Candle Making Tutorial
How to Tab a Wick
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Pre-tabbed
wicks are available for votive and tealight candles. If dont want to use pre-tabbed
wicks for tealights and votives, or if you are making container candles, or
pillars which do not use a mold with a wick-whole, you will need to tab your
wicks. For this you will need:
- Wick
of the type suitable for the type of candle you are making (Please see our
reference on Picking
Your Wick for assistance choosing the proper wick
to use for your candle.)
- Wick
Clips
- Pliers
- Scissors
- Ruler
Step
One: Measure & Cut Wick
This just
takes a ruler and some scissors.
- For Votive
Wicks, cut wick
into 2 12 lengths
- For Tealight
Wicks, cut wick
into 1 12 lengths
- For Container
and Jar Candle Wicks, cut wick
into the measure out enough wick for the height of your candle plus 2
inches extra for the wick
centering process. For example, if you are making a 4 jar candle,
measure out 4 + 2 = 6 length of wick. (In general, container candles 2
and under dont extra wick cut for wick centering, as the wicks generally
stand by themselves at this height.)
- For Pillar
Wicks, measure out enough wick
for the height of your candle plus 2 inches extra for the wick
centering process. For example, if you are making a 3 pillar candle,
measure out 3 + 2 = 5 length of wick. (this is if your pillar mold does
not have a wick hole in the bottom of it only)
Step
Two: Put the Wick to the Clip
The top
of the wick
clip has a small hollow stem rising from the center. The wick
goes through this stem. The bottom of the wick
clip is smooth.
HINT: For
Tealights, its easiest to choose the large
(self centering) wick clips
- Take
one of your cut wicks
in one hand and a wick
clip in the other.
- Thread
the wick
through the wick
clip from back to front.
- When
the wick
is flush with the flat surface of the back of the wick
clip, or even a fraction further into the stem (indented), stop
threading
Step Three: Crimp the Stem
Now take the pliers and squeeze the stem of the wick
clip into the wick,
crimping the stem so it holds the wicwickk
snugly.
Thats
it! You have now tabbed your own wick!
NOTE: If
you are using raw (non-waxed) wick, after you tab it you probably want to
prime the tabbed wick (dip it in wax to make it a waxed wick) before using in
a candle.
