Conflicting altar issue

[SunflowerP]

Here is what the cabinet looks on it's own if that helps.

 
It does help me; it answers what I was wondering about, and means I can give input much more easily.

Most of the convo about scorch marks and such, so far, has been about effects on the shelf above the candle (sometime when your candle is lit, put your hand several inches above it, and you can feel just how much heat the flame generates even well above where the actual flame is). You definitely don't want to put a lit candle, even a little tealight, on the shelf the books are on!

The effects on the shelf the candle is sitting on work a bit differently. I see that in the picture you don't have anything between the shelf and the tealight other than the little metal cup the tealight comes in - you probably won't get scorch marks on the surface it's sitting on when the tealight is still fairly new, but you risk scorch marks (and worse - that's a significant fire hazard, especially since the relevant spot is underneath the candle where you can't see it as it happens) once it's burned down farther.

Because metal conducts heat extremely well, your current method as you describe it doesn't do a lot to resolve the problem. But you don't need anything too fancy or hard-to-come-by; tealight holders are widely available and can be quite inexpensive, and even the cheapest ones are usually adequate for the purpose. There are also various sorts of plates/trays, for putting multiple candles (or large block candles) on, available - these are usually ceramic or glass, which doesn't conduct heat as readily. By the same token, if your budget is really tight, repurposing a stoneware plate would work.

Sunflower

[anonymus]

 
do you mean some sort of special plate or just a regular one?

[celtickitty16]

Hope it's okay that I'm laughing. Was the DVD all right?

I haven't melted anything yet, but my bookshelf is much too tall for candles to live on top of it (either that or I'm just really short) and the cats would get to anything placed lower. I've scrubbed off as much scorch as I can, but it still kinda looks like a dragon had a tantrum inside the shelf. :whis:

 
Lots of laughter. Love the description (simile of dragons):p

[Leirion]

do you mean some sort of special plate or just a regular one?

 
Some regular plates will work just fine. I bought a glass plate at the local Marshalls that I rest my tealight candles on when I light them.

[Aelfcynn]

(snip)

It's been enjoyable to see everyone else's 'that time I set the altar shelf on fire' stories. I haven't repainted the scorching from two months ago when I nearly set the kitchen on fire in honour of Frige. /facepalm  I'm setting up my new altars/shrines in suitable, separate areas with no overhangings, but Frige's space remains there. But the candles are very much on the top shelf now.

Since then I've put my new candles in old glass jars - pudding jars, jam jars, my weohfod candles are in two wide-mouthed Nutella jars! Any excuse to eat a jar of Nutella, I guess.

[Redfaery]

Hi all,
I am new to Paganism and I woud like an altar within my house now I have moved to my own place .However, I keep striking a problem as what I believe my patron goddess to be is Bast (egyptian) and the goddesses and path that I mainly work with now is the Celtic Pagan traditions as my heritage is Scottish.
I know Bast would not like to share an altar spot with Rhiannon and nor would I expect her to, so Im struggling with how to respect her properly and create a celtic fae earth altar as well..any ideas please on how I can do this respectfully cause shes given me a lot of gifts in the past that I still use and want to do her justice.

please dont hesitate to contact me if you can help or just for a chat .
I don't bite..much
Kitty:)

 
I had something of a similar problem when I was still stumbling around, before Sarasvati took me in. I worshiped a large number of deities, but was getting good results with Ame no Uzume and the Virgin of Guadalupe.

I have one permanent altar set up; it's a vintage wash stand from the turn of the century. It's perfect, because it has a tabletop for me to set things up, and a little cupboard beneath to store stuff, and then a little rail behind to hang decorations. So it's up all the time. The thing is, I tried to set up both Uzume and Guadalupe on this altar, side by side, and I just got this feeling from Uzume that she was going - no, no, this won't work.

So I took all of Guadalupe's stuff and set it up on a folding tray table in my bedroom. I have a reasonably small apartment, but since I live alone and don't have much furniture, it's big enough to accommodate pretty much any number of setups. To be fair, I recently took down and relocated that altar, because Loki showed up and he wanted a space for whenever he visited.

Permanent altars are wonderful, and I'm really glad that I'm able to more or less have two. But I'd also suggest considering setting up some temporary altars while you're settling into your path, since you are new to paganism, as you said.

[SunflowerP]

do you mean some sort of special plate or just a regular one?

 
You can buy ones that are especially designed for setting candles on, or you can repurpose a regular plate. If you're doing the latter, you'll want to consider materials - stoneware, as I said, is probably the best choice for this. I wouldn't advise using a glass plate unless it was specifically meant as a candle plate (candle plates will usually be heat-tempered, but glass plates for eating use are often meant for salads and other cold foods, and are non-ideal even for hot food, much less a candle), or is some other sort of heat-tempered glass (e.g., Pyrex, Anchor Hocking, or Fire King). Plastic of any sort is also a very bad idea.

Don't choose anything that you'd be really upset if it was damaged, and if you're not certain how well a particular material will work for this, the fire-safety advice about never leaving a lit candle unattended is even more vital than usual.

Sunflower

[Sefiru]

stoneware, as I said, is probably the best choice for this.

 
Stoneware is the same stuff as "everyday china" like you can get at Target, right?

[SunflowerP]

Stoneware is the same stuff as "everyday china" like you can get at Target, right?

 
Mmm... sort of. I was thinking of the heavier stuff that says something like 'stoneware' or 'ironstone' on the bottom. (Or if it says, 'oven-safe'.) With the more lightweight 'everyday china' (or with older chinaware), I'm not as sure - I'd personally be willing to try it and see, but I'd also watch it like a hawk until I was sure of its safety.

Sunflower

[Emma Eldritch]

Since then I've put my new candles in old glass jars - pudding jars, jam jars, my weohfod candles are in two wide-mouthed Nutella jars! Any excuse to eat a jar of Nutella, I guess.

 
Oh hell yes, girl. XD

On the subject of preventing scorching, I put my metal holders and crap on thick not-flammable coasters. Thus far none of my beautiful woof furnishings have suffered as a result.

[quarks]

It's been enjoyable to see everyone else's 'that time I set the altar shelf on fire' stories. I haven't repainted the scorching from two months ago when I nearly set the kitchen on fire in honour of Frige. /facepalm  I'm setting up my new altars/shrines in suitable, separate areas with no overhangings, but Frige's space remains there. But the candles are very much on the top shelf now.

Since then I've put my new candles in old glass jars - pudding jars, jam jars, my weohfod candles are in two wide-mouthed Nutella jars! Any excuse to eat a jar of Nutella, I guess.

 
Using random jars is a great idea.  I've been trying to figure how to manage the wax overflow without having to buy brand new containers every time.  I have some peanut butter jars that would probably work for a while.  Thanks.

[yewberry]

You're much smarter than 20-something me... Oh, the scorch marks on the cheap IKEA bookshelf....

Lessons about tea lights vs. tapers.  Valuable, all.

Brina