Quick Guide To Candle Making

If you have a general interest in craft hobbies, you will certainly have considered the area of candle making and you may even have thought about having a go yourself. Your first thoughts were probably, is it very complicated and will I have to spend a lot of money and buy a lot of equipment to get started? Very good questions for anyone thinking about starting out in a new interest.

Candle making as a hobby has become increasingly popular over the last few years as more and more people have recognised this as fun and absorbing hobby where they can also make something both attractive and useful. To give you a better idea about whether this might be something you could enjoy doing, you'll find below a quick overview of the equipment and processes involved.

You can make certain types of candles, such as rolled beeswax candles, without even melting any wax, but if you really want to get a feel for proper candle making you will need to be prepared to get stuck into the wax melting process. There are many different types of candle wax available, but as a beginner, I would certainly recommend starting with basic paraffin wax. This is the type of wax that white household candles are made from, it is readily available and is one of the cheaper waxes - so it's quite a good wax to experiment with.

For your first try at candle making it may be a good idea to buy a small candle making kit which will include your basic wax and wicks to get you started.

As regards basic equipment, you will require the following:

1. Two pots to create your double boiler for melting your wax.
2. Thermometer for keeping a check on the temperature of your wax.
3. Candle mold for forming your candle
4. Releasing agent for your mold
5. Fire extinguisher - better safe than sorry!

To start your candle making, place the candle wax in the inner pot of your double boiler and heat it until it is completely liquified. You may not want to add any coloring dye on your first attempt, but this is when it would be added and stirred in well. Let the wax cool to the recommended pouring temperature (which should be indicated on your wax instructions). Prepare your candle mold with releasing agent (to help you easily remove the finished candle), place your wick centrally in the mold and gently pour your wax into the mold. Then place the mold to one side to cool. You may require a second pour to top off the mold once the wax has cooled. Once the wax has completely set it should release easily from the mold and there you have your first candle!

By: Julie Sinclair

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Julie Sinclair is a candle making enthusiast who enjoys helping others to get started in this amazing hobby. For more great information on how to make candles, visit www.candlemakingtoptips.com