# Strobe candles - manufacture **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744 "2009-11-08T00:17:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jakesteele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jakesteele](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakesteele)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/1 "2009-11-08T00:17:33Z")
Years ago I had some strobe candles that would flicker up and down in a fairly slow, steady pattern. I have been trying to find some but I can’t locate them on any sites. I am wondering if anybody knows where I can buy them online and/or if someone knows how to make them? The only thing I can think of when making them would somehow put water pockets in the melted wax or perhaps layers of different density wax, etc. If anybody can help, I would appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/2 "2009-11-08T01:08:55Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=499562&highlight=strobe](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=499562&highlight=strobe) 😉 I’m still not finding anything this year. Some clever wick design perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/3 "2009-11-08T01:16:06Z")
What do you mean by “flicker up and down”? That they get lighter and then darker as they appear to burn? I’ve seen them all over the place: [http://www.batteryoperatedcandles.net/25810-p-battery-operated-candle.html](http://www.batteryoperatedcandles.net/25810-p-battery-operated-candle.html) Not sure if these are the same, but the ones I have seen have a very realistic “flicker” effect using LED’s and batteries. ---
**Author:** ![jakesteele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jakesteele](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jakesteele)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/4 "2009-11-08T01:46:34Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > What do you mean by “flicker up and down”? That they get lighter and then darker as they appear to burn? I’ve seen them all over the place: > > [http://www.batteryoperatedcandles.net/25810-p-battery-operated-candle.html](http://www.batteryoperatedcandles.net/25810-p-battery-operated-candle.html) > > Not sure if these are the same, but the ones I have seen have a very realistic “flicker” effect using LED’s and batteries. I guess what I mean is that they sputter or throb, pulsate with a regular, steady rhythm. I need these for meditation purposes and it has to be real flame to achieve the desired effect. I tried the strobe candle lights but it’s just not the same. I’ve gotten the same effect by accident because of some kind of impurities in the wax/wick or maybe it was shoddy manufacturing, I don’t know. But thanks, though. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/5 "2009-11-08T02:54:41Z")
> [@](#): > > When I was a kid my older brother (now deceased) made them with a wooden dowel for a wick. The flame would jump up and down and act as a strobe light. I tried making one and it just wouldn’t burn. I don’t know what he could’ve done differently than did. If anyone knows the secret, please let me in on it. [http://www.candletech.com/archivedforum/.9833.html](http://www.candletech.com/archivedforum/.9833.html) > [@](#): > > This is your chance to experiment with different wicks. A wooden dowel makes a strobe candle! Rope or heavy cord makes a Magnum flame. Regards, Larry. > **[Yahoo Search - Web Search](https://search.yahoo.com/)** > > The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web. Probably need the right size dowel, perhaps made of an open-pore wood such as oak, rather than pine or poplar. I’d first try soaking a 1/4 inch oak dowel in molten wax for a few hours before casting a candle around it. ---
**Author:** ![tesseliot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@tesseliot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tesseliot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/6 "2011-09-25T05:05:02Z")
Had many of these candles. They were big, with more wax at the top (about 2 inches at the top tapering down to an inch), a wood rod center heavily coated with wax, and enough wood at the bottom to stick it in something like a potted plant. I loved them. They produced a large thin flame that would strobe on and off in a very good copy of the strobe light, and would do this repeatedly as they burned. They were great party lights, and very nice if you were getting zoned out to music. Miss them a lot, because I haven’t seen anyone make them in recent years. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/10 "2012-01-02T04:02:31Z")
You could, you know, type out your whole post before hitting submit. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/13 "2012-07-24T06:19:34Z")
**Werepeople** has left the building. ---
**Author:** ![JetsonRING](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4af34b/32.png) [@JetsonRING](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JetsonRING)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/14 "2012-08-26T01:51:07Z")
🆒 I was at the RNC in Miami Beach back in '68 (I was 5) and my dad bought me a strobe candle. As I recall the wick was made up of tightly rolled paper, probably wax coated, maybe not, but probably made from brown paper shopping bags. Remember, these were hippies making these things and they weren’t exactly using titanium and carbon fiber, they probably used stuff they got for free or cheap. I’m going to try and make a couple. I’ll try plain brown bag paper for one wick and brown bag layered with wax paper for the other. Seems to me if I roll the wick to the same size as the dowel, then cut longer paper to wrap around the wick center AND the top of the dowel, it should hold together pretty well. :)Have a grateful day! ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/16 "2015-08-30T13:29:12Z")
you might get into a bit of a stink with the mods about posting such information. My opinion is that your new post is totally relevant and of value to the (old) thread; but don’t be offended if your links get removed or something. Its the board policy (and a good one). I’ve copied your links, and if they do get removed, I’m sure anyone here can send you a private message for that information. ---
**Author:** ![debmllns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@debmllns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/debmllns)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/18 "2015-10-02T11:23:58Z")
My brother just showed me how to make a strobe candle. You need a dowel, strips of cotton material and of course melted wax; dip the dowel in wax, enough times to get some of the candle started, after you’ve dipped it about 10 take one of the strips of material and wrap it around the wax on the dowel, repeat the first step, dip about 10 more times, wrap material around the wax, keep doing this until you get a good size candlle going. ---
**Author:** ![Wiccan1312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6de8d8/32.png) [@Wiccan1312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wiccan1312)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/19 "2021-10-08T08:41:03Z")
Everyone making these candles and displaying their dancing beauty, please use caution as the flames do jump. True Lantern (strobe) candles are crafted with oils that are very flammable. Blessed Be to all ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/20 "2021-10-08T08:44:50Z")
Thank you for your advice, and welcome. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/21 "2023-08-08T16:45:12Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [Sock Posts of Koanzap/Werepeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sock-posts-of-koanzap-werepeople/988257) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/24 "2023-08-08T16:42:37Z")
---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strobe-candles-manufacture/516744/25 "2023-08-08T16:44:28Z")
As thread was bumped by the sock of Werepeople, I’ve closed the thread. I’ll cornfield the 3 new posts.