Several on-going projects

I have been slow on updating the blog lately, but not because of laziness. It is because I have been occupied with several projects.

I have mentioned it on last video upload (was only in Japanese…) that I will be making series of bushcraft related videos in Japanese but with English sub this time.
I was working on few of those videos and now the first 2 videos are edited and third one is on shooting process. So will be making it for public view on this weekend (Saturday or Sunday).

Other projects that I was doing…
A candle lantern and 3 seasons’ shelter.

I got the idea of these 2 projects from the blog “The Weekend Woodsman”. (My project on these are not completed yet, so if you do not have patience waiting me to finish, go check out his blog. )

First, I needed a small candle, but somehow, all Tealight candles are consumed in my house…. So decided to make some.
I have a stock of 1kg pure beeswax in my workshop so melted some to make beeswax candle.
Used a WC paper roll core as a mold, because could not find any other suitable diameter mold…. 
And this is the result.

I assure you it is not a dynamite:).
It is just a core of WC paper roll filled with beeswax + linseed oil mix. As a wick, I have used a hemp twine.
Originally, I was planning on cut it in short few pieces then peel off the paper mold to make Tealight candles.

But once I cut off a piece, it came to my mind that the mold could also be a wick…
So I lit it to see how it works.

 Took little longer time for flame to go all the way around than expected, but it worked well. It throws quite enough heat around.

Of cause, it works well as a normal candle too.

Humm, I wonder…. can this round flame candle be used as some kind of stove???
I should test that some time.



Then the shelter project.

I call this shelter a “3 seasons”… only because I got winter shelter which I can fit a stove in. But as seen on Weekend Woodsman’s blog, he has been using it in winter time and I do not see any problem doing so.

The reason I wanted to make this is that I saw the potential of shifting the configuration of this shelter to accommodate the needs of different situations. I have been wanting a single shelter system, which can be used as a open / closed A frame, a lean-to, a Loue Lean-to and a tarp.
And this shelter would do all that + rain poncho and bivi bag. Also the weight of  this shelter is relatively right as will be about 2kg all included.


I am using 2 sheets of German rubberized rain poncho as a base and adding the knock off US army rain poncho for the side closure.

Left: German rubberized rain poncho
Right: El cheapo knock off US army rain poncho.

Cut the US army poncho in about half to make triangle, add some snap buttons, then sew the cut-off edge.

Also adding some snap buttons on to German poncho so US poncho pieces and German poncho can be connected. 

I will be showing this more in detail once it’s done.