Candle making in the PAW.

Good thread!

I used to make lots of candles - beeswax and paraffin. I've never made tallow candles but the principles are the same.

Beeswax is either melted and poured into a form or simply rolled around the wick from a small think sheet of wax.

As a general rule, the bigger the candle, the bigger the wick. I used cotton wicks which perform okay.

Any container can be used as a form. I've used everything from soup cans to commercially purchased forms. I've also poured into wide mouth glass jars but these were more for scented types, less practical for lighting.

For pillar candles:
First, dip the wick into melted wax, forming a thin layer of wax on the wick. Take a small amount of solid wax, roll it in your palms to warm it and make a small plug to attach the wick to the bottom of the form. then, hold the wick taut and wrap it around a small stick layed across the top of the form. This keeps the wick straight.

Slowly pour the melted wax into the form being careful not to get too many air bubbles. Pour a small amount, cool slightly, pour more, cool slightly, etc. building up the height of the candle.

Cool completely and remove from the form. You can dip the form in hot water to loosen it from the sides of the form.

Taper Candles
For tapers, simply dip the wicks, cool, dip again, cool, dip again, cool, slowly building up the layers of wax on the wick. They should be hung to cool between dipping. For the best results, take your time to completely cool between dipping.

If you find a candle isn't burning properly, melt it down and start again with a new wick.

While I have never made tallow candles, I do know that only the purest tallow should be used for the best results.

These are the most simple instructions because the process is not difficult. The object is not an art candle but a practical product for light. I have never used soy which is produced from hydrogenated soybean oil as it was not available when I was making candles. Soy wax didn't hit the market until the mid 1990's. I believe it is used exactly like beeswax but it is cheaper and burns better. I think it would be easier to find natural beeswax than would be to make soy wax without retail sources. Since I've never made soy wax, I can't be certain of that. It would seem that in a primitive situation, it would be easier to make tallow or find beeswax in nature.

 

I usually used commercial wicks but I have tried simple cotton cord with varying results. I had the best results when I braided very thin cotton cord, dipped it in hot wax and then cooled it. I let it sit for a couple days before using it. It was a lot of trial and error to get the best results.

Here is a little information about wicks.
WICK
Candle wicking is braided cotton, with or without a metal core. Cord or twine or string is bonded, made from plies of fiber twisted around each other. Bonds unravel as they burn, while a braid maintains its shape in fire. Of all fibers, cotton best absorbs molten wax. Wick treatments– ”soak eight hours in a solution of table salt and boric acid”, for instance – are popular, but unnecessary.
As a candle burns – wax melts, is sucked up the wick, vaporizes and burns. Wick is locus and channel of flame. It does not burn, except incidentally as the candle consumes itself and the exposed wick exceeds the height to which capillary action can raise the molten wax. This self-trimming sometimes misses and the excess wick must be clipped by hand for the candle to burn well.

The hole burned down a candle is wide or narrow as the wick is thick or thin. Too small a wick burns too small a hole, loses itself inside the candle, and suffocates or drowns. Too large a wick smolders, can’t absorb wax fast enough, makes a smoky, sputtery cotton fire. Experiment teaches the correct size. Manufacturer’s instructions – ”for a 2 inch diameter candle” – help; but the sort of wax, the additives and the shape of the candle vary the burning. Whether the candles should burn down flat or leave an exterior shell is a matter of taste. Wicking with a metal wire core has a rigidity useful for some purposes. The metal may clump at wick top and need to be removed by hand.

Always dip wicks in wax before pouring your candle. The first lighting is easier; your wick won’t burn to a stump and need surgical rescue. Wax-stiffened wicks also are easier to work with. A 10 second step.