Making Candles At Home?
Sep 28, 2008 | candle kitsI was wondering if there is a way to make your own candles at home with the stuff that's already here like normal pots and pans etc..Other than having to buy the kits they sell at hobbie shops and such.If I can make them at home,how,what do I need or websites that could tell me would be awesome.Any info about candle making would help too!
Good news! There's no need to bother with all the expensive kits in the craft stores. You WILL have to buy the wicking - you cannot simply use ordinary string, it will burn straight off. Look for lead-free wicking. It is relatively cheap and comes in a multitude of thicknesses and lengths.
For your melting pot, you can use an old stainless steel pot, or a ceramic double-boiler. It is best not to melt your wax directly on the heat, but it will work if you keep the heat very low and keep the wax moving by continuously stirring it gently until it reaches a pourable state.
For your wax, just shave down (use an old cheese grater) your old candles, and ask your friends and neighbors to give you their old candles rather than throw them away. You want to stay with either unscented candles, or candles of a similar scent - don't just blend together everything you have. Some scents just don't work together and the result can be a trainwreck in your nose!
For your molds, clean candle holders (glass) work best. You can also use any glass jar or bottle, or other heat-proof container. If you use a long-neck bottle, such as a glass coca-cola bottle, wait til the candle completely hardens (24 hours), then put the bottled candle into a pillow case and gently break the glass away from the candle using a metal hammer on the outside of the pillow case (and outside of the house!) Don't worry about little glass shards, they will be contained within the pillow case if there are any (but it usually breaks off in large pieces). Also, spraying the inside of the bottle lightly with plain cooking spray helps wonders before you pour the wax. When using longneck bottles, don't fill all the way up to the neck - only fill up to the point where the neck just begins to taper.
The Easiest mold to use by far is an empty juice can - the cardboard ones that frozen orange juice concentrate comes in. These are wax-lined and peel away easily from the finished candle without harming it. They also let the candle cool and set a little quicker than using glass jars.
For Colouring, believe it or not, crayons are your best bet. Melt them into the wax a little bit at a time until you achieve the desired colour.
For Scent, use scented old candles for your meltdown. You can also use scented oils, adding just a couple drops at a time until the desired strength is reached. Only add by the drop though - too much an the candle won't set up properly and will burn down too fast, possibly becoming flamable itself. Use the smallest amount of scent needed. You can also scent with natural items such as ground dried rose petals, lemongrass, or other herbs. Use small pieces so that they are not a danger when burning the candle.
One other tip for your wicks - to get them to stay in place while you're pouring, place a drop of melted wax on the underside of the metal baseplate of the wick and "glue" it in this manner to the bottom of the container you're using for our mold. Pour your melted wax in slowly so as not to move the wick's base, and also to avoid air bubbles in the candle itself.
Embellishments can be made by holding small sea shells over heat until they are hot (be careful not to scorch them), and then pressing them into the sides of the candle, letting them partially melt their way into the candle. You can also "glue" seasonal leaves and pressed flowers to the outside of a candle by dipping them in melted clear wax and pressing them into the sides of the candle, then hold the candle by the wick and dip it once or twice into the hot clear wax for a final sealing coat, or brush the hot wax onto the entire outside of the candle. Dipping is the easier method, if you are using a large enough pot.
And here's one last hint for you to try: Use an old ballpoint pen, pencil, or rounded-tip stenciling tool to carve intricate designs into the finished candle. You can even write a poem down the side, a favourite quote, a friend's name, whatever you like. Then, take a complementary coloured crayon and pass it through an open flame a few time, essentially meting the tip (remove paper wrap first!). Press the melted crayon into the deigns you just carved until you cover your entire pattern, wiping away the excess colour as you go. You'll then have a beautifully designed candle with multiple colours that you'll not find in stores!
Hope this has helped, and in case you can't tell, yes I am a candle nut!
December 7th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
It's not too hard. Look it up on google or ask.com- too much to explain here. You won't need a kit, but you will have to buy wax, colorings, scents etc.
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December 7th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
instead of pots and pans use a kettle its much safer for color use crayons along with wax
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December 7th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I used to melt old crayons, and added scent. I used a double boiler so they wouldn't melt to fast. I bought tea light holders or I used empty baby jars to pour the wax in. It was a fun hobby, but no time now.
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December 7th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
i know yrs ago i made them in school we used paraffin then the crayon made the color we used can like what a large amount of fruits or veggies come in then we ties the wick to a long piece of round pencil or wood next day we would dip the can into hot water and pull the candle out was really neat ~~~i just dont know where u can buy wicks at???but we had a ton of fun and sand candles we made too you had a box of sand then scooped out the shape u wanted your candle to be and after it hardened took it out of the sand to cool ~~~good luck and be really careful they were dangerous !!!!!!!!!
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December 7th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I make candles at home. Yes you can use a regular pot but you need to turn it into a double boiler by boiling hot water on low heat and placing your dry pan into it. you do need a candle thermometer (less than $4) you can buy wax and wicks at a hobby store and some scent if you want scented candles or you can recycle old wax that is not burned.
Prepare the containers for wax by tying a pencil to the wick to prevent the wick from falling into the wax and to hold it in the middle.
