What I made

This is my homage to Heath Robinson – a candlestick holder that measures time. And unlike Heath’s famously wacky contraptions it actually works!

The mechanism is very simple – it works like a pair of old fashioned scales. As the candle burns it gets lighter, slowly tipping the arm until a piece of cotton raises a wire gate and releases one marble. This sudden change in weight cause the arm to pivot, lowering the candle and raising the marbles again. This process continues until the candle has burned out.

As well as being a great conversation piece – it’s also a more unsual example of upcycling, the wire is from old coat hangers and the bricks were salvaged. Not quite as useful as a table, but definitely more fun!