Candle Making Kits Remove the Guesswork

ephillips413 December 31, 2012 Candle Making Kits 0

Candle Kit Candle Making Kits Remove the GuessworkMaking candles is a fun hobby that you can share with family and friends. Unfortunately, the cost and amount of equipment needed to get started can be a little bit intimidating. Fortunately, there are a number of quality candle making kits.

When selecting a candle making kit, you want to make sure you purchase one with quality ingredients and supplies. You’ll also want complete, step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process.

The quality of candle making kits can vary greatly from company to company, so make sure you do your research before purchasing. Cajun’s Candle and Soap Making Supplies has many quality kits to choose from. They have spent a lot of time researching what a beginner candle maker needs and have set the standard for quality candle making kits.

Dependent upon your budget and type of candles you want to make, you have options when it comes to selecting a kit. Some common kits are; Paraffin Votive, Paraffin Container, Soy Votive, and Soy Container.

A quality kit will contain;

  • Molds/Containers
  • Wax
  • Wicks
  • Dyes
  • Fragrance Oils
  • Step-by-Step Instructions

If you are willing to pay a little extra, you can also find candle making kits that contain a double boiler and thermometer. If not, you need to ensure you have the basic equipment needed to make candles.

Regardless of whether you choose to start with a kit or purchase the items individually, you want to select the best equipment and supplies that you can afford. After you get past the initial cost, all you need to do is replenish your supplies.

Check out these additional resources for Candle Making Kits

  • Top Candle Making Kits You Can Use at Home | Modern Natural … – You can easily get introduced to the process by purchasing candle making kits. These give you complete instructions and all the supplies that you need. Kits make the whole course of action simple, straightforward, and really …
  • Beeswax Candle Making Kits. Easy, Simple & Affordable – Easily produce candles with beeswax candle making kits in an instant of time. See how cost effective & simple making candles can be with one of the ki.
  • Gel Candle Making Kit | CandleCrazd.com – Ready to start making your own candles, but you just don’t have the time to research all of the steps, types of candle waxes, wicks before you begin making your first candle? Don’t despair and give up on your new found hobby. Candle supply manufactures have started offering candle making kits. The kit comes with all of the necessary tools and supplies to begin making your first candle today.

Learn How to Make Soy Candles at Home

ephillips413 December 26, 2012 Make Soy Candles 1

Votive Candles Learn How to Make Soy Candles at HomeThere are a number of advantages to using soy wax for making candles. First off, it’s a pure vegetable wax. It is completely natural, clean burning and non-toxic. It’s made from renewable resources and products less soot than other types of wax. Because of these features, it’s safe to use around children and pets. If you are interested in candles and the environment, then learning to make soy candles is an obvious choice.

Other things to remember when working with soy wax is that it comes in flakes rather than the paraffin wax slabs you may be accustomed to working with. This makes it easier to handle and eliminates the need to break it up before melting. Soy wax doesn’t give the same amount of scent throw as paraffin wax, but many people consider the natural and cleaner burning wax to be a better alternative.

First off you’ll need to decide how many soy wax candles you want to make. Each votive will take two ounces of soybean wax. A pound of soybean wax will make 8 votive candles. Make sure you weigh the soy wax flakes with an accurate scale.

Heat your double boiler or Kitchen Kettle up and get your thermometer ready. You’ll want to heat your wax up to between 170 – 180 degrees. At this point, you can add your dye. Make sure your shake the dye before adding to the soy wax. After adding, stir the wax to ensure that the dye will bind properly to the soy wax. If you have a flat bottom wire whisk, these do a very good job of combining the ingredients.

Once the dye has been integrated, it’s time to add fragrance oil. Dependent upon the type of fragrance oil you choose, you’ll need between 1 – 1.5 ounces per pound of wax. After you’ve added the fragrance oil, you will want to stir continuously for two minutes to ensure that the scent is fully integrated into the wax.

It’s very important to keep a close eye on the temperature of the wax and adjust if necessary. The wax temperature needs to be maintained between 170 – 185 degrees. If the wax is too cool, the oil will not bind with the wax. If it’s too hot, most of the oil will burn off and your candle will not have a strong scent. Soy wax can scorch, so make sure the temperature does not go above 200 degrees.

