Cone torch

17 years ago

Thanks to my friend Eva who taught me! I have completed my first cone torch and have plans for another, with a little different approach.

I used a large orange traffic cone for the torch part. I learned that next time I will need to place some 1x1s around the outside of the cone and tape them securely, just to insure the piece does not get girdled (check the picture and you will see what I mean)THANK YOU EVA.

The base is a sand cast base, this is very similar in shape to how an old brass cast lamp base is made, turn one over sometime. The center of the base is solid to the level of the edge, with the exception of the hole in the center. There is a hole in the center of the base and the cone has a piece of PVC tubing that was place in a small amount of sand during the initial set up to create the flat bottom, and allow for the tubing to stand securely, the top of the tubing was taped off so no mix would get in. I made the base of the cone solid for about 8" then allowed for a hollow space where I placed perlite, just to reduce the overall weight. A piece of wire mesh covered the perlite and it is again solid for about 3" with the oil canister placed in the middle. The canister is from a bamboo torch. I like the boldness of this cone but it is very heavy.

The whole thing is veneered with a product called Milestone. Milestone makes hybridized cement and admix products. The colorants used were added to the Milestone admix, which stabilized the universal colorant (the color that goes into make a can of paint "red,blue, spring green" your choice). Milestone is a pricey product but does go a long way. The admix I am using is from a class I took several years ago, from Lynn DeNino

There are lots of options and I just picked up a skinnier traffic cone that will make a much lighter weight torch. I think a rustic tufa surface would be very nice,

Use the arrow key at the right of the webshots to view the rest of the torch.

Happy casting,

Dena

Here is a link that might be useful: behind the fence cone torch

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Comments (8)

doone
17 years ago
Wow, Dena. You really do fantastic work! I wish I could come to your house and play in the mud!
klinger
17 years ago
I really like this torch Dena, thanks again for all your good photos. Sometimes I have a hard time following written instructions, the photos are a blessing. The finish and color on that really reminds me of a ceramic finish.Just beautiful.I had never heard of Milestone before.I am hoping to go to the big city in a couple of weeks and to stock up on some things I just can't find here. Is Milestone from a concrete supply , or pottery supply place?I am looking forward to seeing your next one.
Cindy
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fleur do not be discouraged by failures of peat. more on that in a moment. I will start by stating I have no exp with hypertufa. That is what led me here. However as most things I do, I try to think of all things untried from a start on the foundation of physics (career habit). I think your suggested mix will be ok with 1 additional additive, a plasticizer. My first thought is with such a large percentage of perlite your mold will have a sever case of crumbling due to the excessive expanding and contracting of the perlite material. This type of activity is only 1 of many cuases for cement base products to crack but probably the most common. I would try starting with very small batches for something simple like maybe some coasters for the coffee table. Just add some felt or cork to the bottom for protection of the table. In my search on the web I have found tons of various lightweight cement ideas but the Hypertufa seems to be the most practical for home use. There are a lot of other lightweights out there but they employ special manufacturing technics that are not possible/practical for small scale use. On your problems with the peat. I have read that the best way to prepare the peat is to completely break it up and soak it in water for a few minutes then squeeze the excess water out before adding to the mix. Not sure how peat is sold in your area but for me it is sold in compressed blocks and if I took a small clump and tossed it in water it would simply float for hours. I have to literally pulverize it before use. I recall the first time I used peat was for a mulch and the water just flowed right off the bed. So I had to go thru the whole bed and rake it all out. I learned it wasn't good for mulch so I mixed it in the compost pile, it did wonders there. I don't mean to be harsh but I find it difficult to think you have done it all correctly when so many people have succeeded. Keep in mind curing is critical and curing all depends on both ambient temp and humidity plus the moister content of the mix. In my area the only successful crack free cement projects I have seen is when the project is continuously kept moist for several days. The real tragedy in that is I rarely see that done. I work in the construction field and most houses I go to have cracks in the driveways and often in the foundation yet the contractors seem to just consider it normal. I personally would never buy a home with foundation cracks when it is only a few days old.
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OMG, I totally envy you! The cheapest I can find in my area is about $16 bucks!!! You will absolutely love the Tomato Soup. I have two of them and what I love about them the most is that the cones come out lime green! They stay that way for several days until they darken up and the contrast of the red (which doesn't come out as a tomato soup red, by the way) and the lime green is just beautiful. I'll see if I can snap a pic of mine tomorrow. The red coloring is much prettier than on the tag, just deeper--Oh, I can't describe it! OK, I think I've turned into a fanatic. These new varieties of echinacea are sending me over the edge.
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Dena6355
Original Author
17 years ago
I am not sure if I am supposed to link to outside websites or not, and who knows who is watching. But here goes.
The only place I know that now sells milestone is Artison finishes located in Seattle. It is worth a call if you are going to be in the big city to see what they have, and whether they will be there that day. Park in back for free, if there is no game. It is a fairly non descript operation located in a loft, above an art gallery. The day a friend and I went we spent a long time asking lots of questions.
The ONLY reason I ever used milestone was the class I was taking on hollow concrete sculpture. At that time I shared the milestone dry and the milestone admix with another person. The dry was not to be mixed with water, only the milestone admix. The admix however goes just fine with grey or white cement. The admix is great since you can add any color you want and get almost that exact same color, you can paint with just the admix and color, add cement and it goes on very smoothly, add sand and you have a rougher surface.
Here is the link to Artisan finishes.
And here I go again, since no one asked. If you have a Do It hardware or an Ace Hardware store, find out if they sell any of the 'stone' products, many NOT made for outdoor use, Skimstone, Shimmerstone (both indoors) and now Spreadstone (outdoor use with a sealer). All or the products offer the chance to do many of the faux finish techniques and I think with a little practice can be applied to much of the concrete products and ideas that have been shared here.
Check out the Spreadstone website and play the video to see how it works. I went to a demo (free) on last Saturday, well worth it!!
Off the subject, well sort of!!!!
Happy casting,
Dena

