How to Make a Wine Bottle Torch

While browsing the interwebs, I got lost in the addictive vortex they call Pinterest. If you want to see where I’ve been wasting my time you can check out my Pins. Anyhow, I saw a very beautiful wine bottle that was turned into a torch and I thought it was enchanting. Since my brother has been visiting me, and since he is the most handy person I know, we did this craft project together. And now at night I relish the beautiful flames swaying in the pitch black of my deck.

Here is how you make ’em, you just will not regret this.

You will need the following for 1 bottle, multiply by the number of torches you want to make:

• A wine bottle (I got mine from West Elm which were a little thinner than a wine bottle)
• Threaded 3/8-16 inch threaded rod (I got mine from Home Depot)
• Nylon thread seal tape (I got mine from Home Depot)
• 1-inch split ring hanger threaded for 3/8-16 inch rod (I got mine from Grainger online)
• Plate flange connector threaded for 3/8-16 inch rod (I got mine from MSC Industrial Supply online)
• 3/8-inch copper coupling (I got mine from Home Depot)
• 3/8-inch hex nuts (I got mine from Home Depot)
• #10 wood screws (I got mine from Home Depot)
• Tiki replacement wick (I got mine from Home Depot)
• Tiki torch fluid (I got mine from Home Depot)
• Useful: a hacksaw, tiki wick caps (I got mine from Pex Supply online), electric or manual screw driver, hammer, nail, a funnel

I chose to use these colored bottles from West Elm because they were elegant looking, but there’s no reason not to use an empty wine bottle. Simply put it in the dishwasher to help remove all of the labeling and glue and you’re also set. It would also work with some of those colored sparkling water bottles out there in the nice blue and green colors.

Here’s a close up of your hardware. It’s serious stuff folks. Say flange 10 times fast. That’s the square with three holes.

This is the split ring hanger.

And this is the copper coupling being wrapped in threaded tape so that is fits into the wine bottle opening snugly. I like that word — copper coupling, copper coupling, copper coupling.

Okay, I’ll stop.

Once it’s wrapped with several layers this is where it will go.

Give it a good press to make sure it is in snugly. We don’t need any loose copper couplings.
Now, slide in the wick and tighten the ring around the top of the bottle.

If you want to have shorter distance from the torch to where you are fastening it, you’ll probably need to cut your threaded rods. I couldn’t find them in 6-inch lengths so I bought 12-inch rods and cut them with a hacksaw. This requires serious elbow grease.

But eventually, after you hack, you will have shorter pieces which looks nicer I think.

We decided to have ours attached to some trees on the deck so we chipped away some of the bark to create a smooth surface.

My brother used a large nail to create a starer hole for the wood screw.

Then he twisted in the wood screws with a manual screw driver. You may be able to skip the nail with an electric screw driver.

Next, screw the hex nut onto one side of the rod…

And tighten it into the threaded base. Make sure the nut is tight.

Then you’ll do the same with the base of the ring. You’ll turn the bottle around and around until it is tight.

Then you’ll pour in your tiki fluid.

I highly recommend using a funnel. But I didn’t have one so we did our best.

You’ll let the wick soak for an hour or so before testing it.

And then light it and give it a try. It’s just magical.

I love lighting them at night. I feel like I’m in a tropical jungle. It’s a nice way to escape winter in your own mind.

Give it a try! It’s a fun family project.