How To Make Candles – Candlemaking Supplies
Candlemaking can be enjoyed not only by beginners but by those who are already very good at other crafts. It has many of the same positive effects as other crafting projects, such as music or sewing. The only difference is that you do not have to be an expert to be able to enjoy candlemaking. Here are some pointers on how to do it yourself.
For a beginner, candlemaking can be exciting and fun, especially when you use your own creative ideas and turn them into reality. Candlemaking is basically creating a light source from a non-combustible wick protected by a non-combustible backing, usually wax. As the candle burns down, more wax gets exposed and the wick eventually shrinks, until eventually it is just a tiny dot. Since wax burns at about 1500 degrees Fahrenheit, you do have to be careful with the essential oils you use and the quality of your wax.
Two main types of candlemaking supplies are traditional wax candles and soy candles. Candles can be made from a variety of materials depending on the purpose of the project and the availability of the materials. In the beginning you might want to stick with plain white wax in order to avoid any potential allergic reactions to the fragrance used in making early candles. White tallow, derived from beef fat, is another alternative.
Essential oils and their molecules are very tiny and it takes great care to prevent any damage or injury from occurring. Essential oils or fragrance oils can be combined with many different waxes to produce different textures and color, and they can be burned cleanly in an air-tight container. The wax, however, must be allowed to reach a burning temperature of about 1500 degrees Fahrenheit before it will burn cleanly.
As your candlemaking skills improve, you can experiment with various waxes and fragrance oils. If you plan to make container candles, then it may be possible to buy a candle mold already formed, but you may find that a premade mold is easier to work with. Fragrance oils are often added to the molds as a thickener for strength and stability, and these fragrances can be used to control the burning rate of the finished candle. As your skills and confidence grow, you might want to experiment with creating different textures, shapes, and densities of wax in order to design your own custom molds. The basic principles of candlemaking are the same no matter what type of candle you are creating.
There are a few safety precautions that you should follow when working with paraffin wax. Candlemakers should wear protective gloves when melting paraffin wax or using any of the various wick tools. Candle molds must be kept away from hot surfaces; therefore you should keep them out of direct sunlight and avoid placing them in areas where there is excessive heat. Candle molding machines can be very dangerous if they are not properly used or designed according to safety standards. These molds should have a flame-lock mechanism that prevents the hot wax from spilling out, and the flame should never reach temperatures beyond 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, candlemakers should never allow their waxing torches to stand near the melted wax; the flames could easily melt the wax and result in serious burns.
As you learn more about candlemaking you will likely come across information on essential oils and their healing properties. While some of these healing properties have been recognized for thousands of years, there is still a great deal of research that continues to be done on their healing properties. You may decide that you want to try making candles with essential oils; however, it is important to remember that using these types of oils may have an impact on your candle making processes. It is best to choose your essential oils carefully.
One of the most popular types of candlemaking supplies is beeswax. Beeswax candles are produced by mixing beeswax with spermaceti, which is a by-product of distillation. While both are excellent candlemaking ingredients, beeswax burns cleaner and longer than spermaceti, and it has a pleasant scent. For beginners, beeswax is a good choice for melting, since it melts quite readily and produces little smoke.
