For first time candle makers, knowing the essential materials to complete this process is a must. This activity could be compared to cooking, wherein the connoisseur needs to carefully know and understand the qualities of the ingredients for the recipe to be palatable. More than just a craft, it may also require some additional skills and some degree of patience for one to be able to pull it off. This reading will provide beginner candle makers with the knowledge needed when it comes to knowing the tools they should work with. Such a list could serve as a guide when it comes to purchasing materials from shops that offer candle making tools and equipment.
A necessary material to buy is paraffin. This could be brought from craft stores either in pound bags of pellets or slab form. It also comes in affordable and costs at a maximum of two dollars per pound. For paraffin slabs, beginners could purchase a hammer to break it down to bits. Next, in order to add more colour consistency and hardening quality to the candle, stearin should be added to the melted paraffin which looks like paraffin though more opaque. However, there are also cases wherein candle makers are able to purchase paraffin which already contains such fat derivative.
Afterwards, one should make sure that s/he uses the most appropriate size of the wick to be used as a wick that’s too little will drown and one that’s too big will cause too much burning. This could be purchased along with the metal wick tab which keeps the wick in place inside the candle’s container. When it comes to closing the hole of the mold, a mold sealer could also be purchased which could be replaced by a more inexpensive string caulk.
Much thought should also be placed on the containers to be used as this determines the overall look and shape of the candle to be made. For example, metal or glass containers are perfect as candle containers as it is able to contain the molten candle without breaking. On the other hand, when it comes to the molds, beginners should first use metal or rubber types as these are easier to handle compared to the plastic type.
As an added appeal to the candle, candle specific dyes in chip or square form should be brought in which an alternative is a beeswax sheet. Crayons or food dyes should not be used as this may cause a reaction to the burning process. Different scents could be purchased in oil or disks form and one could actually mix them up to form custom fragrances. Lastly, a candle wax remover is very useful in removing traces of wax in the candle mold or work area.
