candle making

imogen-p

I'd go with the ban marie method of melting, mainly because I don't like the removing wax from sauce pans part.

You could go with dipped candles if you've got enough wax, and long enough wicks. The plus side is if you use a pot you don't mind always being waxy there's no clean up of pans to do.

Just put the wax in a tall pot (something like a big mug is good, but even something like a washed out baked bean tin would do), once melted dip the wick in. It'll get a thin layer of wax on it, let it cool for moment and then repeat until the candle is as thick as you want it.
The wax in the pot just needs to be the depth you want the candles length, so tall narrow pots work well as it means you can make long candles without too much wax.

You can make decorative one like this, by doing most of the dips in one colour then finishing it by doing the last two or three dips in another. You can then scratch of some of the outer colour layer, say in a spiral, and if you'd used say red and white wax, and you'd get a candy cane type effect.

(I've only ever done dipped with bees wax over an open fire at a reenactment event, but there's no reason why it shouldn't work for ordinary wax candles using a cooker.)

zippychick

ive merged this with our candle making thread

Zip

JUDE

thank you all for your help and advise.
melted all the wax in a glass bowl in a pan of hot water and poured in back into the glass jars.
managed to get a pack of 20 of the little metal pegs and a meter and a half of wick from Tindalls for a total cost of £1.05........now have 3 new large Yankee candles for a cost of just 35p each!!
will never throw away near empty pots again
:T:beer:

PolishBigSpender

I was once making a candle at an integration evening on a conference in Hungary. It was their traditional way of making candles.
We had a big bucket full of wax and another full of cold water, and each of us got a long wick
We were tipping the wick in the hot wax and than quickly in water, wax again, water again, wax... Until you got the candle of a desired shape and size. You could shape it a bit with your fingers as long as the wax was warm.
It was fun, but I wouldn't do it on regular basis - it took ages to complete

camNolliesMUMMY

i have quite a few nice scented candles that have no wick left on them, what can i do with the wax so i can use it all and still make my home smell nice??

Peartree

Look up 'tart burners' - they are like the scented oil burners that were all the thing a few years ago with a reservoir on the top and a space for a tea light underneath. Put the scented wax in the top and burn the tea light underneath and it will release the fragrance into the room. When you have used up your wax remains, you can buy scented wax tarts which are cheaper than candles.

Failing that, stick them in something heat proof land put them on top of a hot radiator - but only somewhere safe!

camNolliesMUMMY

thanks for the tip, ive used my oil bunner but instead of putting oil in the cup ive broken up some of the candle wax i have left and it smells lovely, the candle was a spiced apple and cinnamon which is very christmasy so thanks for the tip.

PixieDust

and when the smell had faded from the oil burner, break the wax into bits (or leave it in one block) and put it in your clothes drawer...there's still usually a bit of 'niff left in them

valk_scot

You can re-melt candle wax but NOT in a pan or micro, use an old tin can in a pot of boiling water, as a double boiler. Then pour it into moulds, like a yoghurt pot, or use a heat proof jar or glass or old teacup. You need to use a string wick of course, weighted at the base (tie it round a bit of wire or glue it to a 1p piece) and support the other end by tieing it onto a skewer or something balanced across the rim of the container.

camNolliesMUMMY

thanks people, anymore tips are more than welcome for other tips.