Candlemaking Tips
Candlemaking
is fairly easy and you can use equipment that you already have
around the house, although the right tools make the job a little easier.
Important Please Read the Safety Rules First
From a safety point of view think of candle
wax like cooking oil, because like cooking oil, wax is flammable at high
temperatures and must never be left unattended.
Candles must be placed on a flat surface and
not be left unattended whilst burning
Candle wax melts
at around 56°- 58°C (which is well below the boiling point of water 100°
C (212F)) and at temperatures below 100° C wax is fairly safe and will not
ignite. Wax has a flash point of typically above 130° C (300°
F) but for safety reasons it is recommended not to heat wax above 90°C.
Wax must never be heated to the point where it starts to vaporise, smoke or
sputter as it is liable to ignite. It is recommended for safety
reasons that wax is melted using the double boiler method and never, ever
heated by direct heat, this is because heating by direct heat raises the
temperature of the wax higher than boiling water. A Thermometer is recommended
for measuring the temperature of the wax. It is also recommended that gloves
and an apron are worn at all times.
In the event of the wax catching
fire: Turn off the heat and cover with a lid or damp cloth. Never
pour water onto a wax fire
Getting Started
It's a good idea to prepare some space near the cooker and cover your work
area with some newspaper as dried wax can be bit messy, although it’s not
difficult to remove from most surfaces. Don't pour any surplus
wax down the kitchen sink as it may cause blockages! Any
surplus wax can always be re melted and reused used another time.
The Candle Mould
Commercially made
moulds are available in a variety of shapes and sizes but you could use many
household things from a milk carton to a flower pot as long as it is heat
resistant. You can also make candles in sand moulds which is very
effective. The sand method and flower pots are perfect for putting
several wicks in one candle for a stunning effect. Candle moulds are
made in many materials: Rubber, Glass, Plastic and Metal. The Rubber moulds are
ok for irregular shapes but they perish, don't hold or support their own shape, distort
during cooling and leave an unattractive matt finish, and they cannot be used
with stearin . Glass moulds leave a good clean finish on candles and the better
ones are seamless, but glass moulds are very expensive, fragile and
shapes are limited to just cylindrical. Plastic moulds are inexpensive to buy
and much more durable, but some leave a slight seam mark, although this is
easily removed with a knife when the candle has set. Metal moulds in general
are excellent, very durable and they cool quickly. A range of plastic and
aluminium moulds can be found in our Ebay Shop so please take a look.
A good choice for
a beginner would be either the aluminium
votive moulds or the 50mm x 90mm aluminim pillar mould. Both are available as
candle kits or as moulds on their own from our Ebay Shop. They are quick to
make and use relatively small amounts of wax. 500g of wax will make six votive
candles or three 50mm x 90mm pillar candles. You can make two candles from our
plastic pillar and globe moulds per 500g of wax, these are also available as
kits or just moulds from our Ebay Shop.
Prepare the Mould
Wiping the inside
of the mould with a little vegetable cooking oil will help
release the candle from the mould. Make sure your candle mould is
thoroughly cleaned of any wax that may have stuck to the inside as this will
cause the next candle to stick. Warm the mould and wipe out with kitchen roll.
Sand Candles
Simply put some damp sand in a bucket, push in a suitable shape (you can be as
adventurous as you like) firm up the sand and pour in the melted wax. The
sand sticks to the wax and the finished candle looks stunning! You
can then carve/scrape some patterns in the finished sand candle using
wax carving tools. ( inexpensive Wax Carving tools available from our ebay shop). Use
different colour sand and wax to either compliment or contrast depending on the
finish you want.
Melting the Wax
You don't need a specialist wax pot, but you will need a saucepan and a
smaller saucepan that fits inside it. You can improvise by using a tin
can
in a saucepan or use a specialist pouring
jug which has a handle, making it safer to use. We sell an aluminium
candle wax melting jug, (shown below) which holds approx. 2kg of wax, and is available from our Ebay shop. For safety, the wax must
never be heated directly in a saucepan and must always be
heated indirectly using the double boiler method. Although
the wax is not difficult to remove from saucepans it’s not a good
idea to use your best ones!
Fill the larger
saucepan with a couple of inches of water, but not so much that your wax
container floats. Place your wax container in the water and keep an eye on it
while it is melting. Never leave your melting wax unattended.
There
must always be some water in the saucepan
If you are using
old candles cut them up into smaller chunks while your water is warming.
You can use a mixture of paraffin candle wax, beeswax and old
candles. Beeswax is a bit of a luxury, but it does give a nice aroma
and will increase the burning time of your candle, but an ounce or two of
Beeswax is normally enough. Beeswax is the only fuel known to modern science to
produce a “negative ion” which when burned purifies the air by removing dust,
pollen, household odours from cooking and pets, mold, mildew and toxic residues
from household furnishings, construction materials and rugs etc. It also helps
purify the air of viruses, bacteria and germs.
