Any Candle making recipe"s

[Woods Dweller]

I'm looking for a long lasting Candle. Anyone makes there own Candle?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yes, about once a year if I'm not selling them.

I use straight beeswax. They burn longer if they've "aged" for about a month. I don't know why.

Your burn rate will be proportional to the thickness of your wick. The thicker the wick, the larger the flame, and the faster the burn, BUT...the more light. So...you have to experiment with different thickness wicks, and find what you want for light vs. burn time.

Of course the thicker you make the body of the candle, the longer the burn, as well as the length...but remember you may have to fit it inside a lantern or into a candle stick, and it's hot enough to cause a metal lantern to get super hot, or to light the lid on a wooden lantern, several inches above the actual flame.

Also, be aware that with a slight breeze, an unprotected candle, or a one not shielded from a good draft inside a lantern, will also burn faster and "gutter" (send a stream of wax down the side).

IF you go hog wild and use a "historic" wicking material, such as linen or hemp, you will need to trim the wick from time to time. Hence the need for candle shears, special scissors for trimming wicks. The same is true if you simply use cotton string for cooking whole chickens as the wicking material.

I have used as much as 20% lard mixed with the beeswax, or 20% paraffin to stretch the beeswax, but no more than that, and not both.

I dip mine as it's faster for me to use a half-dozen candle dipping "frames" and dip two pairs at a time, than to use a mold. In the height of summer and hot weather, it's very slow.

LD

 

[coloradoclyde]

Anyone makes there own Candle?

Yep!
I use molds cause I'm too lazy to sit there for hours dipping. Although they are not without their own problems. Occasionally I dip some.
Also; no expert.. It's just fun to do.

 

[hawkeye2]

Don't try to scrimp and use cheap wick material. Have you ever wondered why the wick curves to the side as the candle burns? The red tip of the wick where it breaks through the side of the flame is the wick burning off. Wicks are specially woven to curve like that and burn off so that they are self regulating. Remember that the wick is only a transport mechanism for the fuel which is the candle material itself.

 

[Woods Dweller]

:hatsoff: Thank you Gentlemen, Great information and Advice.

 

[Rifleman1776]

There is a material called 'some kind' of acid. It is really a very hard waxy material that helps candles burn much longer than regular wax. Beeswax alone is excellent but the additive makes them better.
FWIW, the best commercial candles I have ever come across are Israli made. Often found on trader row at ml and ronny events.
Check out places like Hobby Lobby for candle materials.

 

[George]

Check out places like Hobby Lobby for candle materials.

Or if interested in doing it the old way”¦. :grin:

"The Pennsylvania Gazette
May 18, 1791

To purify Tallow.

Take 58 of tallow, 38 of mutton-suet, melt them in a copper caldron, with half a pound of hot water to each pound of grease. Then, as soon as they are melted, mix eight ounces of brandy, one of salt of tartar, one of cream of tartar, one of sal ammoniac, and 2 of pure dry potash. Throw the mixture into the caldron, and make the ingredients boil a quarter of an hour; then let the whole cool. The next day the tallow will be found on the surface of the water, in a pure cake. Take it out and expose it to the action of the air, on canvass, for some days. It will become white, and almost as hard as wax. The dew is very favourable to its bleaching; make your wicks of fine and even cotton, give them a coat of melted wax; then cast your mould candles. They will have much the appearance of wax, and one, six to the pound , will burn 14 hours, and never run."

Spence

 

[Hefner]

Would that be Stearic acid?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Would that be Stearic acid?

Yeppers. :applause:
I had a bag of it, never used.

 

[MSW]

thanks for the post!

I've used remelted scent wax, which I put in a candle mold. not very P/C, but they worked well ... the only trouble was getting the mold threaded with the wicks.

 

[George]

... the only trouble was getting the mold threaded with the wicks.

You mean like this? :grin:









Spence

 

[leal536]

I was told years ago to freeze my candles to make them last longer. I dipped beeswax candles a couple of years ago. Froze one of the candles and not the others. The frozen one did last longer although only by an hour or so.

 

[George]

The frozen one did last longer although only by an hour or so.

Did you burn it while still frozen, or does the effect remain after they are thawed?

Spence

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a wooden "wick" and scraps of melted wax to make votive candles. I find that you can buy cheap candles cheaper than you can buy wicks at candle making sections of craft stores.So a cheap candle will also make a wick for a votive candle.By making votive candles I don't worry about wax running down the side or wicks falling over. :hmm:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Dollar store.....4 candles for a dollar... :grin:

 

[leal536]

No, I burned it after it had come to room or air temp.

 

[coloradoclyde]

[



Spence

How do you guys/gals seal the tip ends so wax don't flow out.
Always had trouble with that.

Do you lube your molds?

 

[Woods Dweller]

I want a med burning candle. I am going to be in using candles for 10 days to light my camp. What size wick would you suggest?

Cotton wick 6/0, 4/0, 2/0, 1/0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6

 

[Sunkmanitu Tanka]

Jas Townsend made a small instruction film on the topic that I find quit usefull... Have a look on their website or maybe on YouTube...

 

[mooman76]

I in this case would use screws to seal the holes but carefully so not to cut the wick. I also have used vegetable oil to coat the mold(referred to as slip) to aid in the wax releasing. Not always needed but it depends on the mould. The one pictured looks pretty rough so not sure how he would remove the finished candles even with a lube. I did it as a hobby when I was younger and made allot of my moulds by using soda, bottles and such.