Candlemaking
Practical Action
Electricity
Electricity is ideal as a source of heat if it is available, as it is easily controlled. A domestic cooker
can be used or heating elements may be attached to the bottom of a suitably sized tank.
Electrically heated water jackets may also be used.
Gas
Tanks or pots may be heated on gas burners such as domestic gas cookers. The use of a water bath
(double boiler) is safest. If heating a container of wax directly, make sure that the container has a
thick bottom to prevent the wax from burning and take precautions against hot wax coming into
contact with the gas flame. The use of a gas heated water jacket may also be considered.
Solid fuel
Solid fuel should only be used where no other source of fuel is available. Great care must be taken
to prevent wax from being spilt onto an open fire.
Containers for heating wax
Containers made of aluminium or stainless steel are ideal as they will not rust. However steel or
iron can also be used (except in the case of beeswax, where iron equipment is not suitable).
Copper and brass should be avoided as they cause oxidisation. Large cooking pots are ideal as a
first option, but purpose designed containers can be made by metalworkers as the need arises.
Methods of measuring and controlling temperature
It is possible to start making candles without any means of measuring the temperature of the wax,
but to make candles efficiently a thermometer or better still thermostatically controlled heater is
required. A cooking thermometer (otherwise know as a ‘jam or ‘sugar’ thermometer) is ideal as it
will measure temperatures well above that of boiling water. It is important that a thermometer is
not heated beyond its upper limit as this is likely to make it very inaccurate in the future.
If it is available, a thermostat is a very good way of controlling the temperature of the wax,
provided that it has been accurately calibrated. The use of a thermostat in conjunction with some
form of electrical heating equipment allows the wax to be heated to a specified temperature and
maintained at that temperature without the need for frequent manual checking and adjustment.
Methods of production
There are four basic methods of candlemaking (each described below) which are particularly
suitable for small-scale manufacture:
Dipping
Pouring
Moulding (or casting)
Container candles.
Dipping
Dipping is the simplest method of making candles. It can be used to make a small number of
candles by hand, with very simple equipment, or as a production process for manufacturing large
numbers of candles in a variety of sizes and colours.
Method
Heat the wax in the dipping container to the required temperature. The temperature will vary with
the type of wax used, but 70°C is a good starting point (eg. for 90% paraffin wax to 10% stearine).
The appropriate thickness wick is then selected and lowered into the wax for the first time. For the
first dip only, the wicks should be left to soak in the wax for about two minutes to allow air and
moisture to escape. This process is known as priming the wicks and should be done with all new
wicks. The primed wicks can be drawn through the fingers as they cool, so that any lumps are
removed. This will help to ensure that the finished candles are smooth and uniform. Once the
wicks are primed the continual dipping process can begin. The wicks are repeatedly dipped into
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