Church candles
normally contain 25% beeswax, however no more than 10% beeswax is
recommended for moulded candles. If you need any Beeswax or Paraffin wax we
have plenty available in our Ebay shop.
If you're using
old candles try and choose colours that will mix well together as you don’t
want to end up with a muddy coloured candle. Cut off any charred wick
ends as these may discolour the wax, although bits of wick can be
removed from the pot with a fork while the wax is melting. When re melting
coloured candles the colours will become weaker so adding a candle dye is a
very good idea.
How much wax do
you need?
This depends on your mould and how many moulds you have. As a rough guide to
find out how much wax a mould needs, fill the mould with water and then measure
the water in a jug. 300ml of water is equal to approx 260g of wax. 400g -
500g of wax is a useful working quantity and any wax left over can always
be reheated and used another time.
Types of Wax
Most Candles are made from Paraffin Wax, which is a by-product of the Petroleum
industry, and is the most cost effective way to make candles. Candles are also
made from a blend of Paraffin Wax and Beeswax. Both Paraffin wax and Beeswax
are available in beaded (pellets) or in slabbed form, but there is no real
difference between beaded or slabbed wax, it’s just a matter of personnel
choice. Unblended paraffin wax will need stearin added to it. This hardens the
wax to prevent pillar candles from bending and also shrinks the wax slightly
allowing the candle to be released from the mould more easily. Blended paraffin
wax already contains a percentage of stearin and so needs no more added to it.
Again it is a matter of personal choice. We also sell in our Ebay Shop a special "Container wax" especialy for use in glass
containers and is not suitable for moulded candles as it becomes liquid when
the wick is lit. It is designed to cling to the container so no gaps are
visible. Any heat resistant container is suitable. As this Container wax becomes semi-liquid
when hot a paper cored wick is essential, as a normal un cored wick will simply fall
over and drown in the wax.
Colour the wax
(Optional) 
We sell a wide range of candle dyes singly and in assorted packs, in our Ebay
shop, that are tested for their burning behaviour, light fastness and their
chemical reactions with fragrances, and just 1 gram of Candle dye will
colour 100 grams of wax. You can test the colour of your wax by allowing a
teaspoon full to cool on some greaseproof paper, as candles tend to finish
slightly darker in colour than in their molten wax state.
Coloured Layered
Candles ( Variation )
Why not try making candles with different coloured layers, they look expensive,
make nice gifts and are very easy to make. Simply allow each colour about 45
minutes to settle before adding the next coloured layer, but don’t leave
it much longer as you want the waxes to gel together. The candle can
even be made at an angle for an even more striking effect! You could also
try using a different fragrance to each coloured layer!
Fragrances
While candle fragrances are the obvious option to add scent to your candle you
can also use some Essential oil, Pot pouri refresher oils and Natural oils such
as Citronella to give a fragrance of your candle. You will need to experiment
as to exactly how much essential oil to use, but try adding around 8ml of
fragrance per 100 grams of wax. We use a plastic fragrance oil dropper to
measure exactly how much oil to use and give consistent results, this takes
away the guess work! (99p for 3 Oil droppers in our Ebay shop). You can
test the fragrance by putting some on a candle wick, lighting it and then
blowing it out, this will give you an idea of how it will smell. Add to
your wax just before you pour.
Optional Other
ingredients
Stearin is recommended and most people use it mainly because it helps release
the candle from the mould by slightly shrinking the candle. Stearin has other
benefits, it hardens the finished candle and this hardening extends the candles
burning time and helps to stop tall candles from bending. It also enhances the
richness of coloured candles and different percentages of stearin can slightly
change the finished colour. Use approx. 1 part Stearin to 10 parts Wax; just melt
it in with your wax.
The
Candle Wick
There are several methods of how and when to insert the candle wick this all
depends on the type of mould, so please read everything before you start
pouring any wax!
Method for moulds with a wicking hole in the base.
Firstly measure the wick against your mould. Lay the wick along the length
of the mould and allow about an extra 3/4 inch top and bottom. Push the
wick through the hole at the base and seal with candle mould sealer or blue
tack, making sure you press down firmly to create a seal all around the wick.
The wick pin is then pushed through the other end of the wick and laid across
the top of the mould. It can be useful to have a bowl of cool water handy, to
place your candle in if it starts to leak, as this will stop the flow
immediately.
Moulds without a wicking hole
Use a wick tab (sustainer) to centre the wick in the base of the mould. Push
the wick through the tab and crimp closed. Use a self centering votive tab for
votive moulds as this will keep the tab central without having to stick it
down. For larger moulds you may find sticky double sided dots useful to keep
the tab central, or you can put a blob of glue from a glue gun. Tea light
moulds do not really need wick pins, as the wick is so short and the wax cools
so quickly, you will find they stay upright on their own.
