How To Make Beeswax Candles – Luxury and Quality
Candle making is a craft that can be enjoyed by all the family no matter what their age. It is an enjoyable fun hobby that many people now have taken up. Personalized home made candles make the ideal gift as they can be customized to suit a particular individual. You can make them in almost any size or shape, and you can add colors and scents for that extra touch. Candles can be made of different types of wax. There is paraffin gel wax, soybean wax, and beeswax. Perhaps the most popular form of homemade candles is beeswax. Learning how to make beeswax candles is not difficult.
The reason why people prefer to make beeswax candles is that they burn more slowly than the paraffin gel variety and also they do not give off so much soot and fumes. Another consideration is that beeswax candles do not leave as much wax deposits when they burn and what they do leave behind is far easier to clean than with ordinary candles. Also as they last longer you do not need to make or buy so many.
To make your own beeswax candles you need some essential, but commonplace, equipment. This includes the raw beeswax, a good knife, a device for melting the wax, a thermometer, some wicks, a spoon, and of course molds.
If you are planning to add scents and dyes then you will need to purchase these, but make sure that they are to be used with candles as other forms can be flammable and explosive. If you do not have a local craft shop in your locality then you can source the beeswax, scents, and dyes, over the internet.
The first step in the process is to cut up the sheets or cubes of beeswax into small pieces. These should then be placed in a melting device such as a double boiler or an old pan. You need to heat the wax slowly and be careful not to let it scorch or burn, a medium heat is required. Once it begins to melt you need to stir it continuously so that the heat is evenly spread out. You need to get the molten wax to a temperature between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit (77 – 82 degrees Celsius).
Once you have achieved the correct temperature you can add any dyes or fragrances that you would like. Do not go overboard. Add a few drops of color until you feel it is the shade that you want. If you have melted half a kilo of beeswax then you can add around 30 ml of liquid scent.
The next stage is to secure the wicks into the molds. Most shop bought wicks should have a small metal tab on the bottom that you place into the bottom of the mold. Now you can very carefully pour the molten wax into the molds. Be careful not to spill any on to yourself. It may help to use a funnel.
Once the wax begins to set you can position the wick more centrally in the mold. The final step is simply to cut the wick to size.
