Tips for Making Soy Container Candles
Posted by admin on Nov 3, 2009
Candle making instructions are really simple and uncomplicated, but a little practice and experience will help make the hobby more enjoyable. Beginning candle makers can benefit from the experiences of veteran candle makers. Listed below are 5 top tips that experienced candle makers have found to be helpful.
- Use a double boiler to melt the wax. Candle wax is sensitive to heat and needs to be evenly and gently heated to avoid breaking down. A double boiler keeps the heat even across the surface of the melting pot, eliminating hot spots. It also makes it easier to keep the wax at its recommended working temperature while you add dyes and/or fragrance oil.
- Heat glass containers before pouring in the wax. Heat glass containers in the oven to about 150 degrees F. before pouring wax into it. This will keep the glass from cracking when hot wax is added and will also help the wax adhere to the inside of the container, avoiding unsightly frosty or wet looking spots. Use an oven mitt or light gloves when removing the glassware from the oven.
- Use wicks that have tabs attached to aid in centering the wick in the container. Candle wicks are available that have a small metal disk attached, making it easy to set the wick in the center of the container. Using a hot glue gun, put a liberal amount of glue on the bottom of the tab and place it in the center on the bottom of the container. A firm straw or thin walled aluminum tubing can aid in pressing the tab to the bottom. Simply place the straw or tube over the wick, running the wick up the center of the straw, and press the tab firmly to the bottom of the container.
- Pour the wax into the container slowly. After the wax has been heated to the required temperature and the dye and fragrance oil have been thoroughly mixed in, slowly pour the wax into the container. Using an aluminum melting pot with a spout does away with the need to dip the wax out of the pot to pour into the candle container. If you don’t have this type of melting pot, a pyrex measuring cup can be used. Just be sure to warm up the cup first so that the wax won’t harden on it when you dip out the wax. Pour slowly to avoid trapping bubbles in the wax. The candle should sit on a level surface as it cools.
- Hold the wick tightly centered in the container. Take a wooden stick, such as a popsicle stick, and put a hole in the center large enough to thread the end of the wick through. Rest the stick on the top of the container, pull the wick up so that it is tight, and clip the wick to the stick using a spring type clothespin or something similar such as an alligator clip. As the wax cools, it contracts and will form a small sink hole in the middle of the candle. If the wick is not held tightly in the middle it will tend to be pulled crooked.
Many more tips will probably be discovered with experience, but hopefully these five tips will help beginning candle makers create beautiful, fragrant soy container candles on the first try.
Selling Hand Made Candles
Posted by admin on Oct 28, 2009
Would you like to work at home and earn money doing something you love? Do you hate that commute to a boring job or just want to work from home and spend more quality time with your family? A home based candle making business could be what you’ve been looking for. It’s fun, creative, gives you more time to spend with your family, and has a huge potential to put extra money in your pockets. The following information details results of my research on what it takes to start a candle making business at home and how to sell your candles over the internet.
You can start making candles for profit in your kitchen, garage, or basement. Supplies are simple, and you will want to do a little research on your own to find the best prices. Your profits will be maximized by finding the lowest prices for your supplies and by selling your candles for the highest price the market will support. In general buying large quantities of candle making supplies will result in lower costs per candle. Shopping for supplies on eBay® may occasionally result in good, low prices.
Soy Candle Wax Starter Kit
Posted by admin on Sep 2, 2009
Since I’m new to making candles with soy wax, I decided I would buy a starter kit. One that gives me all the supplies that I will need to make a few different types of soy container candles. The first decision to make was what type of soy wax would work the best? A few minutes research on the internet showed many different blends and manufacturers. Looking for such things as natural additives and ease of use, I finally settled on Ecosoya™ soy candle wax. It is made from 100% soy beans and carefully selected botanical oils. This satisfied my desire to use a soy wax that’s as natural as possible. Another benefit is that it exhibits excellent adhesion to glass containers, alleviating the need to preheat glassware before pouring in the wax.
Aromatherapy Soy Candles
Posted by admin on Aug 27, 2009
Now that I have decided to use soy candle wax in my candle making endeavors, what type of candles should I make? I want my first attempt to be simple, so I will try my hand at making soy jar candles. These types of candles use a container to hold the wax and won’t require the soft soy wax to stand up on its own. More specifically I will start out making soy jar candles for use in aromatherapy. The low burning temperature of the soy candle flame softly warms the wax to gently release the aroma into the air.
Soy Candle Wax – An Introduction
Posted by admin on Aug 7, 2009
Soy candle wax is a form of soybean oil that has been partially hydrogenated to give it a waxy consistency. It has an off-white appearance and a lower melting point than paraffin wax. Soy candle wax is softer than paraffin, but additives can be incorporated to raise its melting point. This softness can be a problem during hot weather, as the candle may start to sag and deform. Because of the softness, soy candles are often made in containers.