Candlemaking (Advanced)

 

Teach a friend how to make candles and help them to make at least one candle. • Make a hand-dipped taper candle. Feel pioneer-esque. 

The "friend" happened to be my young cultivator side kick who helped with this project.  She has several Christmas craft selling events coming up.  

We followed Rajiv's instructive Youtube video.  

• 8-10 lbs of local wax from a honey seller we found at the farmer's market at $8/lb (TY Elizabeth and Donald)
• 45 feet cotton square braid wick size 3/0 made in USA at $20.20 this would be sufficient for 30 pairs of candles (TY Susan) 
• heavy nuts, fishing weights, etc. to anchor each candle end (approx 30)
• old bulk olive oil can with top cut off
• small aluminum can with top cut off
• Instant Pot
• Rocks/sauerkraut weights to keep wax containers off direct contact with heating element
• 2 "dowels" to hang candles over, or a really wide one
• Sacrificial scissors to trim wax dripping off bottom
• IR temperature gun
• Sacrificial chopstick
• Sacrificial drop cloth/grocery bags/etc.
• Ruler
• Sharpie
• Kitchen glove/pot holder
• Extra pourable candle molds, wicks, etc. for remainder wax

1. Start wax melting in the Instant Pot in your deep container, perched on rocks-- this will take hours.  Try to keep liquid wax under 180* F temps
2. Measure 18" lengths of wick.  Each wick made 2x 5"-5.5" candles in this rig
3. Tie weights to each end of wick (doesn't have to be super tight, the wax will hold it on after the first dip)
4. (optional) Mark middle of the wick with a sharpie -- kinda wish I hadn't done this because there is no undoing, but it helped keep the candles balanced as a newbie.  Maybe try with Washi tape next batch.
5. Set up your hanging/cooling station -- I started with one narrow dowel but found as the candles got girthier, I wanted more distance between the pairs so I recruited a second ceiling duster "dowel"
6. Start working down your line of weighted wicks, dipping and replacing on the cooling rack.  Give yourself some margin on the candle length.  Remember the wax level in your rig drops as you dip it onto the candles and the bases of the candles need more clearance because of their drippy ends.  
7. Top up wax in the main rig as needed-- this is where a smaller can sidecar comes in handy so you don't have to worry about clumps of unmelted wax interfering in your dipping station.  
8. Around dip 10, the candles will have enough "heft" you can cut off the weights, put all this material in the staging sidecar since the wax can be remelted and used again
9. Periodically trim the candle drippy ends to protect your dip clearance.
10. Rajiv says these should end up being about 1" at the base, get them to a size that just fits in your candle holder and then do 2 more dips (because they shrink a little when they cure)

I would not call this a time or cost effective diy economy, even if you have a Danish level of candle consumption (13 lbs/year/person!)  However, there are some good reasons to embark on this project:  

1. Feeling pioneer-esque and appreciating how busy our ancestors must have been to secure a modicum of the conveniences we enjoy today.  

2. To punctuate a chilly fall day with a few moments of moving meditation and contemplation while filling the space with the cozy smell of warm beeswax

3.  Laying away a stash of candles you can be sure is low-tox.  Many beeswax candles in the store are only partially made with beeswax and have a lot of other fillers.  

4.  Put toward your 25% Homespun Christmas present goal if you are working on that badge

Price/cost:  The wax and wick cost about $2/candle assuming minimal scraps.  This would price them out of one of the maker fairs which wants to keep prices under $2.  Rajiv prices a pair of 7" at $45 and often sells out.  The internet suggests price ranges of $7-$19.50/pair for less boutique options.   

Take a close look at one brand of candle that is available for purchase in your area. Write a report on the Farmgirl Connection chatroom under Merit Badge Chit Chat on what type of wax, scent, and coloring is used in this candle. Include information on whether or not the use of this candle in the home can be toxic.