Eternal Flame

tramcar trev

tramcar trev

all manner of mechanical apparatus...
Now that I have the where with all to produce excellent psudeo granite objets d' art I am getting back into a Cenotaph for the tramway. I have a real grandchild of the original Lone Pine and now I'm thinking that as my quest for a WWI Anzac figure aprox 70 - 100mm tall eludes me that I will go with another option that is a small "Granite" plinth with some sort of copper up turned hemisphere on it with an etched brass plaque in front of that.
I'm thinking of using one of those micro pencil torches to provide the flame with the air vents blocked it should give a flame much like a large candle. The torch itself would go through a hole in the baseboard. The whole thing would go indoors when not in use rather than have to worry about wasps spiders etc nesting in it... There would be other less sophisticated ways of getting an eternal flame. A container with a wick and lamp oil would work too.... Shame a flickering led would not be seen in daylight that would be a very practical solution.

I have just under a year to get this sorted, I want it available for next ANZAC Day the centenary of the Gallipoli landing.... Thoughts; ideas?
 
Some 75mm tall anzac figures here...
No idea about the busts - you would have to ask...

http://www.thefusilier.net/fusilier-catalogue/

Chris
 
These are in Australia....

http://www.themilitaryworkshop.com/store.php?cPath=3_27

Prices seem expensive though and its hard to get an idea of the scale.
I wonder if they are only selling painted figurs (and thus for a premium price).
Could always give them a ring and discuss what they have at a sensible price...
Chris
 
If you could find one - then price notwithstanding (but it is two figures) then could be a nice bronzed effect on a memorial...

http://www.skminiatures.co.uk/#/cobbers-gallipoli-1915-75mm/4581772057

The guy behind this is in New Zealand - http://www.acmodels.co.nz/contact/ - so he should know who in Australia might have them...

Chris
 
Rather than a real flame..
How about a miniature version of the things you see using 'flame' shapes cut from material, a fan to make them move (flicker) and a high-intensity version of a flickering firebox (different colours).

Just thinking it might be a safer bet than coming home to a real flame!
 
I have to admit that I´d go for a (safer) LED style flame - there are a number of dollhouse accessories that might be manipulated into doing the job. Looking forward to seeing progress. :D
 
All good stuff.... Some of those figures are superb but a tad expensive...
I have just found a "Simpson and his Donkey" about 80mm high for only AU$5.95. That's the epitome of ANZAC I reckon...

Yes I did look at a miniature fake flame with the wiggling streamers and flickering lights ( in a fake candle AU$52) but when taken into the daylight it looks very fake and the leds are not bright enough to give the effect... Ditto the Dolls House fires, quite a few available and the look great in subdued light; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dolls-House-Model-Miniature-Lighting-Accessory-Spare-Part-Red-Fire-Glow-Bulb-12V-/190958116505?pt=AU_Houses_Miniatures&hash=item2c75fd9e99&_uhb=1
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Heidi-Ott-Dollhouse-Miniature-1-12-Scale-Fire-Place-LED-Flashing-Light-YL9025-/171273889251?pt=US_Dollhouse_Miniatures&hash=item27e0b825e3&_uhb=1

I had a play with a length of 8mm dia cotton wick and if its burning part is kept short but mushroomed over A very authentic looking real flame can be achieved. Would it be any more dangerous than live steam loco?
 
PhilP said:
Now those are cheap, horrible, and dangerous for this project!
Click to expand...
But I bought a little kero "garden flare" today @ Crazy Clarkes for 75cents, I'll try it out maybe if I mix metho and kero together I'll get a more gas like flame rather than a smoky kero flame....
 
Can you get 'garden lamp oil' down there??
Would have thought there would be quite a market for it?? - Or am I being a little naïve, and tarring you all with the stereo-typical image of those from 'down-under'??
??? ;) :D
 
Yes we can get garden lamp oil usually flavoured with citronella.... Great to be able to eat outdoors in 35c evenings with the garden lamps ablaze trying to repel the mozzies while we stand around in Budgie smugglers and Hawaiian shirts drinking gallons of home brew while the shielas are inside getting salads ready to go alongside the steaks sizzling on the BBQ...
But it is very smokey stuff the lamp oil that is....
 
Trev,

If you absolutely haven't decided on Simpson (and I don't think there are too many real memorials around the country that feature him other than the one outside the AWM) have a look here http://www.salt.asn.au/catalogue/displayProducts/lineId/1671.html, given your background you can probably purchase from them or go straight to the original manufacturer
 
Thanks for the link Spoz. I can get those direct from the AWM but they are 28cm tall... I`m thinking something of less Stalinesque  :o proportions would be the go. OOOOODLEs of Simpson statues around the place, I`m not sure if he was a hero or a fool to do what he did, he was naive enough to believe that he was immune from gunfire as he was a non combatant but then WWI and the ANZAC story is full of displays of total managerial incompetence and gross stupidity on the part of the Officers...

Orders were orders though and you did as you were told or you were shot for insubordination....

It would be nice to be able to get a single ANZAC around 80-100mm tall but in lieu I may have to settle for this one.
ART40983.jpg
 
I'm back on this for the time being..... I'll try gluing 5 or so flickering leds together, or I could simply use the guts of a cheap flickering tealight but the problem is that it has to be visible in daylight..... I have the fake granite sorted, it will be made from leftovers of the stuff I used to make new kitchen benchtops, black with various colours of grey and a tiny bit of white flecked through it.
 
I have these; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/50-x-3mm-Yellow-Candle-Light-Flicker-Ultra-Bright-Flickering-LED-Leds-/221414749058?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338d58f382

I'll give them a try they are reasonably bright and 3mm so I'm going to try making up a flame shape (whatever that is) maybe I could dip them in slightly milky resin like dipping candles to difuse the light.....


With picaxe could you use RGB leds and create a flicking efect with what ever colour you want? Or is that asking to much?
 
Don't know about RGB leds.
I'd stick with your yellow flickers and maybe a couple of red constantly on in the middle. You can file or grind the leds so they make a pyramid.
I've found that bits of alfoil help reflections but be careful it doesn't short out the leads. Maybe try bits of gladwrap or cellophane to form flames?
 
Hmmmmm Good to bounce ideas off you Greg...... So maybe this would work, if I carved a flame shape out of soap or wax or some such and made a rubber mold then I could mix up some resin with some of that gold glitter stuff (inspired by the alfoil idea) you can get in craft shops then "fill" it with the flickrering leds that would both insulate the leads and hold them in place leaving the leads sticking out so that they can be soldered to the power supply. Mount that on some sort of "burner base" and I think I have it....
Safer than a real flame too I guess and wont go out if it rains.....
 
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