Candle Making 101

Candle Making 101

If you'd like to try your hand at candle making, set aside
two hours one day next weekend, and start with an easy project, using
your old candles to test the waters. If it's instant gratification you
crave, you'll see the fruits of your labor in just a couple of hours
with a minimum expenditure for supplies.

People often speak of candle making and soap making in the
same sentence as if they are similar experiences. The process is not
the same. If you have thought of making your own soap, try candle
making first. The process may appear similar, but it's simpler and
safer. When you make your own candles, you are simply melting wax, not
conducting chemical experiments in your kitchen.

We'll give you a play-by-play preview of the process, but
consider this an overview. Before you actually set up shop and play
candle maker for the afternoon, download a proper set of step-by-step
procedures from the Internet. You'll find hundreds of candle-making
projects available online, but start by recycling your old candles just
to get a feel for the process. In fact, in this overview, we'll
describe the process of melting down your old candles and turning them
into brand new votive candles.

If you enjoy the experience, which is similar to cooking, then
you'll want to order more supplies before beginning your candle-making
hobby in earnest. With a little practice, you can give unique,
hand-made holiday gifts, and delight your friends with something that
you personally created.

Safety First

Anytime you work around an open flame, you have all the
ingredients for a potentially dangerous situation. Work carefully and
mind your safety P's and Q's at all times. Candle making requires your
undivided attention. Don't even think about multitasking while working
with hot wax.

Materials and Preparation

Before you begin, you'll need to gather the following equipment:


* Old candles – anything that you would otherwise throw away
* Votive wicks, pre-tabbed
* Votive molds (metal is best)
* Scissors
* Silicone spray for metal votive molds
* Old saucepans to create a "double boiler"
* Candy thermometer
* Oven mitts


To minimize cleanup, cover your burners with aluminum foil and spread old rags or newspapers over a flat work area.

Prepare the Molds

If you prepare your molds in advance, you won't have to scramble
at the last minute, and risk the possibility of your wax cooling before
you can pour it.

Spray the inside of each mold with Silicone per the instructions on the can.

Place a pre-tabbed votive wick in the mold, and set aside.

Melt the Wax

This process requires your undivided attention.

Remove old wicks, labels, etc. At a bare minimum, clip the burnt part of the wick.

Melt the wax.

If you're using old jar candles, you'll need to melt the wax in the jars separately.

Pour the Molds

Allow the melted wax to cool to 160 to 180 degrees F.

Pour the wax into the prepared molds.

Allow to cool and shrink.

Melt wax for the repour and allow it to cool to 180 degrees F.

Repour to top off the molds.

Allow to cool.

Remove the candle from the votive holder.

The key to successful candle making is preparation and setup. If
you have everything prepared and within easy reach, you'll have a
smooth melt to pour process. If you haven't prepared in advance, the
wax may cool faster than you can prepare your work area and molds,
costing you additional time.

That's all there is to creating brand new candles from your
candle remnants. If you enjoy the process, you can progress to creating
your own custom candles from scratch, giving them as gifts, or even
starting a brand new career path.