnish candle is made from ready-made firewood, logs of the same length and cross-section are selected, which together form a solid log. The design provides good air flow, but is not wind resistant enough.
Method 3. Three logs
- Burning time: from 7 hours.
- Production time: 5 minutes.
Necessary materials: 3 logs of the same height. No tools required.
Manufacturing sequence
Simplest a way to make a long-burning Finnish candle with your own hands. The blocks are installed in a circle with a small gap between them. Then a fire is built in the inner “well.” Unimpeded access to oxygen contributes to an intense flame, and thanks to large diameter the burning time is extended.
More heat is generated than with other taiga candle designs. It also ensures the greatest stability of a disposable oven. Disadvantage (the flame can be blown out by the wind. Tip: as it burns out, move the logs to the center to maintain the burning intensity.
Method 4. Primus
- Burning time: up to 3 hours.
- Production time: 20 minutes.
Tools and materials:
- axe;
- saw (optional);
- wire;
- a log or several logs.
Manufacturing sequence
This design provides intense hot flame. In the first two hours after ignition, you can cook or boil water on the mini-oven. The optimal size is considered to be when the length of the block is twice the diameter. You can create mini-bonfires with a height of 20-30 cm.
Tip: if you plan to cook, then make a Finnish candle with two shorter logs to improve air flow to the flame. Useful uses of a disposable stove in the household
The design represents a vertical furnace pyrolysis combustion. The peculiarity of this type of flame is the simultaneous combustion of both wood and the resulting wood gas. As a result, less soot and ash are formed, and the heat transfer of the flame is higher. Even a two-hour use of a Finnish candle helps solve many problems of arrangement and relaxation.
Culinary uses of Finnish candles
In the absence of summer kitchen and on hikes disposable ovens easy to adapt for the following tasks:
- cooking in cauldrons;
- singeing carcasses poultry, game;
- boiling water;
- heating food.
Unlike a stationary summer kitchen, a Finnish candle can be used anywhere on the site, or taken with you on a picnic or on a trip.
Landscape decoration
Mini bonfires are convenient to use for temporary illumination of dark areas without landscape lights. They create a warm, inviting atmosphere and can complement the decoration of outdoor seating areas for special events. Finally, candles will replace outdoor hearths and fireplaces and will help you relax by the fire during the evening relaxation.
Repair and construction use
Concentrated combustion has determined the advantage of using a Finnish candle compared to conventional fires for the following work:
- firing, heating of metal;
- melting of roofing felt or lump bitumen;
- firing and drying various surfaces and blanks.
Easy to manufacture, disposable ovens are compact, simple device, intense combustion and easy transportation. This enhances the attractiveness of Finnish candles for home or tourist use.
Video instructions for making a Finnish candle
Hello, dear users of this site. It's summer. The most convenient and good time for nature trips, picnics, and fishing. In general - the most best time for an active holiday.
Every time, going out into nature, many people take with them a pile of firewood or coals on which to cook food. It is not always possible to find dead wood at a vacation spot to use as a combustible material. Therefore, I want to tell you how you can make the so-called Finnish candle. The good thing about it is that it doesn’t take much time to make and it burns for quite a long time. To make such a device, you only need a piece of log, a drill with a drill bit and a chainsaw.
The author of this master class initially took a small log and worried about making it easy to saw. To do this, he drills a hole in a shorter log, drives a stick into it, and also makes a hole in a second, longer log. He puts on a small log and a longer one and already saws. Here's how it happens and what comes out of it.
Next, he takes a regular paraffin candle and drips paraffin into the cuts from the inside.
Then he takes a newspaper several centimeters longer than the depth of the slot in the log and crumbles candle shavings into it. The edges are also melted with molten paraffin. The resulting part is inserted into the slot of the block.
Then this wick is set on fire and the candle flares up.
This is just one of the options. Usually in nature, my friends and I, having prepared a candle in advance, more thick log and no candles with a wick. A waste of time. We already have small particles poured into the slots in nature. wood shavings, dry grass and set on fire. Much faster and more convenient. According to the author, this candle burns for no more than half an hour. And the production time is twenty minutes. In our case, the production time is no more than five minutes. And it burns longer. But this depends on the thickness of the log. It is easy to install - either stands on its own if the lower part of the log is wide enough, or is dug into the ground. All you need to do is prepare the fish soup and boil the tea. So there you go. But in general, it’s quite a convenient and useful thing. Saves time and effort!