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The Home Made Candle Process
by Della Bough
http://www.rbcandle.com
Candles are wonderful things, and even though we now really
only use them for decoration or for creating a specific
mood, they once kept society going after dark. We see the
lighting value of the candle if there is a power-out:
though it takes some getting used to, candle light can
provide enough light to go about our business without
needing to use electricity. In fact from the time it was
invented about three millennia before Christ to the end of
the Eighteenth Century it was a key lighting source in any
home after sunset.
Candles are not hard to make, and they are generally cheap
to buy. What's more they last for ages, and many are
beautifully scented. In this article we will take a quick
look at how candles work and how to make them, so you can
decide if you think the home made approach is best.
The candle is a simple device, with its fuel coming from a
solidified lump of wax made of beeswax, palm wax or solid
paraffin (amongst other things). A wick is set through the
center of the wax and this is the thing that allows the
candle to function. The wax-treated wick is easily lit and
it then melts the big block of wax gently into burnable
liquid - solid wax does not easily burn. You can also take
advantage of the heat given off by the candle - it is not a
good way to cook your whole meal, of course, but it makes a
great meal warmer.
Candle making needs some consumables - wax and wicks,
mainly - and some basic reusable materials - a mold and a
pouring and measuring jug made from metal. Additional
equipment you can improvise from things around the home.
Like the double boiler - all this is a pan with boiling
water into which you place the metal jug. Usually a piece
of metal is placed in the bottom - something like a cake
ring - so the jug sits on that and does not touch the
metal of the pan. By keeping the jug only in contact with
the water it is easy to control the temperature for ease of
use and for safety.
Once melted, the wax is poured into the moulds where you
have already placed the wick. When the wax sets it sinks
down a little, so a second pouring of hot wax takes
place to level the candle. Basically that is it. You can
also add colors and fragrances and as you get more
competent move on to your own designs of swirling colors or
unusual shapes. In fact being creative is the best thing
about making your own candles - the cost savings over
shop-bought are not going to be great. It is easy to buy
all the supplies from one of the many online suppliers, and
many enthusiasts post lovely ideas for home made candles on
their web sites.
As hobbies go, making candles is fairly simple and it can
be fun to look at your creations when you use them.
Moreover, you will be doing something that has five
thousand years of history behind it. Alternatively, if you
think that candle making is not for you, there are lots of
great candles to be bought over the Internet or in stores
around town. They will be a bit more expensive, but will
be perfect.
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