Beeswax candle are much sought after and make wonderful presents. I love their
smell and their smooth texture. Pillar candles, unlike dinner candles, will really give off that wonderful honey smell as there will be a pool of wax to diffuse the scent. Tapered candles give off much less scent.
Firstly, Handipped beeswax candles:
The drawback of making these is that you have to have quiet a lot of beeswax, which is expensive. The great thing about making them is that when you use beeswax you will get thicker layers than when you use paraffin wax. You will need a tall dipping can and some 1″ wick. (You can use an oil tin such as an oil tin; cut off the top and make sure it is thoroughly clean. Put tape round the top of the can to ensure that it is safe and you cannot cut yourself on its edge. Then place in a water bath. NEVER heat wax directly over your heat source). Each candle will need between 7 and 10 dips. Dip them with a smooth arm action. Leave time between dips for the wax to cool. When finished hang them up so they are separated. They may bend if you do not make sure that they completely set before standing them upright.
How to Make Solid Beeswax Pillar Candles
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Beeswax does not contract and can be impossible to get out of the mould. However use cooking oil which is a natural release agent and works wonders in steel or plastic moulds. Rub a thin layer onto the inside of the mould with a soft, lint-free cloth Stand the mould upside down on an old newspaper to let the excess oil drip away. Give it a final rub with a soft cloth. Alternatively I have used cooking oil sprays quite effectively. Set your mould up using a wick 1/2 larger than usual. Then set your mould up in the usual way. Heat the beeswax in a double boiler and pour your candle at approximately 185 F. When you top it up make sure that you are very careful not to top it up over the original level of the candle.
NB You can add stearin to the beeswax to make it harder if you wish. |
How to make beeswax candles in a rubber moulds.
Rubber mould are very well suited to beeswax and of course you can extract them easily. You will find instructions for using rubber moulds here
How to make beeswax candles in glass dinner candle moulds
We suggest you dont try this, as the candle may be very difficult to remove. Handip instead!
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