You can clean candle containers by placing in the freezer for 5 to 10 min and the old wax will peel out clean.
You can also use tin can for candles and after they set for 24 hrs place in the freezer to remove from the can to have candles without a container. I burn in tall fat vases as this make the candles pretty
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December 7th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Be aware that if you make candles at home the wax will make the pot unusable after that. You can buy the wax at a hobby lobby and then use regular crayons to get your desired color. Melt the crayons and wax together and have a bowl of cold water next to the pot. You can also buy wicks at the hobby lobby. If you want to pour the wax into a votive or such pur it in and place the wick in place, and then leave in ice water until set. Another way which is tedious and long but extremely fun if you have the time is to buy a string wick(long) and you dip the string in the wax and then ice water and then back into the wax and then back into the water and so on and so forth until you get the desired amount of wax on the string to make a decent candle. Its fun for kids to try and such. Plus you can show off your homemade candles to friends! Good luck and if you decide to go with this method dont hesitate to ask an associate at the store what wicks would be best for each method and such. Good luck and have fun!
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December 7th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Good news! There's no need to bother with all the expensive kits in the craft stores. You WILL have to buy the wicking - you cannot simply use ordinary string, it will burn straight off. Look for lead-free wicking. It is relatively cheap and comes in a multitude of thicknesses and lengths.
For your melting pot, you can use an old stainless steel pot, or a ceramic double-boiler. It is best not to melt your wax directly on the heat, but it will work if you keep the heat very low and keep the wax moving by continuously stirring it gently until it reaches a pourable state.
For your wax, just shave down (use an old cheese grater) your old candles, and ask your friends and neighbors to give you their old candles rather than throw them away. You want to stay with either unscented candles, or candles of a similar scent - don't just blend together everything you have. Some scents just don't work together and the result can be a trainwreck in your nose!
For your molds, clean candle holders (glass) work best. You can also use any glass jar or bottle, or other heat-proof container. If you use a long-neck bottle, such as a glass coca-cola bottle, wait til the candle completely hardens (24 hours), then put the bottled candle into a pillow case and gently break the glass away from the candle using a metal hammer on the outside of the pillow case (and outside of the house!) Don't worry about little glass shards, they will be contained within the pillow case if there are any (but it usually breaks off in large pieces). Also, spraying the inside of the bottle lightly with plain cooking spray helps wonders before you pour the wax. When using longneck bottles, don't fill all the way up to the neck - only fill up to the point where the neck just begins to taper.
The Easiest mold to use by far is an empty juice can - the cardboard ones that frozen orange juice concentrate comes in. These are wax-lined and peel away easily from the finished candle without harming it. They also let the candle cool and set a little quicker than using glass jars.
For Colouring, believe it or not, crayons are your best bet. Melt them into the wax a little bit at a time until you achieve the desired colour.
For Scent, use scented old candles for your meltdown. You can also use scented oils, adding just a couple drops at a time until the desired strength is reached. Only add by the drop though - too much an the candle won't set up properly and will burn down too fast, possibly becoming flamable itself. Use the smallest amount of scent needed. You can also scent with natural items such as ground dried rose petals, lemongrass, or other herbs. Use small pieces so that they are not a danger when burning the candle.
One other tip for your wicks - to get them to stay in place while you're pouring, place a drop of melted wax on the underside of the metal baseplate of the wick and "glue" it in this manner to the bottom of the container you're using for our mold. Pour your melted wax in slowly so as not to move the wick's base, and also to avoid air bubbles in the candle itself.
Embellishments can be made by holding small sea shells over heat until they are hot (be careful not to scorch them), and then pressing them into the sides of the candle, letting them partially melt their way into the candle. You can also "glue" seasonal leaves and pressed flowers to the outside of a candle by dipping them in melted clear wax and pressing them into the sides of the candle, then hold the candle by the wick and dip it once or twice into the hot clear wax for a final sealing coat, or brush the hot wax onto the entire outside of the candle. Dipping is the easier method, if you are using a large enough pot.
And here's one last hint for you to try: Use an old ballpoint pen, pencil, or rounded-tip stenciling tool to carve intricate designs into the finished candle. You can even write a poem down the side, a favourite quote, a friend's name, whatever you like. Then, take a complementary coloured crayon and pass it through an open flame a few time, essentially meting the tip (remove paper wrap first!). Press the melted crayon into the deigns you just carved until you cover your entire pattern, wiping away the excess colour as you go. You'll then have a beautifully designed candle with multiple colours that you'll not find in stores!
Hope this has helped, and in case you can't tell, yes I am a candle nut!
References :
December 8th, 2007 at 4:43 am
It is time consuming, and you have to follow a lot of safety because was is flammable.
Get some books from the library.
The kits at hobby stores are overpriced and not good.
Use different pots, and clean wax pots in the sink, the wax will clog your drains.
Don't use crayons, the pigments are solids and will clog the wicks.
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December 8th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Jelly Jar Candles
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76476506.tip.html
Glittery Snow Candle
http://www.mormonchic.com/crafty/glittery_snow_candles.asp
Candle Making Projects
http://members.iinet.net.au/~campbell1/projects.htm#OLD
here are some links you may like
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