Candle Making Tutorial
Basic Pillars
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Copyright 2003-2004 CandleHelp.com
These instructions are
for beginners who have never made a Pillar candle before. At first glance this
project might seem daunting to new candle makers, but you will see that it is
actually very simple to make a pillar candle it just takes a lot of words to
explain how to do it.
Following these
instructions, you can have a lovely new pillar candle to enjoy in just a few
hours. And probably of better quality that you could buy in a store!
So gather your
supplies, set up your work area, and follow these simple instructions for
making your own Pillar Candles.
What You Will
Need - Supplies
Molding
Candle Wax
4.5
x 3 Round Metal Mold
Jiffy
Wicker
1/0
square waxed wick or 34-37
flat cotton core waxed wick
Silicone
Spray Mold Release (optional)
Steamer
Pot or old Sauce Pan to create a double boiler
Standard
Size or Small
Size Melting Pot with pour spout
Wood
Stir Sticks, chopsticks, or something else to stir the wax
Thermometer
Scissors
A large needle or craft
knife
Candle
Fragrance (optional)
Color
Dye Chips (optional)
NOTE: These
instructions are written using a 4.5
x 3 round metal mold, which takes about 1 lb of wax
and 20 of wick
per candle.
Also a good idea to
have around:
Paper towels
Windex (Window cleaner)
Aluminum Foil
Newspaper, butcher
paper, or scrap paper to cover work surfaces
Fire Extinguisher (just
in case)
How to Set Up
Your Work Area
- Put down
newspaper or butcher paper on tables and countertops to catch spills and
for easy cleanup.
- Have paper towels
and Windex on hand for cleaning stovetops.
- Wrap stove burner
bowls in tin foil to catch drips of wax,
and for easy cleanup afterwards.
Prep Your Mold
Inspect your mold
to ensure that there is no residual wax
on the inside surfaces or seams of your mold.
If there is, remove it.
Spray the inside of
your mold
with Silicone
Spray Mold Release. To do this, either follow the directions on the can, or
hold the nozzle 8 to 10 inches from your mold
and release the spray in short bursts. I little goes a long way with Silicone
Spray Mold Release.
Wicking your
Mold
The first step in
making your pillar candle is to wick your mold.
You will need your wick
and your Jiffy
Wicker to do this.
Take a 20 length
of wick,
and tie a slip knot at one end. (Here is an invaluable guide for how to tie a slip
knot from a knitting website.)
- Thread the
unknotted end of the wick
through the metal
washer, and pull it through until the washer
is resting against the knot.
- Poke a hole in
the center of the rubber
gasket with a large needle or craft
knife. Thread the unknotted end of the wick
through the rubber
gasket, and pull it through until the gasket
is resting against the metal
washer.
- Thread the
unknotted end of the wick
through the wick hole in the bottom of the mold,
and pull up through the center of the mold
to the top of the mold. Keep pulling until gasket end of the wick
is snuggly pressed against the bottom of the mold.
The point here is to create a seal between the rubber gasket and the
mold, so that liquid wax
will not seep out through the bottom of your mold.
- Take the metal
jiffy wicker bar and thread the wick
through it. Pull the wick
taut, so that wax
cannot seep out, but not so tight that the wick
is stretched out of shape or distorted.
- Now draw the wick
into the notch at one end of the jiffy
wicker bar. Wrap the wick
once around the bar,
then underneath the wick
threaded along the length of the wick
bar, as shown, to create a solid knot.
Once you are
finished wicking your mold,
it is time to melt your wax.
(When you get experienced at wicking your mold, and can do it quickly, you
might want to wait until your wax
is set to melting before wicking your molds. Its a matter of timing and
personal preference.)
Melting
your Pillar Candle Wax
You will need
either a steamer
pot or deep sauce pan, and you will also need a melting
pot with a pouring spout. These two items create a double boiler to melt
down your wax.
A simple double
boiler using an old sauce pan and a meting pot with a spout.
Fill the bottom
part of your double boiler (the steamer
pot or the deep sauce pan) with about two inches of cool water, and place
on the burner set to high temperature.
Place pieces of 139
degree Molding Candle Wax to be melted into the melting
pot with a pouring spout, set the melting
pot in the water, and attend to it as the wax
liquefies. (When the water begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium low or
low.)
If you have a large
block of wax
and need instructions on how to safely break it into smaller pieces, please
visit our section on How To Break Up Wax
Blocks
When the wax
is entirely liquid (i.e., when there are no solid chunks any longer in the pot)
you have successfully melted the wax.
Our 139
degree Molding Candle Wax melts at about 139
degrees F. The wax
will continue to grow hotter as it remains in the double boiler. The temperature
of the wax
should get to 190
degrees F.
(Some advanced
candle makers will cook the wax
at 190
degrees F for 30 minutes to eliminate air trapped in the crystalline structure.
To some degree this can reduce the appearance flaws that would naturally appear
after the wax
is made into a candle. It is up to you whether you would like to perform this
added step.)
Adding Dye
After the wax
is entirely melted and at about 190
degrees F, add your candle
dye, if you are using any. Each of our diamond
shaped dye chips colors 1 lb of wax.
Use more or less candle
dye for lighter or darker colored candles. Drop a dye chip
(or part of a dye chip)
into the melted wax,
and stir
until the dye chip
is entirely dissolved into the liquid wax.
Adding Fragrance
Adding fragrance
is the last thing you do before you pour the candle. This is because the
potency of the fragrance
can be reduced if subjected to high heat for too long.