Here is a link that might be useful: Milestone product information
ltd123
17 years ago
Your torch is beautiful and the milestone information is interesting. I sure admire the finish you got on this torch. Probably everyone knows this but me ..... however, what does the torch look like when burning? Does it shoot up a huge flame? produce a nice glow through the top cut-outs? make enough light to play cards? I guess I am wondering if it is more of a sculpture enhanced by fire or a source of lighting..
Thanks,
Laura
tulipfarmer
17 years ago
I love your torch Dena! I have seen Eva's too, and really want to do one! Someday!!!lol
The colour is awesome!!!
What a wonderful project.
Laurel
Dena6355
Original Author
17 years ago
laura,
Good question.When lit I will take a pic of it.
There are no cutouts on top. The black spots are stones. The center is a small canister just like the ones on a bamboo torch. The top of the canister screws off, so it can be refilled. The wick can be adjusted to make a high or low flame.
Dena
eva1429
17 years ago
Hi, Everyone,

Hope you're all having a creative 'tufa summer.

Dena ~ Fabulous! Love both your cone torch and the sand cast base! Those colors are beautiful in your garden setting. And actually I think you had this idea long before me. I remember seeing that orange traffic cone in your wonderful stash of magical mold possibilities ages ago. But thanks for the mention...it's fun to inspire each other. And I appreciate your generous spirit in all that you've shared with and taught me as well as many others!

Okay, you know how dense I can be, Dena, about practical, engineering type stuff. Please explain how the cone is supported in its base. On a piece of PVC pipe?

For anyone who's interested, below is the link to some of the cone torches I made last summer.

Eva

Here is a link that might be useful: Cone Torches
DebZone8
17 years ago
The list of things I want to make just got longer! Thank you for sharing your lovely torch!

Deb

Cone torch

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