Dedicated to Candle Making

[victor meldrew]

As Dani says, if you put the second layer in to soon it will run in and blend with the level below - when my grandmother died we found a candle I had made when nine years old which she had kept - it was a square block candle which (if I remember correctly) was supposed to be two layers, one blue and one yellow, but in fact it ended up being dark jade green at the base, slowly changing to amber at the top!!
same then, if you let one layer cool too much, there's the chance (As per Dani) that the next layer will leach into the gap created as the candle contracts or (especially with pillar candles) that the two layers don't bond together properly.

Same with essential oils , they will migrate to the bottom of the mould . Spoil the finish . Timing is the secret .

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same with essential oils , they will migrate to the bottom of the mould . Spoil the finish . Timing is the secret .

Yes I’ve seen that with my wax melts if there is too much carrier oil. You have to be careful as you are adding a lot of essential.

 

[mdotb]

Is it possible to layer different coloured wax in the Abelo moulds? My daughter would like to make stripey Christmas candles for her friends.
Thanks

I’ve not tried it myself - so treat this as hearsay - but I recall a guest speaker on Beeswax products suggesting letting the first colour set (and shrink), then “top up” with a little more of the first colour, which will run into the gap created by the shrinking, then moving onto the next colour in the sweet spot of set-but-not-shrunk of the top up.

I can see how it helps particularly where you have a significant volume and thus temperature variation issues through the wax, but still sounds a bit like “practice until you get really good at it” to me...

 

[victor meldrew]

I’ve not tried it myself - so treat this as hearsay - but I recall a guest speaker on Beeswax products suggesting letting the first colour set (and shrink), then “top up” with a little more of the first colour, which will run into the gap created by the shrinking, then moving onto the next colour in the sweet spot of set-but-not-shrunk of the top up.

I can see how it helps particularly where you have a significant volume and thus temperature variation issues through the wax, but still sounds a bit like “practice until you get really good at it” to me...

Knocked a couple together this afternoon.

 

[E&MBees]

Well, my daughter had a go at a stripey Christmas candle. Here is her first attempt. It needs a little more work, but they should make nice presents for her friends.

 

[elainemary]

Inspired from earlier posts, heart and bees moulds arrived today along with new aromatherapy scents, plus spoke to my local potter who’s making me some oil burners. Ordered some tea light containers and wicks from 4candles.
Beeswax melts and tea lights here we come. Some lucky sisters’ gonna have some great Xmas presents this year! 🕯

 

[Swarm]

I got the largest size tea light wicks but they were still too thin, leaving the inevitable pool of wax. They did burn for a few hours but the flame just got smaller and smaller. Hope you have better luck

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well, my daughter had a go at a stripey Christmas candle. Here is her first attempt. It needs a little more work, but they should make nice presents for her friends.

Oh I don't know. That has a rustic charm to it

Inspired from earlier posts, heart and bees moulds arrived today along with new aromatherapy scents, plus spoke to my local potter who’s making me some oil burners. Ordered some tea light containers and wicks from 4candles.
Beeswax melts and tea lights here we come. Some lucky sisters’ gonna have some great Xmas presents this year! 🕯

I have found that their thickest pre-tabbed wicks are too thin so tried the NT35 and tabbed them myself and that works much better but just try test burn.

 

[kighill]

View attachment 22932I’m hoping the wick on this one is right!

i really like this candle where did you get the mould from please?

 

[kighill]

View attachment 22932I’m hoping the wick on this one is right!

Where is the mould from please?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Where is the mould from please?

looks like a Thornes TS32

 

[pargyle]

Ok thanks. My daughter has a small cylinder mould so will try that first. Will report back with the results!

Well, my daughter had a go at a stripey Christmas candle. Here is her first attempt. It needs a little more work, but they should make nice presents for her friends.

Well - I like it... there's something nice about handmade gifts and they don't need to be perfect - what the maker perceives and what the person receiving the gift perceives are usually very different.

As for the candles. you will find that they do look rather rustic as the different layers wlll bleed or blend, there is no foolrpoof solution to the problem. You can make separate coloured candles and join them together with a heat gun but you need to trim the wick off flat and square the mating surfaces of the different colours but it works and gives a sharp line between the colours...

The easier way is to pour the wax into a permanent container such as a shot glass (cheap as chips)... you wiill still get some bleed or blend but they look really nice if you do it like this at an angle and they are still beeswax candles - finish with a xmas ribbon round the glass held in place with some spray mount on the back of the ribbon and a cellophane pouch with a matching ribbon to tie the top:



Alternatively, this method works but you will have to either buy in coloured sheets of foundation from Thornes (others may sell them) or make your own flat sheets ... rolled candles are nice anyway and so quick and easy to make ...



or more complicated:

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Where is the mould from please?

Mould is a Thornes "TS32"

 

[kighill]

looks like a Thornes TS32

Thank y0u for the replies I could not get the website searching properly this morning. I found it straight away under TS32

 

[elainemary]

Oh I don't know. That has a rustic charm to it



I have found that their thickest pre-tabbed wicks are too thin so tried the NT35 and tabbed them myself and that works much better but just try test burn.

Thanks i’ll try those too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thank y0u for the replies I could not get the website searching properly this morning. I found it straight away under TS32

Thorne’s search engine is rubbish. I’ve given up plenty of times and come on here to ask for a link

 

[Swn58]

I put this pic on the 'What did you do in the workshop today' posts. These moulds all come from 'up the Amazon.' They are reasonably cheap' but I feel not as good quality as maybe Thorne's? TS32 looks nice; taller than the version I use?

 

[elainemary]

Thanks i’ll try those too.

4 candles are so helpful as a supplier of wicks / tea lights. Sending me the extra items Dani suggested without postage, as the wick I ordered is probably not big enough

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi there! It's so fascinating to hear about your candle-making experience and the funny mishap you had with your multi-colored candle as a kid!

It’s a dark art….. this candle making.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It’s a dark art….. this candle making.

but very enlightening