Censers

[Mithrea]

Okay this might be a stupid question. I am not so science minded. :seehearsp

Anyway, during an herbal magic class today, I burned myself on a new censer three times. I'm used to one that has a pedestal and this one doesn't have one. Then, I just went to put out a candle that had been burning all day and the glass was warm, but it didn't burn me even though I expected it to.

So my question is, why are almost all censers made out of metal? Can't they be made with glass too, or something else so that they can be carried? I don't know how hot charcoals get but tempered glass can be put in an oven . . . I found some ceramic ones online, but they all have crosses on them.

Anyway, anyone have any blinding insight that I'm missing? If there are materials out there that don't conduct the heat so much, why aren't they used more? :hmmmmm:

[Silverfire Darkmoon]

Fill it with sand/salt. That cuts down on the heat immensely.
I have the bottom part of an old cone burner in my censer and I put the coal in that. There's no salt between the bit that holds the coal and the censer itself, and the pedestal of the censer doesn't get horribly hot.
I do tend to break my coals into quarters to make the tablets last longer so that might be part of it.

[-Ember]

Ditto on the sand. I don't like salt..metaphysical cross-symbolism for me. Ground sea-shells work well. A small brass dish with a little sand or something (to avoid scorching the dish) in a bowl of sand/something works well, and the outer bowl doesn't need to be as heat-proof as it would have without it. Also makes clean-up easier... just dispse of the small bowl's sand rather than trying to clean the whole thurible's.. or replace it each time.

[Crystal Craft]

MM I personally use sand stone, shapping it to size and shape of you will. Just a suggestion.
Blessings

[Raven Reed]

20 pounds of playground sand was under $5.00 at my local hardware store. I use that in my cauldron for charcoals. Plus, I have the cauldron sitting on a slab of marble so no heat transfers to my altar underneath.

[cheddarsox]

cauldron...sand...marble slab..!!!You must have the sturdiest altar ever!!!!LOL. I love it.

I use a burner made out of a clay flower pot and saucer. The pot is inverted and becomes the stand, then the saucer is on top. It is glued together and painted. It was a gift from some students. I have used it for years. Sometimes i put sand or salt in and the tablet on top, but lately I have not. Clay kitty litter works too.

I can easily carry the burner by the base. I like it, but it is not tiny, but there are tiny pots out there, so a really small one could be made if desired.

cheddar

[-Ember]

MM I personally use sand stone, shapping it to size and shape of you will. Just a suggestion.
Blessings

You might want to be careful with that. Haven't seen it for a censer, but as a fire ring I've seen them crack/explode from the heat.

Just bare stone I've cracked as a thurible, both quartz and agate....

[Crystal Craft]

:loveduv: Thanks for looking out for me. :flowers:
Blessings
_vb_

[Londubh]

My first censer was also a flower pot, they really do work well.

Later, I had someone I knew make me a censer in their pottery class. Think of it as a flower pot saucer with a smaller slightly raised bowl in the middle. I had her design it that way because it gives a little more protection from the heat and because I can put extra incense in the outer bowl for use when needed, which comes in very handy if I happen to be walking around with the censer.

I use fine white reptile sand in the smaller bowl. I picked it up at my local pet store for under ten dollars.