How to Make Bamboo-Less Incenses

The burning of incense is probably as old as man's discovery of fire. Even primitive man had to have noticed that burning different woods produced different odors, some more pleasing than others. Throughout history, incenses have manifested themselves in many forms, including chopped herbs, raw woods, powders, pastes, liquids and oils.
Today most of us think of incense as dipped and coated sticks of bamboo or little cones---all of which produce aromas when burned. You can make your own bamboo-less incense cones at home, customizing the ingredients to create your own fragrances whenever you want. It's a little time-consuming, but the results are worth it. Purchase supplies for making incenses anywhere that candle-making materials are sold.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Newspaper
• Rubber or disposable gloves
• Glass mixing bowls
• Gum arabic
• Ground benzoic
• Powdered sandalwood
• Ground orrisroot
• Eyedropper
• Essential fragrance oils
• Myrrh
• Eucalyptus powder
• Lemon oil
• Kitchen scale
• Saltpeter
• Cookie sheets
• Wax paper
• Resealable plastic bags

1. Spread several layers of newspaper out on a flat working surface, and put on your rubber or disposable gloves.

2. Pour 8 oz. of warm water into a mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp. gum arabic and stir to mix thoroughly to form a thick paste, which is the mucilage. If it seems to be too dry to be a paste, add a few drops of warm water at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the mucilage has the texture of thick pudding. Cover the bowl with a hot, wet cloth and set it to the side.

3. Prepare the incense base in a separate large glass bowl by combining 2 tbsp. ground benzoic, 6 tbsp. powdered sandalwood, and 1 tbsp. ground orrisroot. Stir the powders to blend them well.

4. Add 6 drops of your favorite essential fragrance oils to the incense base with an eyedropper. Mix the oils into the powders with your fingers to blend them thoroughly.

5. Add 2 tbsp. sandalwood, 1½ tbsp. myrrh, 3 drops lemon oil, and ½ tbsp. eucalyptus powder. Combine the mixture well with your fingers, until it forms a uniformly fine powder. Weigh the incense with a kitchen scale.

6. Calculate 10 percent of that weight, and add that amount of saltpeter. For instance, if the incense weighs 10 oz., add 1 oz. saltpeter, and blend the mixture well.

7. See if your mucilage has thickened while sitting. If it's stiffer than thick pudding, thin it a little with a few drops of hot water. Add it a little at a time to the powdered incense mixture, blending well following each addition. Continue adding mucilage until the powders become completely dampened, and the mixture has the consistency of cookie dough. If it's too thin, the incense cones will not maintain their shape.

8. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper. Use your fingers to break off small pieces of the incense dough and shape them into little cones, like candy kisses. Set them on the wax paper. Put the cookie sheet in a warm dry location where they can dry undisturbed for 5 to 7 days. Place the bambooless incense cones in resealable plastic bags, and store them where it's warm and dry.