Candle Making Instructions for Beginners
admin | February 14, 2010
More and more people enjoy candle making as a hobby. If you’re interested in giving it a try, two good types of candles for this basic project are either a molded candle or a container candle. You can find pretty detailed instructions at Candle Making Instructions but here’s enough info to get you started.
Most people are familiar with the idea of a molded candle. The candle maker pours liquid wax into a mold, waits until it hardens, and then removes the finished candle. As the name implies, container candles remain within the the container into which to melt the wax is poured. This is usually a sturdy glass to allow the light to shine through.
You could buy a mold, but an empty milk carton makes it perfectly serviceable free mold for your first candle.
Canning jars are good containers for beginner and expert alike. They are readily available and inexpensive.
Naturally, you’ll need some wax to make a candle. {For your beginning projects I suggest using paraffin waxTo keep things simple, use paraffin wax}. This is widely available, inexpensive and suitable for a variety of applications. There are other candle making wax options to explore later but paraffin wax is probably the best choice for a beginner.
The second component of a candle is a wick. Get your wick from a craft store or other candle making supply source. The most important determining factor is the diameter of the finished candle. You will almost always find wicks labeled with the recommended applications.
Most likely you want to color your candles. To do so, get a dye made specifically for candle wax.
As you’d expect, you need to melt the wax. It’s very important to remain safe. After all, waxes flammable so there’s the potential risk of fire. Candle making is very safe if you use common sense and pay attention to some safety precautions.
I highly recommend that you always use a double boiler.
Prepare either the mold or container that you going to use. Attach the wick to the bottom of the mold or container with masking tape. Then tie the other end to a pencil or some other stick placed across the top of the container to hold the wick upright.
As a safety measure I consider it absolutely necessary to use a double boiler when melting wax. It’s also very good idea to use a thermometer to keep track of the temperature of the melting wax.
Heat the wax into it reaches a temperature of about 190°, then blend in dye if you want to color the candle.
Once the wax is melted and the dyes mixed in it’s time to pour it into the mold. The wax is hot so be careful. Keep the leftover wax for the time being. I’ll tell you about the second pour in a moment.
After the wax has hardened, you’ll probably notice that it is concave across the top. That’s where the second pour comes in. Reheat the wax that you saved and use it to even off the top of the candle.
Once the second pour has hardened the candle is complete. , light itWith container candle, you simply need to trim the wick to about 1/4 inch. If you used a milk carton mold, tear it off the finished candle and trim the wick.
the basic technique is pretty straightforward]. If you had several molds or containers, you can make multiple candles about as quickly and easily as you can make one. I hope the instructions you received here encourage you to take up the craft of candle making.
These instructions are very abbreviated. To get detailed guidance on all aspects of candle making you should go to:
http://www.candlemakingconnection.com/Home-Candle-Making-Made-Easy.html
May your candles burn brightly!