Inserting the
Candle Wick later
The wick is inserted into the candle after the wax has hardened and
is perfect for putting several wicks in one candle. Use a Wick
Pin or a length of straight, thick wire (a wire hanger will work
ok ) held in an oven glove or cloth over an open flame to heat
it. Insert the heated wire into the body of the candle. Insert
the wick into the hole you've just made. Repeat this until you have
as many holes as you want. An odd number of wicks always looks best. Once
the candle is lit any gaps between the wick and the body of the candle will
soon fill with melting wax. If using several wicks, the wicks
should be placed a minimum of 6cms apart or you will end up with a large puddle
of wax and drown your wicks, as each wick produces heat equal to a 40 watt
bulb.
Pouring the wax
When the wax has
all melted to the correct temperature, switch off the heat. Ideally the wax
should be about 78C – 82C for
pouring.
Wax poured colder may cause the candles to have a rustic-looking
surface –
which can look quite good, but if you want to be sure you are pouring
the wax at the right temperature a thermometer is handy. We sell a clip
on dial thermometer in our Ebay shop. Carefully remove the wax container from the boiling
water. Pour the wax carefully into the mould leaving a little space at the top
edge. After you have poured the wax carefully give the mould a firm tap with
the back of a spoon, this will help dislodge any air bubbles. As the wax cools
it will contract slightly leaving a "well area" in the centre which
is quite normal and is normally topped up about 20 - 30 minutes later. Most
candles need at least 24 hours to harden before removing them from the mould.
Even though they may look hard outside the wax inside is not yet solid. Don't
rush the cooling process or your fine efforts may be undone. Although that
said, you can speed up the cooling time by standing the mould in cool water
(ideal water temp of 50C - 60C) this can even improve the smooth
appearance of the candle. The larger the diameter of the candle the longer it
will need to cool.
Removing your
Candle from the Mould
If your candle won't budge from the mould, immerse the mould in very hot
water for 30 seconds. This will slightly melt the outside of the candle and it
should slide out Ok. Or you could try putting the mould in the fridge for 15
minutes and then turn the mould upside down and tap the bottom. When
your candle is out of the mould make sure the base is level for the candle to
burn centrally. If you need to, level the base of the candle by standing it
briefly in the base of a warm saucepan, or use a steel scraper. Also carefully
remove any seam lines from your candle with a sharp knife. Cut the wick to length,
6mm is about right, and try and keep the wick to about this length to reduce
candle soot.
Decorating your
Candle
Carved Candles
Many people like to add patterns to their candles by carving designs on
them.
This can be very effective, especially if the finished candle is dipped
in a
different, contrasting colour wax. This thin coating of wax will give
the
candle two colours and is an ideal base for decorative carving. The wax
here
needs to be hot (165F) and ideally made with a good strong dye mix to
give a
dramatic effect. Another method is to use a pyrography pen, these we sell in
our Ebay Shop, and Wood Carving knives are equally suitable for carving
wax we also sell a selection wax carving tools & pyrography kits.
Chunk Candle
These Chunk Candles or " Tutti Fritti Candles" as we like to call
them are an easy way to make stunning decorative candles. These candles
look more effective made as large diameter Pillar candles ( 75mm x 165mm
Pillar mould is about perfect )
To make these candles, prepare the mould and wick in the normal way, then
loosely fill the mould with chunks of different coloured wax (old coloured
candles are perfect ), ideally you want to cut the chunks about ¾" in
size. Melt some clear wax to around 90°C (194°F then
carefully pour the melted wax into the Candle mould on top of the chunks. (
Pour the wax into the mould at about 90°C not the normal 78°C - 82°C )
You can of course make your own coloured chunks of wax and in any colour
combination. Colour small quantities of wax and pour into ice cube moulds and
allow to harden. We sell a huge range of single colour candle dyes in our Ebay
shop. 10 grams of dye 99p. (10 grams is enough to colour 1kg of candle wax)
Ice Candles
Another variation on the chunk candle is an ice candle. Fill your mould with
ice cubes and pour the hot wax over them. The result is a candle that's full of
holes with the finished candle looking very much like a piece of Swiss cheese!
As the candle burns down in the centre the light glows through.It’s a very
effective candle that uses less wax and cools very quickly. Use the largest
mould you have for the best effect. Ideally a mould of at least 75mm in
diameter.
Bamboo Candle Boats
Another simple, cost effective and decorative Candle is to use a section
of 100mm (approx) diameter bamboo. This can be used either upright, with just the top
section filled, or split length ways and each section filled.
As you can see there are endless possibilities when you make your own candles. As long as you always
apply the basic rules for safety you can let your imagination run wild.
Have
fun, Matthew & Christine from Endless Green
Please check out our 100% feedback and our Ebay
Shop. We sell Candlemaking wax, Stearin, a good selection of moulds,
candle dyes, wick pins as well as wicks & sustainers.
Candles are easy and fun to make,
but please, be careful. 
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