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Candle Making Basics
Candles have been around for many centuries. Early candles were
made from animal fat, which yielded a rancid smell when burned, and the wicks
continuously needed to be "snuffed" (trimmed to ½") to keep the candle from
smoking.
Fortunately today we have the availability of high quality
paraffin, bees, and even soy waxes. The wicks now burn down as the candle
burns, and we have endless varieties of fragrances to choose from. Candles
are no longer a necessity, but we still embrace them for their mood setting
ability and for the pleasure of their fragrance that can fill a room.
Important
Safety Precautions:
Caution: Wax does not
have the ability to boil, and if overheated will spontaneously combust!
Your
most important candle making tool is your thermometer!
Never heat your wax
above 200ºF.
Most candle waxes are best poured about 10º above melting point.
Never leave a lit candle unattended!
Do not use printed newspapers to
cover your candle making work surface.
Do not use crayons, oil paints, or
lipstick as colorants for candles.
These substances will interfere with your
candle s burn ability.
NEVER pour left over wax down the drain!
The wax
will harden in the pipes, and you will end up with very expensive plumbing
repair bills.
Do not bang or attempt to pry you candle from your mold.
Every dent and scratch you put into your mold will be 10 times as apparent
in every
candle you make.
Always have baking soda, a pot lid, and a fire
extinguisher handy when making candles.
NEVER try to put out a wax fire with
water! This will only spread the fire.
Should you
have melted wax come in contact with skin, submerge the area in water
immediately and allow the wax to cool completely.
Never try to wipe off the
melted wax. This will only spread the hot wax.
Container Candle
Making
List:
5 lbs. paraffin wax
with a 130º melting point
(Recommended
WW-78)
Candle Dye
Fragrance Oil
Chosen
Container
Wick with Wick Sticker
Melting Pot
Pouring
Pot
Thermometer
(All of the above list can be seen and/or
purchased from this store.)
Begin by measuring the wide mouth container you are going to use
for your poured candle.
Do this by pouring water into the container, then
pour that water in the container into a measuring cup. This will give you the
liquid measure of wax needed to fill the container. (For a basic rule
of thumb, 1 lb. of container wax is approximately 20 fluid ounces.)
Prepare the container with appropriate sized wick and wick tab.
Trim your wicking 2 inches longer than the top of the container.
Tie the
end to a stick or rod longer than the diameter of your container.
Center the
wick tab in the bottom of the container.
Lay the stick or rod across the top
of your container.
(Or you may use a variety of what we call "Wick
Holders.")
Heat your container to approximately 100º.
The wax will
shrink and pull away from the edges if poured into a cold container.
Melt the amount of wax needed in a double boiler or melting pot.
Using a thermometer, heat wax until the temperature reaches 165º to 170º F.
Add desired color and fragrance just before pouring your wax.
Let cool
to approximately 150º before pouring into container.
Fill the container
within 1/2" from the top of the container. Allow to cool. Center the wick
both in the wax and on top if the container.
Allow to cool slightly,
but not completely.
Once the candle is cool and the surface is level, trim
the excess wicking to 1/2" of the candle surface.
Votive Candle
Making
List:
Votive Wax with a 140º melting
point
(Recommended:
WW-74)
Wicks
Molds
Candle Dye
Fragrance Oil
Melting
Pot
Pouring Pot
Thermometer
(All of the above list can be
seen and/or purchased from this store.)
Begin by measuring the candle mold s capacity you are going to
use.
Do this by pouring water into the mold, then pour that water into a
measuring cup. This will give you the liquid measure of wax needed to fill
the container.
(For a basic rule of thumb, 1 lb. of votive wax is
approximately 20 fluid ounces.)
Prepare the mold by placing the wick pins in the molds.
Melt enough wax using your melting pot to fill the mold and then
some.
Add your desired colorants and fragrance.
Using a thermometer,
heat wax until the temperature has reached a temperature of 160-170º, carefully
fill your mold with the melted wax.
Un-mold the cooled candle. Trim the wick to 1/2" from the top of
the candle. |
