Oct 11

Still on the hunt for definitive answers on the wax issue.  But here is another resource for candle making instructions:

  • Candle Making Instructions | Candle Instructions – Looking for candle making instructions? Get candle instructions, ideas & tips from candlemaker/teacher, Jo Johnstan. Free “Candle Making Instructions” mini course.

    This is an article on what to expect if you are looking for candle making classes.

  • Candle Making Classes – What You Will Learn – Candle Making Recipes – Beeswax Candles For Beginners Beginner Candle Making Instructions Store candles can be costly. The… Can Your Candle Making Habit Pay For Itself? People take up hobbies for fun and relaxation, not as. …

 

Oct 9

While searching for more information on the benefits or drawbacks of what kind of wax to use for my candles, I ran across some rules on burning candles.  I think that by following these simple rules, some of the problems that people have with using candles can be avoided.  For instance:

Many people complain about soot on their walls and containers.  Before lighting the candle, trim the wick to between a 1/4 and 1/2 inch height.  Then keep it trimmed throughout the entire time the candle is lit and you will reduce the amount of soot produced.

Also, when burning pillar or three wick candles, a well forms in the center of the candle and it burns down the middle. This leaves a thick wall of wax that has to be trimmed or curled back down into the candle.  This makes for a pretty ugly and messy job.  If you burn the candle long enough to get the wax melted all the way to the edge, this will not happen.  If you know that you will not be able to keep a candle lit and attended for at least 2-3 hours but still want some candle light, use either a taper, tea light, or votive.

Here are a few other basic rules when burning candles:

1.  Never leave a burning candle unattended. 

2. Keep out of a draft.  (This also adds to the soot problem)

3. Always use a candle holder or some other suitable container under a candle.

Follow these few candle burning instructions and you will have less frustration and more of the peace you intend by burning candles in the first place.

Sep 19

Now that you have the few pieces of equipment required, let’s get into what kind of supplies or ingredients you will need.

Of course, you will need to choose what kind of wax you want to use.  The wax of a candle is the fuel that burns and there are many different types to choose from including blends of more than one kind of wax.  If you want to use a natural wax, you can choose from soy, palm, olive, coconut, and beeswax some singly or a combination.  There is also the most commonly used wax, paraffin.  Paraffin comes in many different blends which offer different melting points and consistencies to help you achieve your desired result including gel wax.

While the wax is the fuel that burns, the wick is the part of the candle that holds the flame in the fuel.  As the wax melts it it drawn up to the flame by the wick and burns.  Wicks are made of wood or cord and the type of wax you are using and size of the candle you’re making determines the proper wick material and size.

Dyes come in a variety of forms:  powder, chips, blocks, flakes, and liquid.

Scents can be added by using essential oils, dried herbs, or, as long as you don’t have chemical sensitivies, fragrance oils.

There are also many other additives available to help you achieve a beautiful candle.  There are additives to harden the wax, whiten the wax, make the wax shine and also to hold scents better and stick to the container. 

There are so many different types of each candle ingredient that I will post a separate article on each category.  

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Aug 24

There are a couple of pieces of equipment that are needed before you start purchasing supplies for candle making.  Supplies are items including wax, wicks, fragrance,and colorants– the actual ingredients that go into the candles.  The candle making equipment needed does not have to be expensive and it can most likely be found right in your kitchen already.

The first thing to make sure you have on hand before anything else is an ABC Type multiple purpose dry chemical fire extinguisher.  An ABC type is filled with monoammonium phosphate which is a yellow powder that leaves a sticky residue and could damage electrical appliances like a computer.  Make sure to keep your work area clear of unnecessary clutter and anything that could be damaged by this type of extinguisher.

You will need a double boiler since it is safest to heat wax slowly that way.  You should not be heating any wax in a pan directly on the heat source.  By using a double boiler, the wax is heated by the water in the bottom so it does not get hot enough to create a fire hazard.  Make sure to keep water in the bottom pan at all times and check it often.  The water will evaporate and a dry bottom pan is the same as cooking directly on the burner.  You can create a double boiler out of pots that you already have or look for some old ones that would be suitable at yard sales.  You can also use a pour pot as the melting vessel.  This is a deep narrow metal container with a handle and spout.  If you take a short tin can and cut out both the top and bottom it can be placed inside the bottom pot with the pour pot sitting on that so it is only in contact with the water and not so close to the heat source.  If you have metal cookie cutters, they can be used instead of the tin can.

A  thermometer is another necessary piece of candle making equipment.  You can use any cooking thermometer you might have already.  The best would be the kind with the clip so that you could just hook it on the side of the pan.  Make sure you have one that is long enough to reach well into the pot so that you get an accurate reading.

A digital scale is also needed to make sure your ingredients are the correct amount. Since you will have to measure out fragrances and they really need to be accurate for you to achieve the desired result for your candles, you should have a digital scale with increments down to .10 grams or better yet .01.

As soon as you have these few pieces of candle making equipment, you can work on getting the ingredients to go into your candles.

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Aug 9

When my children came to me and asked if we could make candles, I of course said sure no problem, why not! Well, then during my search on the internet, I realized it might not be that easy. There were many precautions along with the candle making instructions.

I did not realize that when the wax is heated too much, the vapors are combustible and can literally explode. If you have a gas stove – which we do – that could be a huge problem! Most candle waxes have a flash point of 290 – 300 degrees Fahrenheit so if you are melting wax and it heats unevenly and some spots in it are hotter it will create those vapors. I was starting to think that maybe my children were too young to make candles.

Then as I read some more into it, I found that if you use a double boiler it is easier to regulate the heat. And if you use a thermometer throughout the process you will always know where you are at. The wax only needs to be heated to 150-200 degrees to make candles. Start slow with a low heat and let the candle wax take its time. Just stay right there and monitor the temperature at all times and you should never have a problem with the wax exploding.

It is also safer to use an electric heat source instead of a gas stove which has an open flame. Treat wax like grease in a fire situation – DO NOT USE WATER to try to put out a wax fire! Have a tight fitting lid for the pan handy and also other things you can put a grease fire out with such as, flour, baking soda, or an ABC fire extinguisher. The most important thing you can do when heating wax is to NEVER walk away.

Another safety precaution when working with hot wax, especially with children is to have a bowl of cold water next to where you are working. If some wax gets splashed or you accidentally stick your finger into the wax, you can just dip it into the bowl of water. This is the fastest way to cool the wax and avoid a burn.

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