How to Make a Candle

Candles can set the mood and make a romantic setting out of just about anywhere. If you love candles you can turn your passion into a fun hobby by making your own candles at home. Here are step by step instructions on making your very own votive candles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 8 votive molds
• Silicone spray
• 8 large pre-wicked wick clips
• 1 lb. of candle wax
• Metal melting pitcher
• Aluminum steamer pot
• Metal teaspoon
• 1 tsp. Kemamide
• 1 wax dye chip
• ½ tsp. Vybar
• 1 liquid measuring cup
• Thermometer
• 1 2 oz. bottle of candle fragrance oil
• 1 wooden stir stick
• 1 medium to large empty box
• Safety goggles
• Hammer
• Kitchen scale (1 pound capacity)
• ½ gallon of water
• Paper towel
• Mold cleaner
• Empty and clean milk carton

1. Spray molds. Go outside into a well ventilated area and spray each votive mold with the silicone spray.

2. Break up wax. Put one end of the wax box into the empty box while holding the other end of the wax block up at a forty-five degree angle with your hand. While wearing the safety goggles, hit the block of wax in the middle firmly with the hammer. Continue breaking up the chunks of wax until they are small enough to fit on your kitchen scale.

3. Weigh your wax. Place some of the wax chunks on the kitchen scale and weight out one pound of wax.

4. Boil water. Fill the streamer pot with the ½ gallon of water and bring to a boil. Once the water boils turn the heat down and allow the water to continue simmering.

5. Ready your wax. Place your one pound of wax chunks into the melting pot along with the dye chip, Kemamide and vybar.

6. Melt the wax. Place the melting pot into the center of the simmering water, allowing the handle of the melting pot to hang outside of the steamer pot. Melt wax until it is completely liquefied.

7. Check the temperature. Once the wax is completely melted check the temperature of the wax with your thermometer. You want the wax to be 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it at this temperature for half an hour.

8. Add scent. Once the wax has “cooked” for half an hour add your scent. For lightly scented candles add ½ an ounce of fragrance oil to the wax. For heavy scented candles add one ounce. Stir the wax slowly but thoroughly with your stir stick to ensure all the scent is evenly distributed into the wax.

9. Put wicks in molds. Place one wick and wick clip into each of the eight votive molds.

10. Pour the wax. Carefully fill each votive mold up the flair at the top of the mold with your candle wax.

11. Adjust your wicks. Let the candles cool until a thick skin forms on the top of the candles. Gently pull on the wicks until they are centered and standing straight.

12. Re-pour. Wax shrinks when it cools. Once a large “dimple” has formed in the middle of your candles fill this void with more of the melted candle wax. Be sure not to pour over the top of the candle.

13. Cool the candles. Allow your candles to cool and set up for at least eight hours.

14. Remove the candles. Once the candles have cooled gently pull on the wicks and remove the candles from the molds.

15. Clean your molds. Dampen paper towel with mold cleaner and remove any wax residue from your candle molds.

16. Save wax. Any wax that is left over can be poured into a clean, empty milk carton and stored for re-melting at a later time.

Tips & Warnings

• Cooking the wax for half an hour eliminates any flaws the wax might have from manufacturing.
• Never place the melting pot into the steamer pot when the water is still boiling. The water may splash over the sides and enter into your wax creating inferior candles.
• Never dispose of left over wax by pouring down the drain or into a toilet. The wax will cool, harden and block your pipes.

Resources

• Genwax Candle Supply

[ljbinkop]

on 4/30/2009 This sounds complicated but very interesting! I never thought of making my own candles!