Tips On Making Hand Poured Candles

By Jennie Sandoval


Candle making can be an art all on its own. Learning how to make hand poured candles can be an interesting hobby. Aside from it being a suitable option for homeowners to earn extra income off the internet, or through retail stores and craft shows, it is also a viable gift-giving option. Here are some tips on how candle makers can prevent product waste as well as crafter aggravation.

A very tricky concept in candle making is inserting of wicks into the homemade candles. A lot of crafters employ various tricks for this. One involves the use of wooden pencils. They tie wicks with an extra length of 4 inches to wooden pencils in double knots then attach metal washers to the opposite end. They then sink the washers into melted wax, balancing pencils over candle molds. After the candle wax hardens, pencils can simply be snipped off using scissors.

Novice crafters usually think that wax melting is the phase that requires the least effort. Although it is not a very difficult step, it is still essential for crafters to exercise care in melting waxes. These need to be melted at certain temperatures in order for them to properly harden in the candle molds. Candy thermometers can be real useful in candle making. Professionals also recommend the use of double boilers.

There are also safety issues involved in candle making. For one, crafters should never leave wax melting unattended. In case it overheats, there is possibility of it smoking and eventually catching on fire. When this happens, it is important not to move or remove the pan. Turning off the burner, then smothering the fire using a pan lid or cloth should instead be done.

Instances as with waxes spilling on skin surfaces are sometimes inevitable as well. Wiping spilled hot waxes off will only worsen the problem since this can cause a larger skin area to be exposed to burning. Rather than wiping, running burned areas under ice cold water would be a better approach. If chilled wax does not immediately come off, then a visit to the hospital emergency room will be necessary.

There are a number of factors that crafters need to consider when it comes to candle making. Those who want to make scented candles will need to add in scent oil while candle waxes are still in their liquid form. Oils can be either be synthetic or essential. Essential oils are the best for relaxation purposes nonetheless.

Another factor to consider is the color. Candle colors are often only added when waxes are being melted into liquids. Majority of candle pigments come in solid block colors. Options are often abundant though so crafters will typically not have any issue choosing.

Candle shapes will typically depend on the molds that will be used. The most common candle type is tall with a cylindrical shape. There are candles that come short but bulky as well. Other crafters choose creative molds shaped as hearts, stars, angels and a lot more.

These days, a lot of hand poured candles are made of paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is not just cheap but is also offered abundantly in the market. It is perfect for molding candles intended to be used as decor items or as light sources.




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