How to Make a Perfect Wax Hand
Wax hands are made as decorations, such as for Halloween. They are also made as a memento of a child's youth, though making wax replicas of a child's hand requires adult supervision at all times. This project is suitable as a family activity or for parties. It requires some specific supplies, about two days to complete and the use of your imagination in order to make the perfect wax hand.
Things You'll Need
- Bucket
- Play sand
- Wick
- Pencil
- Crock pot
- 1-pound paraffin wax
- Candy thermometer
- Candle color chips
- Wooden spoon
- Liquid candle color
- Metal ladle
- Paintbrush
Instructions
-
Make the Mold
-
1
Fill a bucket with play sand. Play sand is available at home and garden centers. Put enough sand in the bucket so that you can insert your hand into the sand up to the wrist. The amount of sand will vary, depending on the size of your hand.
-
2
Determine the shape that you want your wax hand by posing your hand in different forms, such as a peace sign, or a claw. Hold your hand in that shape.
-
-
3
Push your hand down into the sand in the bucket, maintaining the desired hand shape. Push your hand down far enough so that the sand comes up to the top of your wrist, then remove your hand from the sand, still keeping the desired shape.
-
4
Tie one end of a string wick to the center of a pencil and drop the free end of the wick into the hand mold in the sand. Rest the pencil over the top of the sand mold. Use this step only if you desire your wax hand to burn as a candle when complete.
Wax
-
5
Turn a crock pot on high and add about 1 pound of paraffin wax to the pot. The exact amount of wax you need will depend on the size of the wax hand that you are making.
-
6
Insert a candy thermometer into the wax and consistently monitor the thermometer as the wax melts. Paraffin wax will melt at about 125 degrees.
-
7
Add candle color chips or liquid candle color to your wax as desired while the wax melts and stir in the color with a wooden spoon.
-
8
Pour the melted wax from the crock pot into the sand hand mold using a metal ladle. Fill the mold completely up to the top edge with the wax.
Remove the Hand
-
9
Remove the wick end from the pencil if you made a wick for your wax hand.
-
10
Place one hand over the wax mold section of the bucket, then tip the bucket upside down to release all of the sand from around the mold. You may want to do this step outside.
-
11
Dust the sand off of the wax hand with a clean paintbrush until the surface of the hand is the desired texture.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a double boiler if you do not have a crock pot to melt your wax.
Do not use a gas stove to melt your wax. Gas appliances may cause the wax to ignite in the melting process.
The flash point of wax is 300-degrees. Never leave your wax unattended while melting.
