DIY Chanukia (Menorah)

thePrimaIma

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 2:16 pm

Hello!
Chanukkah is approaching and I do not own a Chanukia. In past years DH and I simply lined up some tea lights but I always hated the way it looked. Since I do not have the budget to buy a nice one, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of a DIY (do it yourself) Chanukia?
I think it will be a nice project Smile

SplitPea

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 2:20 pm

thePrimaIma wrote:

We are also tight financially at times making one can be more expensive then buying a pretty one at like amazing savings they are like 5-10 bucks.

greenfire

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 2:25 pm

there's also beer or booze bottles ...

nuts glued onto wood - they do this for school projects ...

zaq

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 3:05 pm

If you have a set of shot glasses you may be able to fit tea lights inside them. Or you can cut regular Shabbat candles in half or thirds and put those inside the shot glasses.

Are you or your dh handy with tools? You could take a rectangular block of wood and rout out shallow depressions to fit the shot glasses so they stay lined up straight. You could do the same thing with metal thimbles, or glass test tubes for that matter, and use the skinny standard chanuka candles.

Google on DIY chanukah menorah for lots of ideas. Just be sure to use noncombustible materials.

Barbara

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 3:07 pm

greenfire wrote:

there's also beer or booze bottles ...

nuts glued onto wood - they do this for school projects ...

Baby food jars filled with pretty trinkets, with a nut glued on the lid for a candle holder. The jars can be glued to a piece of lucite.

I still think its easier to buy a $10 menorah, but that's me.

bubbebia

Wed, Nov 20 2013, 3:42 pm

Get a piece of wood about 15" long and 2" wide. Paint it. Then buy 10 nuts. Glue 8 of them down to the board and then stack the other 2 gluing them together with a little superglue. These will fit the standard Chanuka candle. You can also use a wooden paint stirrer. Just paint it up and follow the directions above. If you want to make it shiny, shellac it before you attach the nuts. My kids each made one like this in kindergarten and they still have them!

greenfire

Wed, Nov 27 2013, 3:12 pm

oooh I've been dreaming of a homemade menorah for your tea lights ... here's my idea

you need a piece of wood long enough to hold 9 tea lights [18" would work] with space in between & then you cut out the wood with a 1 1/2 " spade drill bit ...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1.....1000P

then using a smaller additional piece topped in the center for the shamash

cut out holes & finish as desired

now if the wood isn't thick enough for some leftover on the bottom - I might drill holes through one piece of wood & attach a bottom piece for support ... hm

maybe I'm going to have to make one for erev shabbos or just for FUN

precious

Thu, Nov 11 2021, 7:20 am

bubbebia wrote:

I want to make this with my kids - how is it safe to melt candles on wood? Or what about covering the wood with glass mosaic tiles before glueing on the nuts - is that safe?

BubblyBubby

Thu, Nov 11 2021, 7:56 am

take a china olive tray, looks like a little ship. fill with plaster. Make holes for candles, paint outside

Take one of those plastic boxes you use for cutlery in your drawers. Fill with plaster, make holes for candles, let dry, take plaster out of mould, decorate plaster chanukkia with mosaic stones (careful, don't drop, plaster breaks easily)

Make chanukkia from scratch out of clay, paint, decorate.

May

Thu, Nov 11 2021, 8:42 am

Dollar tree sells pretty glass candle sticks for $1. Buy 8. Glue them onto some sort of wood or something. (Or don't glue, you can just line them up side by side on a covered cookie sheet.) Use a taller candlestick for the shamesh.