Homemade candeler?

[BantyHugger]

I was looking at candelers the other day and their pretty expensive. We're trying homesteading, so money is watched. I would like to make it instead of paying $50 for a flashlight with a rubber attachment.
Has anyone ever made one? If so, how? Pics welcome. thanks

 

[ozark hen]

I have chickens who lay brown eggs and I just use a mag flashlite in a dark room.

 

[BantyHugger]

Exactly what am i looking for? I'll experment with the chicken eggs, but duck eggs have thicker shells. A flashlight doesn't seem able to pierce them.

 

[ozark hen]

One member uses an old movie projector to see through her eggs. Do a "search" on candling and see if you can come up with some ideas for seeing through those thick shells.
here is one really good post on what to look for.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=65134

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I taped black duct tape to my mag lite to make a funnel...works much better then the flashlight itself. maybe get a stronger light and tape some black duct tape to it in the shape of a funnel.

 

[brahma-momma]

i made a cheap candler out of the base of a small fiber optic christmas tree base. i got the tree at ajunk store for a couple dollars took the tree base apart and took out the little color wheel and i got a new dish sponge and cut an oval hole in it then glued it around the little hole in the base. my eggs are brown eggs but with my little candler i can see in the eggs pretty good. Jan

 

[hippichick]

I bought a package of two flashlights at Sam's Club for 28.95. I only needed one, but all they had was a two-pack. The brand name is Element. It's a 3-watt LED flashlight, and it is really really bright. We bought a thin piece of foam in the craft department at Wal-Mart and cut it out to fit on the end of the flashlight. Then we punched a hole with a hole punch in the foam, and taped it to the end of the flashlight with electrical tape. It directs a really strong stream of light that is very bright. It works very well. I candle the eggs right in the turner just like Miss Prissy says to do in one of her posts. I actually got the idea from reading her post, but the flashlight she uses costs like $80, so when I saw these at Sam's , I thought I'd give it a try. Works like a charm.

Paula

 

[speckledhen]

Many folks or their relatives have old slide projectors in the attic that still work. Here was my first candler, then the one I currently use.

 

[pbjmaker]

now those are awesome!
I have used both a small LED flashlight (way better than a regular one) and then I made a candler the other day with a ceramic light bulb base and a flourescent flood light (more lumens). Then I poked a hole in a box that I set over the light (make sure the bulb has enough room so the box doesn't catch fire) This one works even better for my super dark brown eggs.

 

[sara]

I also use an old slide projector that I got off of ebay for 10.00. It works great.