I have learned WSHTF, that after dark, subdued lighting is mandatory. A complete conversion of a home into a cave is not my idea of living so my thought is to choose one often used room and black out the windows with black plastic, duct tape and heavy curtains. Hang a thick blanket in front of the room’s door and specify bright lights out before any one enters or leaves that room.
The rest of the home would be dimly lit. With preferably one, no more then two at a time candle-like devices behind heavy lined curtains.
The thinking behind this is that a lot of other folks in urban settings will be hunkered over candles and oil lamps during grid down time So you are blending in with the majority.
Tea candles are drip free and easy to manage if left in one spot. [The wicks tend to shift if lit and moved].
The candles can be easily by removing the metal wick holder, turning it upside down an fitting it in a 5\32-inch hole drilled near one end a 3\8-inch thick 8 inch long board held in a vise [orthe hand if you are carful]. Using a ice pick push out the old wick stub and enlarge the wick hole.
Insert a new slightly thicker cotton wick holder and push and pull it till it sticks through about 1 inch. Remove the wick holder from the board and using a pairof smooth jawed pliers grip near the hinge and gently crush the little nipple on the upper part of the wick holder till it holds the wick snugly.
Scissor off the bottom of the wick so that the holder and wick sits upright in the little metal pan.
Get wax from old large discarded candles or other sources, chip off wax with a 1\2-inch wood chisel and rubber mallet into a metal 11.5 ounce coffee can with a formed pouring spout. Use the lowest gas setting of the lowest gas fire and position the can of wax chips in a double boiler. (The can inside a larger pan of water). Never, ever leave the melting pot unattended! [Since fires can easily result.]
Place the tea candles to be filled on newspaper. When about one-half of the wax in the can has stared to liquefy, slowly fill the tea candles cup to the rim.
Turn off the gas burner and leave the can on the burner it will cool slowly. But keep the wax liquid for a long time.[never allow the wax to get so hot it smokes danger danger]
Once the tea candles have set up, add more wax around the wick to top them off. – Axman
JWR Replies: Wax tea candles are available in bulk for as little as 12 cents each, if you buy them 200 or more at a time. And as you describe, they can be re-filled.
All the normal safety precuations for open flames must be observed when burning tea candles. One advantage of these is that they are much less likely to tip over than tall candles. But keep in mind that nothing is ever foolproof! I recommend that you position tea candles in the middle of a large ceramic plate or a steel pie tin. (Old plates and pie tins are usually available from thrift stores for less than a dollar each. Use these mis-matched pieces instead of your matching kitchen china, and you will get along better with your spouse!