Candle making

[Remali]

For years now I've wanted to try making candles at home, I've decided this is the time to just do it! Has anyone out there tried it? Any advice? Any good websites out there, or good books on it? :)

[TheRedHayflinger]

I used to do it for years!!!

you will want to get an old tin cup to melt the wax in...you set it in a boiling pot of water...make your own double boiler this way.

never get water in the wax. never get wax in the water. both never end up good..lol

buy quality candle molds (metal ones work the best) or use jars to fill.

buy your best quality wax you can. If you want--just buy white/clear. You can dye it yourself using candle wax dyes or crayola crayons!

for wick tabs--buy the circular ones...the square ones are a pain in the butt! This is the metal piece that holds the wick down at the bottom...you put the wick in it, crimp with some pliers and pour a tiny bit of wax in the bottom of your jar or mold and get it in there about center...let it dry...then you do your main pour.

chopsticks are your friend for getting it tapped down there about center...they are also great to put across the top to hold your wick up after you do the main pour.

get popular scents first if you plan on selling them...if you are making for yourself, get what you like best.

we never used books or websites (we were making them years before we even had the internet)...we were lucky enough to have 2 candle supply stores near us and they told us how to make candles. It's really fun to do though...we had a few molds...but mostly used old mason jars, glass pop bottles, pretty clear bowls and jars we found at like walmart and k mart and thrift stores...anything that caught our eye.


good luck!

[Remali]

Thanks RedHayflinger, that was very helpful! I found a couple videos online, so watched the process..... like you were saying, they did say to buy good quality molds and good quality wax (sounds like soy wax is very good). I can't wait to try it, it's something I've wanted to do for a long time!

[TheRedHayflinger]

we used both soy and beeswax (I asked my mom, as she has a better memory of what we actually bought)

[Remali]

Beeswax is the best I have heard, and then soy is very good too. I was looking at molds and equipment online, it's not expensive at all, so that helps! :) It will be fun to add the color chips and the fragrances to it. I'm hoping that maybe the craft store here has the stuff I need.

[Gypsy Rose]

That sounds like fun!

[valleyrider]

I always wanted to make candles. I have a lot of sented candles in my house. Let us know how your candles come out.. They would make great Christmas presents too..