How to Dip a Pillar Candle

Use beeswax for your hand-dipped pillar candle.

According to the website Candle Tech, dipped taper candles are the oldest form of candles. Perhaps that's because they are easy to assemble with supplies that were readily available. Modern candle makers may enjoy the homemade quality of hand-dipped tapers. Unlike mass-produced taper candles, each hand-dipped candle has a slightly different shape and character, adding to the already warm appeal of candlelit evenings.

Things You'll Need

• Double boiler
• Wax
• Coffee can
• Long-handled spoon
• Candy thermometer
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Wick
• Nuts

Instructions

1. Place approximately 2 inches of water in the bottom of your double boiler and put it on a medium-hot stove. Set the coffee can or a similarly shaped tall, thin "dipping vat" in the top of the double boiler.

2. Fill the coffee can with candle wax. Choose beeswax, paraffin wax, soy wax or a commercial candle wax mixture. Melt the wax until it is all liquid, stirring occasionally. Check the temperature of the wax with your candy thermometer, around 165 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for dipping tapers.

3. Cut a piece of wick twice as long as the taper you want to make, plus 5 inches. For instance, if you want an 8-inch taper, measure 8 inches twice, plus 2 more inches to provide each candle with a functioning wick, plus another 3 inches to hold onto while dipping, for 21 total inches. Limit the height of your taper to the height of your dipping vat.

4. Tie a nut or heavy washer onto each end of the wick. The weight will keep the wick straight as you dip it into wax.

5. Hold the wick by the center 3 inches and dip both sides into the melted wax. Pull the wick up and allow the wax to cool for several minutes. Each dip should take only a few seconds, and each cooling period should last two or three minutes. Repeat the process about five times, then cut the weights off of the bottom of the taper with your scissors.

6. Continue to dip and cool until your tapers reach the desired size. Hang them around a coat hanger or ceiling hook where they will not be disturbed while they harden and cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Occasionally check the temperature of the wax between dippings. Reheat if necessary to maintain the optimal temperature.

• Store your tapers in a hanging position to keep them straight and unblemished until use.

• Cut approximately 6 inches of heavy wire. Bend and curl each end into an open "O" shape. String the wick through the wire so that the extra 3 inches is in the center and the rest of the wick hangs evenly on each side. Use this tool to hold the tapers and keep them separated while you work and for storage when the candles are finished.

• Add color or scents to the melted wax before you begin dipping.

• Always use caution when working with hot wax. Remove children and pets from the work area. Keep a bowl of ice water on hand in case of burns.

• Never melt wax over direct heat. Wax is flammable.

References

• Candle Tech: Hand Dipped Tapers
• Pioneer Thinking: Making Hand Dipped Candles