You are almost ready to begin pouring your wax into the votive molds. The final step is to reduce the temperature of the wax to 150 – 155 degrees. The molds will need to be a little warmer than room temperature for the best results. If you pour hot wax into a cold mold, you will get drag lings along the side of the candle once they are finished. The best way to warm your mold is to put them in the oven at a low temperature for 10 – 15 minutes before you need them.

If your soy wax temperature is around 150 degrees you are ready to pour. Using a pour pot or Pyrex measure cup, fill each votive mold all the way to the top. To prevent the wax from hardening on the pour pot, you’ll want to heat that up as well.

Before you insert the wick, you’ll need to allow the wax to cool a little bit. While you are waiting, go ahead and straighten each wick out as good as possible. Once the soy wax has developed a thin skin across the top, it’s time to insert the wick. Holding the wick by its tip, you’ll want to push it past the soft skin that’s starting to develop. You’ll want to push the wick all the way to the bottom of the candle mold, ensuring that you keep it straight and centered in the mold. This is an easy step, but you’ll need to work quickly so that the skin doesn’t get too thick on the top of the candle. If you wait too long you could end up with a hole beside your wick as the candle cools.

Regardless of how quick you are while inserting the wicks, you are going to end up with a circle in the middle of each candle. Unless you fix it, it will harden this way. The best way to fix this is to wave a flame over the top of the candle very quickly. This will re-melt the wax and cover up the circle.

You’ll need to wait 4-5 hours before attempting to remove the candles from the molds. When they are ready, you should be able to remove them by gently pulling on the wick. Once removed from the votive molds, they’ll need to cure for a day or two before burning.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these instructions and use them to make soy candles of your own. Enjoy!

Check out the links below for more articles on making candles.

  • Candle Making – How To Make Candles At Home – Get started with candle making instructions! How to make candles at home with this candle making guide – a tutorial on candle making for beginners!
  • How to Make Candles at Home? | How to Do Things in India at … – Every one loves brightness. Light is a ray of hope, which signifies happiness. So here we will try to learn how to make candles at home and decorate our homes full of light.
  • Red Ted Art’s Blog » Blog Archive How to… make Cookie Cutter … – If you’re new here, you may want to join us on Facebook or Google +. You may have seen my post about how to make candle wicks and a brief intro to making your own test candles (aka ice cube tray candles!). Materials: Old white church candles (or any candle will do), old (!) coloured crayons, cookie cutters (star & car shaped), homemade candle wicks, cello tape, aluminium foil, some clothes pegs, a pan, an old tin, cardboard for cutting on.
  • Top Tip Tuesday: How to Make New Candles Using Your Leftover … – I love my candles! I also know how expensive they can be…. That’s what prompted me to devise a plan for that little bit of wax always left over at the bottom of my candles….. Why not reuse it to make MORE CANDLES!
  • How to Make Essential Oil Candles « doterralife – Making DoTerra Essential Oil Candles Essential oils are used in aromatherapy and it is said that their aromatic compounds produce different physiological and emotional reactions such as relaxation, energy, positive changes …

Learn How to Make Scented Candles at Home

ephillips413 December 18, 2012 Make Scented Candles 0

Scented Candles Learn How to Make Scented Candles at HomeA good scented candle can be very expensive. By learning how to make scented candles, you can save money and have fun at the same time. Each time you light a candle you make yourself, you’ll enjoy it more than if you purchased one from a store.

The good thing is that the process for making scented candles is practically the same as making unscented. The big difference is in selecting the right type of fragrance oil.

One thing you’ll need to remember is that not all fragrance oils are the same. There are certain areas of candle making where you can cut corners to save money. You should not take this approach when it comes to purchasing fragrance oils. To have a great smelling candle, you need quality oil.

Wax will only hold a certain amount of fragrance oil. The general rule is that you’ll need 1 – 1.5 ounces of fragrance oil per pound of wax. Anything more than that will seep from the wax once the candle is finished. Since you can only put so much fragrance oil in a candle, you need to use the best quality oil you can afford. You’ll be glad you used quality ingredients once you learn how to make scented candles.

If possible, you’ll want to select fragrance oil that is 100% pure that has not been diluted or contains additives. Many companies offer 1 ounce sampler sizes, so you can try out a specific fragrance without making a larger investment.

