how to make candle holders in menorahs

[MarlaS]

another question from a newbie...

i would love to make some menorahs for hanukah, & have seen fused glass menorahs with metal candleholders either fused or inserted into the top of the piece. i have a friend who can make molds for me, but we can't figure out how to do the candle holders. that is....

1. are there candle holders that can withstand high heat & be placed between layers of glass & fired into the piece?? (& i'm thinking about using std hanukah candles, which are maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, & maybe 1/2 inch tall)

2. if not, what's the best way to fuse candle 'holes' into the piece? use rolled up fire paper between layers & then glue the candle holder part into it after fusing? & any clues as to where to look to buy those little candle holder parts??

i appreciate the help; other than searching the archives, i don't have a clue as to how to figure this out ... i've only been doing this a few months & don't know anyone around here besides my instructor to ask (& she really doesn't know either!)

[charlie]

this question, along with sources to places to buy the small cups, has been answered before. you might try searching in the archives, especially the old archives, by using the search buttons above.

[MarlaS]

believe it or not, i tried that first!

...but had no luck, so probably not using the best search terms; any suggestions on that?

thanks again....

[Barbara Muth]

Try the old archive instead of search. I typed in menorah and got more than 200 posts. The second thread in my list was about candle cups for menorahs.

Barbara

[charlie]

yes, old archives. here's one: http://www.warmglass.com/cgi-bin/wgarch ... read=83277

[MarlaS]

thanks, barbara & charlie...i overlooked those old archives initially, but when i got there & i read thru those posts & followed the links suggested in them, there was lots of discussion but i couldn't find actual answers... there was a little discussion about forming the holes, & a couple of concrete suggestions of who to contact to find the candle holders (such as united mfr), but i've followed up on those, too, & but those sources really don't pan out.....

i was curious, tho, barbara; you found a lot more relevant posts than i did, i think... i just went to 'old archives,' typed menorah, & found a few dz msgs (mostly from just a few threads)....don't know what to make of that.....????

marla

[Barbara Muth]

my bad Marla. I meant more than 20! (not a great typist and I rush and don't always proof!) sorry!

[Bert Weiss]

marla

I don't know the answer to your question, but I do own a cast glass Hannukiah. The maker got silver inserts that fit in to the glass and actually hold the candles. You could have these custom made or if you are lucky find a source for them in silver or brass.

I seem to recall somebody having a source for these in the archives. Keep looking.

[MarlaS]

thanks for the good advice...of course, i still don't know where to find what i'm looking for (the recs in the archives were dead ends), but it ain't for lack of trying!

i think i'll play around w/ some wire & misc hardware supplies from my favorite home improvement store & see if i can find something workable, & pass it along if i do.

best (& shana tova, bert),
marla

[Jackie Beckman]

Marla, I've looked for these myself. I think the best solution is to have some made. The ones I've run across are the bendy little brass kind that look (and are) cheap.

But - here's an idea you may want to try out, especially if you'll be using opals or can make the "fittings" work with your design. My daughter's kindergarten class last year made menorahs as Hanukkah gifts for the parents. They used washers and nuts in their design to hold the candles, and it actually works very well. (no wiggly candles) They found some anodized ones (is that the right term?) that were brightly colored and looked less "nuts-n-bolts" like. Just make sure to bring an actual Hanukkah candle with you when you're looking for sizes. Good luck-

Jackie