After the wax
is entirely melted, and after you have added candle
dye (if you are using candle
dye), add your candle
fragrance, if you are using any. The standard ratio for our candle
fragrance oils is one ounce of fragrance
oil per 1 lb of wax.
Use more or less fragrance
for lighter or heavier scented candles. Add the candle fragrance
to the melted (and colored, if you are making colored candles) wax
in the melting pot, and stir
thoroughly to get even distribution of the candle
fragrance.
Pouring the
Candles
Right after you add
the fragrance
to the melting pot, it is time to make the first pour of wax
into the pillar
candle mold.
You need a spouted
container to pour pillar candles. You can also use a wood
stirring stick or a chopstick for added pouring control to reduce dribbles.
The wax
should still be at about 190
degrees F. However, if it has cooled a little, that is fine too. Some folks
like to pour their pillar candles after the wax
has cooled to around 175
to 185 degrees F.
Pour the wax
into the pillar
mold, and fill the mold
up to half an inch from the top of the mold.
Be sure to save some wax
for the 2nd pour.
Relief Holes
After you have
poured the wax
into the mold,
let it sit undisturbed until a thick skin of wax
forms over the surface of the candle.
When this skin has
formed, use a wood
stirring stick or chopstick to poke
relief holes in the candle.
Make these holes
near the wick,
and poke
through the candle until you reach about 12 inch from the base of the candle. You
can make one hole, or several holes. The purpose of these relief holes is to
allow the wax
to shrink without forming solid bubbles of trapped air inside the finished
candle, which might pull the wick
off center, distort the shape of the finished candle, and interfere with proper
burning of the candle.
As the candle cools
further, you will see the wax
within the relief holes shrinking further. Continue to poke
through your relief holes as needed during the hardening process of your candle
to allow air in to take the place of the shrinking wax.
As the wax
cools and shrinks, you will be able to see your relief holes turn to sink
holes.
When the candle has
hardened and cooled to room temperature, it is time to make the 2nd
pour of wax,
to fill the relief holes and the indentations, caused by shrinkage of the wax,
in the center of the candle.
2nd
Pour
The second pour
is made after the wax
in the pillar
candle mold has cooled completely. The reason for making a second pour
(pouring more wax
into the mold after the first pour wax
has cooled) is that the wax
from the first pour will have shrunk into sink-holes, which you will plainly be
able to see around the relief holes you made in the previous step. This is
normal, as wax
expands when melted and contracts when it cools.
To make the 2nd
pour for the pillar candle, re-heat the wax
you saved from the first pour in the double boiler. Reheat this wax
to about 5 to 10 degrees F hotter than the temperature of your first pour wax.
(If the wax
of your first pour was 190
degrees F, then heat the 2nd pour wax
to 195
or 200 degrees F before pouring.)
When it is the
proper temperature, pour the wax
into your relief holes, and continue pouring until the wax
reaches a level just below that of your first pour. Pouring higher than the
first pour can cause surface flaws on your finished candle. (But if you make a
mistake and pour higher than your first pour, dont sweat it.)
Setting the
Pillar
Now let your pillar
candle sit undisturbed until it cools completely. This may take a few hours.
You will know that your candle is completely cool when the surface of the mold
is cool to the touch, not warm. You will also, most likely, notice the candle
separating from the edge of the mold.
This is a good sign.
Remove The
Candle From the Mold
When your candle
has cooled completely, you may remove it from the mold.
Attempting to remove the candle before it is completely cooled will result in
frustration and, possibly, a marred candle. Look for a little separation of the
wax
from the edges of the mold.
This is a good indicator that your candle is cool enough to remove. Another
indication is that the metal mold
is cool to the touch (not warm).
To remove the
candle from the mold,
first, pull on the slip knot on the bottom of the mold
beneath the jiffy
wicker metal washer and rubber washer. The knot should pull out of the wick.
Slip the metal
washer and the rubber
gasket off of the wick.
Next, untie the wick
at the top of the candle from the jiffy
wicker bar, and slide the jiffy
wicker bar off of the wick.
Now that your
candle is free at both ends, turn the mold
upside down and gently tug on the wick
at the top of the candle.
HINT: If the candle
does not come out of the mold,
you may want to allow it to cool longer. Some people like to put the mold
in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. If the candle still will not come out of
the mold,
submerge the entire mold
and candle in a bucket of warm water. The water will seep in and release the
candle from the mold.
Trim the Wick
When your candle is
out of the mold,
cut the wick
at the bottom of the candle off, so that it is flush with the bottom surface of
the candle. Trim the wick
at the top of the candle to 14.
Voila!
That is it! You are
done! You now have a lovely pillar candle to enjoy! Homemade pillar candles are
often times of better quality that can be bought in stores, and are great gifts
for friends and family. Continue making your own unique pillar candles, and
experiment with new shapes, sizes, and effects. And let us know how it goes!
Finish Notes:
For instructions on
removing the mold seams from your pillar candles, see our reference section on Removing Seams from Candles
The candles made with
these instructions have a natural mottled effect, quite a popular finish for
candles. If you desire a solid finish (with no mottling), see our advanced
pillar instructions, which include instructions on how to use certain chemicals
which prevent mottling.
For instructions on
leveling your candles (in the event that they came out tilted for some reason)
please see our reference section on Candle Leveling
Caution:
Never pour liquid wax
down a drain. It will solidify in the pipes and cause a serious clog.
Pillar candles should be
burned in approved pillar
candle holders
Never leave a burning
candle unattended.