Here are a few more helpful tips to ensure that you get the most from the fragrance oils you select;

  • Scents have a flash point just the same as wax does. Keep your oil and wax around 150 degrees and you’ll never have to worry about flash fires.
  • Store your oils in a cool, dark place if possible. Sunlight and heat will have a negative effect on the quality and strength of the oil and will shorten it’s shelf life.
  • The average shelf life of fragrance oils is about 6 months to a year as long as stored in a cool, dark location.
  • Direct contact with full strength oils may irritate skin or eyes. Wash with soap and water for irritated skin and flush well with water if you get the oil in your eyes.
  • Always use in a well ventilated area.

A common problem when you make scented candles is that it doesn’t smell when burned. A candle that doesn’t throw scent can be caused by a combination of errors. One of the common errors is purchasing solid blocks of scent rather than fragrance oil. This type of scent will never give you a scent that actually smells when it burns. Using a cheap wax will also impact the scent of the candle.

By selecting quality ingredients and following directions, you can make scented candles at home as good as any store bought candles. Plus you’ll have the satisfaction that comes with saving money and creating something yourself. Best of luck and enjoy making your candles!

Check out these links for more information on how to make scented candles at home.

How to Make Candles at Home – The Essential Supplies

ephillips413 December 16, 2012 How to Make Candles at Home 2

Candle Multiple How to Make Candles at Home – The Essential SuppliesIn my last post, we discussed what equipment you’ll need before you can start learning how to make candles at home. Now it’s time to learn more about the supplies you’ll need.

First off, you are going to need wax. If you want to make a candle you’ll be happy with, you’ll want to purchase a quality wax. There are a number of waxes to choose from. Paraffin, blended, soy and gel waxes are just a few.

Paraffin wax is the most popular for making candles. You can purchase straight paraffin wax, but it’s not ideal for making candles. The reason for this is that the melting point is too low and they are too difficult to regulate and control.

A blended paraffin wax is the choice of many candle makers. These waxes are blended with the necessary additives so they are ready to make candles. With a blended paraffin wax, there is not a lot of guess work involved. When blended with a quality fragrance oil, they will create the strongest scented candles of all the waxes available.

Soy wax is very popular among candle makes. Soy wax is a pure vegetable wax that is completely natural. It is clean burning and non-toxic. It produces less soot and is safe around children and pets. Since soy wax comes in a flake form, it is very easy to work with. While soy does not give off as much scent as paraffin, the natural and cleaner burning make it a desirable wax.

Gel wax is used to make clear, see-thru candles. Generally, they will have some type of emblem embedded in the clear wax. Anything that won’t burn can be used to decorate these types of candles.

After you’ve picked out your wax, you’ll need to select a dye. You can use something as simple as a crayon to color a candle, but that may not be your best option. Using a crayon can clog the wick and will prevent your candle from burning properly. Ideally, you need to purchase dyes that are specifically designed for dyeing candles.

Now you’ll need to select a wick. Wicking is a very import part of candle making. If your wick is too big or too small, it won’t burn properly. When it comes to wicks, you have to take things such as the type of wax and container into consideration. Fortunately, any good candle supply store should be able to instruct you on what type of wicks to purchase.

A good candle not only burns, but it also smells good. This smell is not naturally part of the wax. In order to have a fragrant candle, you’ll have to add fragrance oils. There are many options to choose from. Fortunately, a little bit of oil will go a long way. Generally, a pound of wax will only require an ounce of fragrance oil.

The last thing you’ll need is a glass container or mold. There are many of options to choose from. As a beginner, starting with a metal votive mold is a good idea.

How to Make Candles at Home – Selecting the Right Equipment

ephillips413 December 11, 2012 How to Make Candles at Home 2

Pouring Wax 225x300 How to Make Candles at Home Selecting the Right EquipmentMaking candles is a fun hobby that can be shared with family and friends. Like any hobby, there is certain equipment that you are going to need before you get started. Before you start learning how to make candles at home, you’ll need to make sure you have the necessary equipment.

The most important thing you’ll need to purchase is something to melt the wax in. One option that is preferred by many candle makers is a double boiler. A double boiler is the safest way to melt wax, but it’s also the slowest. Another option for melting wax is an electric kettle. This could be a crock pot or multi-purpose cooker. One thing you’ll need to look for is a cooker with a numerical temperature gauge.

Whatever you choose, it’s very important that you are able to control the heat. Wax can catch fire if heated above a certain temperature. Dependent upon the wax, the flash point can range from 300 – 400 degrees. Safety is of utmost importance when selecting equipment.

