DIY Home Candle Making Tips
Candle making is something of a hobby for quite a few people around the world, but in most cases we abandon this wonderful project for a lazy alternative from our local stores. You can create wonderful, custom-scented candles to your liking without too much effort involved in the process. They are relatively easy to make, so you can follow the instructions ahead to make it happen:
Decide on the type of wax you want to use for your candles first and foremost. Paraffin wax is a popular, cheap choice which is easily melted and colored or scented. Another viable choice is using soy wax, since it burns slowly compared to other materials. Beeswax is also used and for a good reason – it has a lovely natural scent that doesn’t really need any coloring or scenting. You can always get old wax from candles and use the remains to fashion new candles as well.
You will have to focus on covering the area where you plan on working with something. Unless you have somewhere where you can leave a small mess and not worry about the floor or furniture, then you will need to use rags, newspapers or wax paper to keep things under control.
You can create your candle station by using a good vessel to boil water in, such as a large pan or a pot filled halfway with water. Place a smaller one inside the big one, then use it to melt the wax inside, but make sure its a cheap pan or else you will have real difficulties cleaning it.
You must cut the wax into shavings and pieces, as this will make it easier to melt. Put them in the small pot and boil the water, slowly melting the wax without burning it.
Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature variance. Different wax has different melting points: Paraffin at 122°F, soy wax at 170°F and beeswax at over 145°F. Old candles are more hardy and their melting point is at 185°F.
You can also add some scenting to your now melted wax. Essential oils will do the trick without too much hassle.
You can coloring to the mix if you must, just remember to make it a candle dye or an oil-based dye.
You must place a wick in the center of your candle mold, at about two inches or so from the candle’s end. You can cut the wick to your preference later on, just make sure it hangs in the center of the mold or else your candles won’t burn right.
Pour your freshly melted wax into the mold, but do so slowly and carefully. No matter what you do, make sure you take great care not to knock the wick around the mold. Allow the candles to cool for about a day before you take them out and use them and you’ll do just fine.
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