Candle making is a craft that the entire family can enjoy. Even small children can get in on the fun and make beeswax candles. There are two different types of beeswax candles. One type is very simple to make, and doesn’t require any heat, making it safe for small children. The other is the more traditional method.
One of the easiest ways to make beeswax candles is to roll them. This method requires no heat, since beeswax sheets are slightly sticky, so the toddlers can have some fun with it along with their parents. Honeycomb beeswax sheets are available in a rainbow of colors, including the natural golden color, and they naturally have a beautiful texture along with the signature slightly sweet smell that is the hallmark of beeswax.
To make beeswax candles of this style, simply place a wick along the edge of a sheet of beeswax. Usually the sheets will yield a candle that is a maximum height of eight inches, but you can make the candles shorter if you’d like. Cut a wick that extends over both edges of the wax sheet. This will allow you to select the most attractive edge to be the top later. Press the edge of the wax over the wick very tightly. If the children are making these candles, parents may need to help with this step. After the wick is embedded in the wax, it’s as simple as rolling. Once you’ve reached the end of the sheet, use the edge of a spoon and press the edge down flat. Decide which end of the candle is the most attractive and trim the wick off the less than attractive end so that it is flush, and then it’s as easy as lighting and enjoying.
The other method used to make beeswax candles is the traditional method of melting wax and either dipping wicks to make tapers or pouring wax into molds for votives and pillars. It’s important when you make beeswax candles to closely monitor the temperature of the wax as it melts. Heating beeswax over 185 degrees will cause the wax to discolor. It’s also important to know that when you make beeswax candles in molds, that the material of the mold will affect the outcome of the candle. Molds made of stainless steel or heavy plastic are safe for beeswax, but aluminum molds will discolor the beeswax.
It’s easy and rewarding to make beeswax candles, and it’s also a great way to have some creative fun with the family. If you make beeswax candles as part of a candle making business, this is a great way to teach older children and include the whole family in the business. You can even use it to your advantage with marketing by using the angle that you are a small family business that includes all the members of the family. Whatever you decide to do, one thing is certain. Making beeswax candles is easy, fun and can also be profitable.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tips For Making Beeswax Candles
Making beeswax candles may be the way to go if you are starting a candle company. First, making beeswax candles are environmentally sustainable. In the new green economy, products like this will become more and more common. Getting ahead of the curve with some knowledge will go a long way.
One thing that most people don’t know is that beekeepers are generally more than happy to get rid of their beeswax, so this is the place to start. When making beeswax candles, ensure that they use the lighter wax that forms as a byproduct of honey. The wax should sit in water overnight in a stainless steel container. When working with fresh beeswax, you want to avoid any metal other than stainless steel, as metals will actually darken the wax before it is even melted.
Once you’ve obtained the wax, making beeswax candles is a pretty simple process, with a few things to keep in mind. To begin, it is important to bear in mind that beeswax is a denser wax than others you will buy. This becomes very important when it comes to wicking your candles. For example, if you are making beeswax candles that are large, you will want to ensure that the wick is placed in the center. More so than with other candles that can be reheated with relative ease to change wick placement, it becomes more difficult with beeswax due to its density. Therefore, you should find a way to keep the wick in one spot as it dries. In large scale production at the factories, they’ve come up with a simple solution for this; tongue depressors. These are very inexpensive at your local medical supply store and unless you are starting the next Yankee Candle in your basement, one box will last quite a long time.
When you get the depressors, drill a 1/8th inch hole through the center of each one. These will not come in contact with the wax itself generally, so this is a product that will be completely reusable. Once you pour the candle, center the wick in place, ensure that it has extended completely and has no bends or kinks that you will be dealing with as the candle burns. Then simply extend the wick through the hole you’ve made in the tongue depressor, fold the wick over to keep it in place and rest it on top of the poured candle. Making beeswax candles with good wick placement is critical since the density of the wax has the added effect of making them last longer. If you mess up, not to fear, you can use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt the wax again; it just takes longer than other types of wax.
Finally, when making beeswax candles, do not under any circumstances allow the core temperature of the wax to become greater than 185 degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, the wax will break down and the candle will not burn properly. Working with beeswax can produce great candles that last forever, as long as you keep these things in mind.
One thing that most people don’t know is that beekeepers are generally more than happy to get rid of their beeswax, so this is the place to start. When making beeswax candles, ensure that they use the lighter wax that forms as a byproduct of honey. The wax should sit in water overnight in a stainless steel container. When working with fresh beeswax, you want to avoid any metal other than stainless steel, as metals will actually darken the wax before it is even melted.
Once you’ve obtained the wax, making beeswax candles is a pretty simple process, with a few things to keep in mind. To begin, it is important to bear in mind that beeswax is a denser wax than others you will buy. This becomes very important when it comes to wicking your candles. For example, if you are making beeswax candles that are large, you will want to ensure that the wick is placed in the center. More so than with other candles that can be reheated with relative ease to change wick placement, it becomes more difficult with beeswax due to its density. Therefore, you should find a way to keep the wick in one spot as it dries. In large scale production at the factories, they’ve come up with a simple solution for this; tongue depressors. These are very inexpensive at your local medical supply store and unless you are starting the next Yankee Candle in your basement, one box will last quite a long time.
When you get the depressors, drill a 1/8th inch hole through the center of each one. These will not come in contact with the wax itself generally, so this is a product that will be completely reusable. Once you pour the candle, center the wick in place, ensure that it has extended completely and has no bends or kinks that you will be dealing with as the candle burns. Then simply extend the wick through the hole you’ve made in the tongue depressor, fold the wick over to keep it in place and rest it on top of the poured candle. Making beeswax candles with good wick placement is critical since the density of the wax has the added effect of making them last longer. If you mess up, not to fear, you can use a heat gun or hair dryer to melt the wax again; it just takes longer than other types of wax.
Finally, when making beeswax candles, do not under any circumstances allow the core temperature of the wax to become greater than 185 degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, the wax will break down and the candle will not burn properly. Working with beeswax can produce great candles that last forever, as long as you keep these things in mind.
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