Secondly, you’ll need to purchase a good thermometer if you don’t already have one. You should be able to find a good kitchen thermometer for under $10. A candy thermometer will work as well.

In order to transfer the melted wax to your glass jar or mold, you will need some type of a “pour pot”. If you want, you can purchase one that is specifically designed for making candles. If you are on a budget, a glass Pyrex measuring cup or old coffee pot will work just fine.

You’ll need to be able to weigh your wax before putting it into the melter. Wax comes in large blocks, so you’ll need a scale that weighs up to ten pounds. Some kitchen scales will work, but you may need to pick one up from an office supply store. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs to weigh accurately.

The last item you will need is a hammer. Fortunately, you probably already have one lying around the house. Weighing and melting the large chunks of wax will be much easier if you break them up first.

This may seem like a lot, but you probably already have some of these items around the house. Even if you have to go out and purchase everything, you’ll probably spend less than $50. The great thing is that you’ll get a lot of use out of this purchase and most of these items will last for a long time.

How to Make Candles at Home – The Basics

ephillips413 December 4, 2012 How to Make Candles at Home 1

Candle Glass 300x300 How to Make Candles at Home The BasicsCandles are something that most of us have in our homes. Whether using them to decorate a birthday cake, add ambiance and fragrance to a room, or provide light when the power is out. We have all relied upon candles at some point. While we’ve used candles most of our lives, have you ever wondered what it would be like to learn how to make candles at home?

Making candles can be a wonderful hobby that you can enjoy with your family and friends. Not only is it cost efficient, but it’s also fun.

Before you grab your best pot and get ready to start making candles, there are some basic equipment and supplies that you’ll need.

First and foremost you are going to need some type of melting pot. You can use a double boiler, or other type of electric cooking kettle. Whatever you choose to use to melt the wax, you need to be able to control the heat. If you get an electric cooker, make sure it has a numerical temperature gauge.

In addition to a numerical temperature gauge, you’ll also need a thermometer. Wax is combustible if it gets too hot, so monitoring the temperature is very important. Any type of kitchen or candy thermometer will work and can usually be purchased fairly inexpensively.

You’ll need some way to pour the wax once it’s melted. You can purchase a pour pot that’s specifically designed for making candles if you want. If you are just starting out, you may want to consider an old glass Pyrex measure cup or coffee pot that you no longer use.

You’ll also need some type of a kitchen scale to weigh your wax. Ideally, the scale will weigh up to 10 lbs. Last but not least, you’ll need a hammer to break the wax into smaller pieces. You can probably find one of these in your tool box or lying around the house.

Now that you have the basic equipment, it’s time to start thinking about the supplies you’ll need to make candles at home.

What’s a candle without wax? It’s a piece of string, that’s what it is. This is one area where you don’t want to skimp. There are many types of wax to choose from; paraffin, soy, blended and gel are just a few.

You’ll also want dye so you can create candles in your favorite colors. While you could grab a box of your kids’ crayons, this is not recommended. For the best results, you’ll want to purchase wax coloring or dye.

All the wax and dye in the world won’t matter at all if you don’t have a wick. Without this critical piece, the candle isn’t a candle.

One of the great things about burning candles at home is the aroma they give off. One of the best ways to improve the smell of a room is to light a few candles. Why do you think so many people keep them in the bathroom?

There are many options when it comes to fragrance oils you can use. The best thing about fragrance oils is that a little goes a long way. Generally, a pound of wax only needs about one ounce of oil.

The last thing you need is a container or mold. This will create the form of the candle. There are many options to choose from, but a couple of options are glass containers or votive molds.

For the beginner you may want to consider purchasing a candle making kit. A kit will contain most, if not all of the equipment and supplies you need to learn how to make candles at home.

This seems like a lot of information to absorb, but never fear. We’ll continue to delve into the wonderful world of making candles in subsequent articles. For now, just realize that making candles is a fun activity that you can enjoy with your family and they also make great gifts!

Additional Candle Making Resources

  • How To Make Your Own Candles | Planning With Kids – I made these travel candles as my second handmade gift for Christmas 2012. You can see how else I have been getting organised for Christmas in my Christmas.
  • How To Make Your Own Candles « Green Home Blog – How To Make Your Own Candles Candles will bring a relaxing light to almost any setting, from longs baths to family dinners to quiet evenings at home. But if you’re burning paraffin candles you might be bringing more than a …