Candle Making For Dummies

Candle making has become a prime time hobby for most of the people. It does not require hectic efforts and can be a fun loving job. People can present anyone as gifts or to keep it in the show case. How to make candles? This is a very simple question and one need not be an expert to do this stuff. Once learned, this can be a good time pass activity. Some of the basic requirements to be involved in this process are

• Wax
• Wicks
• Mold
• Wax melter
• A thermometer
• Extra fragrances
• Dyes and
• Putty

There are generally 3 types of wax available. They are

• Paraffin wax
• Soy wax
• Beeswax

So, one should decide the right kind of wax to start with the works. Paraffin was is the most commonly available wax and Soy wax is a natural product made from soybeans. It can be easily cleaned up with soap and water. Beeswax can be easily made by wrapping it around a wick and sealing it with the help of thumb. This does not require any melting.

• First spread a newspaper around that area and start melting the paraffin or kind of wax which should be double-boiled.
• Place a half filled pot on a burner and apply moderate amount of heat.
• Place a melter and drop the wax pieces into it.
• The wax gets heated and melted. Add some fragrances according to the desire.

The procedure to make molded candles is little bit different. The wick is to be cut two inches taller than the candle’s height and insert a thread through the hole at the bottom of the mold. Apply putty on the outside of the hole. Attach a pencil to the top of the mould and the wick is to be tied with this. Generally, heat the wax up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit if the mold is cardboard, plastic or glass. If it is a metal, then heat it up to 190 degrees. A thermometer is used to measure the accurate temperature here. On reaching the temperature point, the melter is lifted and now pour the wax in to it. It is
then left for 12 hours to cool and then refrigerate it for another 12 hours. Now the candle is made ready.