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... l want a thinner piece and if you do a large one you will want to use a thicker wick. Since you have already setup you work area and materials, you first have to make a double boiler before starting the melting process. Do not microwave the wax because it can splatter and be very dangerous, and also the color in the wax will fade. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of your saucepan and heat on low.
Put your coffee can in the saucepan and add the wax pieces. Once the wax is melted, you can pour directly into the molds and be careful to keep the wick straight As the candles melt, remove the old wicking and any noticeable dirt from the wax with a fork or skewer. Stir your wax well with the metal spoon, but let it settle before you pour. And do not pour the whole mixture into your candle. This will leave undissolved particles in your pot. You can also pour your wax through a nylon stocking to have cleaner wax.
When pouring the wax pour Slowly! Gently tap the mold to release large air bubbles after pouring. Then slowly stir the wax inside the mold with a clean skewer to release small air bubbles. Remember, removing your melted wax from heat may cool your wax below the desired pouring temperature. Always check the temperature of your wax before you pour. The recommended pouring temperature should not exceed two hundred Fahrenheit degrees (200 F).
Note that heated wax tends to shrink as it cools. Therefore, carefully poke the surface with the skewer as soon as the cooled skin forms, to release tension and refill with melted wax. This is important, or the candle may have large air pockets in it causing it to burn improperly, or may have weird concave depressions on its surface. You can allow it to cool right on the newspaper or semi-cool on the newspaper for about twenty minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator.
Do not put it in the freezer though, or the candles will crack. Once the candles are cool to the touch you can take them out of their mold. If you are using store bought mold all you have to do usually is pull the two pieces apart and the candle will come right out. If you use homemade molds, peel the tape off first and then tear the molds away from the candle. They usually come out pretty easy. The only thing left for you to do is to trim the wick on the top of the candle.
Also, use the following technique for a nice finished look: cut off or trim the wick from the bottom if the necessary (removing knots in the wick will help in leveling the base) heat your saucepan after removing the water. When the pan approximately reaches the melting point of the candle wax, remove it from the heat and carefully melt the bottom of the candle until it is level. But do watch out! Do not melt the bottom on a very hot surface or direct heat for that matter.
And do not burn your fingers. Or you could trim the candle base with a knife, still be careful. If you desire to change the color of your wax, it is advised to use a dye specifically for candle making, specially if your new melted wax is dark and murky as a result of mixing a bunch of colors together. You can add scent to your candle as well. But if the wax is already scented, be careful.
Some scents do not mix well with others. Try not to use scented oils that are added to a base (like scented massage oils). These additional oils bring unnecessary additive to your wax and can affect the burning quality, although careful experimentation may bring an acceptable balance between good burning quality and an interesting candle appearance. Watch out, too much scent can damage molds.
This is a long explanation on scents because scent can be the most expensive additive in candle making. For beginners, inexpensive oil such as a home fragrance lamp oil is recommended. These oils are meant to be heated and can work well. Many oils not specifically made for candle making may smell strong at first when the candle is newly made but slowly lose its scent, while candle making scents hold best over time.
To make candles (brand new or recycled) last longer, keep them in a cool dry area, and away from direct sunlight (or even strong light), it will make the colors of your candles fade. Storing candles in a zip lock bag conserves their scent and keeps dust off. When burning the candles, burn them away from drafts. A draft will cause your candle to burn unevenly, drip and smoke.
Also if you keep your wicks untrimmed they will tend to smoke. If you refrigerate your candles for an hour before burning, they will last longer. And if you wrap them up in foil or plastic you shall prevent the wick of the candle to absorb moisture while it is in the fridge. If it does absorb any moisture, the candle will not burn properly. Different pouring temperature, additives, scents, color and the type of the wax used will produce different results every time. Experiment to discover what you like, use you imagination and have fun.
Remember that you can always melt the candle down and start over if it is not what you had in mind! Bibliography Peritts, Vivian. Tapered Santa Candles. CRAFTSN THINGS: February 1998: 18 (3) Peritts, Vivian. Pink Ice Candles. CRAFTSN THINGS: February 1998: 18 (1) Odea, Eileen.
Candle Making 101. HOME & GARDEN: September 1998 The New Caxton Encyclopedia: volume 4 CAM-CHO: REFERENCE 030 N: 1035 - 1036 The New Encyclopedia Britannica: volume 2 C 1: REFERENCE 030 E 56 b 1997: 798 Guy, Gary V. Easy to Make Candles: Dover Publications: March 1980 Oppenheimer, Betty The Candlemakers Companion: A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dripping, and Decorating Your Own Candles: BALMUTH: August 1997 Aziz, Huda. Recycling Your Household: Soap and Candle Recycling: DARR AL NOUR: 1993: 162 - 198
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Research essay sample on Craftsn Things February Craftsn Things February 1998 Wax
