# Best Flame-less Candle



## Thewaxstampnews (Apr 3, 2014)

I want to hang lanterns from my fence this year and give my yard more of a colonial era feel. I will be surrounding a good sized yard with this fence. what type of flame less candles should i use. I don't have a HUGE budget and i want these candles to look as real as possible, without using the real thing. any ideas? what do you use? HELP!!!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:There are some great tutorials on making candles from PVC that should work for you. You can also make them out of the core of paper towels or wrapping paper, but then you have to make sure to waterproof them if they are going to be outside.
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=32214&highlight=candles
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=31173&highlight=candles
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=32239&highlight=candles


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Well, the most realistic I've ever seen are something like these - http://www.hauntforum.com/showpost.php?p=709275&postcount=1
usually called 'dancing flame' candles. Luminaria is one major supplier. Though as a warning, they seem to start around $25-$30 each and go up from there. I don't know what 'huge budget' constitutes for you, but that is definitely 'up there' for me. Though I do have a lead to import 500-1000 from china at around $12 each...I just don't need that many, myself! But there was one sitting on a dinner table 8 feet away and I was totally fooled.

The next best would likely be a 'tealight hack' to boost the light output of a standard tealight, or even just the flickering LED, and correct it's color from yellow to warm white. There are posts all over the forum. Of course, my favorite...mine:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showpost.php?p=395744&postcount=49

I use a cheap flicker LED to drive the base of a 2N2222 transistor which provides high current to 1, 3 or 4 warm white LEDs. If you are willing to put a paper shade around the LEDs, it makes a pretty realistic effect. 3-4 LEDs will easily make a light bright enough to see / walk with. I use the 4x LED in my walkway / landscaping lights and some 3x LEDs in various pumpkins and other props.











Everything flickering here is LEDs






For single candle sticks, I cut back to one flicker LED driving one warm white LED. Having multiple LEDs in one spot makes up for the slightly dimmer output of the single LED. Make a shade out of paper, or a plastic tube to simulate a stick candle and paint it up for a little 'gore'. As long as you keep the LED a bit inside the tube, it looks like the candle has just burned down inside the wax a bit.


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## Fiend4Halloween (Aug 28, 2008)

great pictures, beautiful displays and an awesome candle how-to Corey. Thanks for posting this again. A great post for those who missed it originally.


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