I found this instruction on how to make wicks for kerosene lanterns, and will probably work with candles too.Use cotton balls!
- Loosen the fibers of three cotton balls by unraveling the cotton fibers to stretch the cotton to an elongated shape.
- Place the elongated cotton balls on a flat surface.
- Connect the ends of the three elongated cotton balls by overlapping ½ inch of the bottom part of the first cotton ball to ½ inch of top part of the second one.
- Repeat for the third cotton ball.
- Then, using your fingers, roll them up together tightly to produce a long wick.
Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_5004463_homemade-kerosene-lamp-wicks.html
I would then dip in wax once or twice to stiffen (so it will stay in place). Cut to size needed.
Usually I buy a bag of cotton balls a month for storage purposes. I did a little more research, and growing our cotton won't be too difficult if we follow information carefully. Then, we'll harvest the cotton, save the seeds, and keep the cotton separate. It can be used to make wicks, or to spin into cloth.
Which means, sigh, more research.
4 comments:
Thanks for posting this link. I'd love to use it on my own blog - just the sort of information I'd like to gather all in one place for my family and friends. Keep up the good work!
I'm a little confused. Did you mean cotton balls like you purchase or cotton bolls that grow?
We grow cotton and I think this is a great idea.
Susan: the instructions used cotton balls that you buy, but I'm planning on, at our next place, growing cotton and we'll use the bolls.
I've also been wondering ... we have lots of cottonwood trees around here, and they release little bits of fluff that go by the name "cotton". I took a few bits and twirled them, and they stuck together! Not scientific but I think it would be possible to use the bits of fluff from cottonwood trees to do this too. Anyone? Vikki
carding a lot of cotton wood cotton would help in making the wicks (also to remove seeds)
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