Candle Making

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Weedygarden

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I wonder if anyone does any candle making? I have made some over the years, but my biggest frustration is the indentation in the center as they cool off. I have tried to keep a little wax and fill in that indentation, but it never looks quite right. Any ideas how to make them look better on top?
 
I wonder if anyone does any candle making? I have made some over the years, but my biggest frustration is the indentation in the center as they cool off. I have tried to keep a little wax and fill in that indentation, but it never looks quite right. Any ideas how to make them look better on top?
Cast them upside down?

Ben
 
I make jar candles from empty coconut oil jars. I found that if you tap the jar after you pour the hot wax the air bubbles (that cause the indent) float to the top. I did read that if you have an indent as the wax cools use a bbq skewer to release trapped bubbles then top the wax off.
 
Haven't made them in a few years, but it's fun. My grandson and I made a bunch of "buddy burners". Empty tuna or catfood cans....cut corragated cardboard strips and roll in the can. Add melted wax. These burn for a whole day
I've made a bunch of these and one of the things I have thought they could be good for would be using to cook food when you have nothing else. Of course, nothing is going to cook fast with them, but I can think of a few times and places that they could be used.
 
I wonder if anyone does any candle making? I have made some over the years, but my biggest frustration is the indentation in the center as they cool off. I have tried to keep a little wax and fill in that indentation, but it never looks quite right. Any ideas how to make them look better on top?
My SIL makes wonderful candles. You do 2 pours. On the first pour stop just below the top. Once cool and concave, do the second pour covering the top surface and filling in the divot.
I dip my own candles and enjoy the process. You can’t hurry it. You just rhythmically go through the steps. Hubby wanted to give it a go one year and enjoyed it so much I didn’t get to make them. That’s okay though. He doesn’t have many slow or quiet hobbies so it was good for him. I use them all winter- start out with a candle in the morning. It’s a much kinder light to wake up to.
 
My SIL makes wonderful candles. You do 2 pours. On the first pour stop just below the top. Once cool and concave, do the second pour covering the top surface and filling in the divot.
I dip my own candles and enjoy the process. You can’t hurry it. You just rhythmically go through the steps. Hubby wanted to give it a go one year and enjoyed it so much I didn’t get to make them. That’s okay though. He doesn’t have many slow or quiet hobbies so it was good for him. I use them all winter- start out with a candle in the morning. It’s a much kinder light to wake up to.
Thank you. I will give this a try. Daughter has our candle making supplies and I am going to get them from her one day this week and then try some candles. I may have some shopping to do before I start.
 
We have been making some that we have been planning to make for years. And by year, I mean we saved the bigger baby food jars from our youngest to make them in. She is now 9. The jars are not very big, but still work great and have a lid! @Grimm I like the idea of storing a matchbook with them. I will see if one will fit.
 
We have been making some that we have been planning to make for years. And by year, I mean we saved the bigger baby food jars from our youngest to make them in. She is now 9. The jars are not very big, but still work great and have a lid! @Grimm I like the idea of storing a matchbook with them. I will see if one will fit.

You could glue the match book to the lid. I made baby food jar candles when Roo was a toddler. I ended up using them for atmosphere when we were trying for Juju. I use empty coconut oil jars now.
 
I bought some bees wax from these folks and made my own shoe polish'

Shoe polish is crazy expensive and I use a ton of it. 3 parts olive oil/1 part beeswax melt/mix

millcreek honey store

4'' x 4'' cake of neutral polish
008.JPG
 
Curious after seeing the Crisco candle. Would Lard work got candles? I opened up my lard the other day for pie crusts and it smelled kinda funky. Hate to throw away. Still good to season cast iron. Maybe lint and egg carton firestarters?
Can't imagine why it wouldn't work for candles, but just so you know (in case you don't) I know tallow candles smoke quite a bit. I would think lard would be similar (but have never tried it so. . . ) You can make soap with it - good for your skin in winter months. 😊 That part I know about.
 
Can't imagine why it wouldn't work for candles, but just so you know (in case you don't) I know tallow candles smoke quite a bit. I would think lard would be similar (but have never tried it so. . . ) You can make soap with it - good for your skin in winter months. 😊 That part I know about.
Thanks LL. Didn’t think about the smoking. I generally don’t burn candles. I use oil lamps when power is out. Just checking options
 
here is another video on making crisco candles in jars or in the can and how to avoid smoking. ive not seen this before and tohught it was really neat. so simple! even i can do it thanks to frodo for mentioning it i think i will try the smaller 3lb can with a candle in it and see how that goes then maybe graduate to filling a canning jar.


 
 
I wonder if anyone does any candle making? I have made some over the years, but my biggest frustration is the indentation in the center as they cool off. I have tried to keep a little wax and fill in that indentation, but it never looks quite right. Any ideas how to make them look better on top?
Hey weedy. Doing what I do, I need lots of candles. you're not cooling them evenly, warm your mold up to 120 degrees before adding the wax, they'll cool from the inside out. If you care, adding incense oils to the wax as you melt it can make a nice scent as well when you use them.
 
Curious after seeing the Crisco candle. Would Lard work got candles? I opened up my lard the other day for pie crusts and it smelled kinda funky. Hate to throw away. Still good to season cast iron. Maybe lint and egg carton firestarters?
yes. but your house will smell faintly of bacon. melt that stuff and pour it over rolled up newspapers and make fire logs.
 
Hey weedy. Doing what I do, I need lots of candles. you're not cooling them evenly, warm your mold up to 120 degrees before adding the wax, they'll cool from the inside out. If you care, adding incense oils to the wax as you melt it can make a nice scent as well when you use them.
Thank you! I have supplies to make some. I am going to use the jars that queso cheese dip comes in. I will definitely heat those up before I put the wax in.

Scents give me migraines, so scent free works best for me.
 
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