Flamin' Hot Candle Making

Mix it up and get creative!

2011-06-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

Following our test with the versatile Uni-Soy wax, we went a step further to use the container maker in other waxes. Why not?
The candles in the photo have been made by mixing it up...see more.

Beeswax is a favourite of mine but it's a tough one to burn in containers as it just won't melt right across.
So we started with 20% container maker and have now gone to a rate of 1:1 trial (for every 100gm beeswax add 100ml container maker) and the burn as a container candle is just lovely!
It tolerates the extra oil load beautifully and still feels and smells like beeswax. Its characteristics are not lost at all, though its colour is reduced (by half presumably).
This also reduces the cost of your beeswax candle...

Aura Palm - an earlier blog claims its place as economical, versatile and a mimicks soy and paraffin in pillars. So we tested it with 20% container maker and it also became a perfect container candle.

Then we tried Uni-Soy (1/3) with beeswax (1/3) and container maker (1/3) which made a beautiful softly coloured candle.

Conversely, as mentioned in the previous blog, you can blend your waxes to make an ideal pillar. Uni-Soy and beeswax; uni-soy and aura etc.

It's empowering to know that you can create the candle you want!
So add container maker to your shopping list and see what you can do!!

Uni-Soy, the most versatile soy wax ever!

2011-06-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

We've imported the best soy ever. Pure soy wax with a melt temperature of 60 it can be manipulated to your needs.
Basically a container candle is expected to:

melt right across, with no crater effect
adhere to the walls of the containers, a purely visual expectation

In containers you can also load your fragrance a little heavier, as melting is no issue.

Melt Uni-Soy and add 'container maker' at the rate of 200-300ml per kg once melted. Then add your colour and fragrance choices.

Tip: allow the wax mixture to cool to 60-65 and pour into warmed glass.

For a perfect pillar melt Uni-Soy with 20% of a harder wax.
We have tested it with wax improver, aura palm wax and beeswax. The addition of paraffin would also be acceptable.
Tests have shown a 6 hour burn with a rim of 5mm which is
extra-ordinary.

This wax has taught us to be brave and try new mixes, do not be limited by a wax or blend.
See the next blog for lots of other great ideas!

Beeswax revealed

2011-04-15T17:53:00.000-07:00

My previous blogs show that I love beeswax! and of course beeswax candles.
But have you ever had a batch that just won't burn? (flame in rear of photo)
You'ld never buy a batch like that from us, but if a friend hands you some it just could be a 'no-burn' wax, read on...

We recommend you test a batch before before you start making your candles.
Dig a hole with a skewer and pop in a piece of wick:

does it burn with a strong flame? (flame in front)
does it burn for hours?

If not, and the flame is struggling then you need to FIX the wax.

use the double saucepan method to safely melt the wax
add water into the wax pot, about 1/3
melt the wax at a high simmer
stir the water through the melted wax - this will dissolve any honey and nectar still in the wax - you will be surprised how coloured the water will be with dissolved 'pollutants'
you could even repeat this with a second wash - take the top wax off and filter it into the second pot through a cloth and stocking filter
take the wax off the top and filter it into your final moulding / container.

The filtering needs to be fine. In the second photo you can see the fine material that has moved into the wick and choked it. No wax can move up the wick to the flame.

We were shocked the first time we tested wax that did not burn. A few customers had told me of their plight with wax directly from the hive. We were quite astonished to stumble on a batch ourselves. It looked clean and absolutely gorgeous with a strong gold colour that is so admired by candle makers. There was no indication of the fine black particles held in suspension or the presence of the honey and pollen.

To buy best beeswax, shop on our site or give us a call on 02 9653 3600.
Hope that helps you,
from www.candlemaking.com.au

Can you tell which is which?

2011-03-18T00:04:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's a bit tricky isn't it? Even if there were prices on these you might be hard pressed telling them apart at a glance.
These candles were all amde to make a glossy, white, perfect candle with good burn qualities.

People choose their wax for many reasons, the look, the feel, environmental issues, and the cost.
So when I'm asked what's best I can only add all those factors together - most economical, reliable, clean finish and white in its base form - Aura palm Wax for a perfectly natural candle.

Can you tell which is which?
...far left is Aura Palm, in the centre is Paraffin, right is Soy Wax for pillars.
Also coincidentally they are ordered from cheapest @ $7.50 to most @ $11.50.
Bulk pricing offers better deals on the per kg price.

You will find the waxes at http://www.candlemaking.com.au/Candle-Making

Palm wax IS all it's cracked up to be!

2011-03-17T01:11:00.000-07:00

Palm wax makes the most rewarding natural candles - they look spectacular and burn really well.
Each wax has its idiosyncrasies in the making. Palm wax is no different, so a few hints are below to help.

There is high chance that the palm wax will track through the wick and out past your seal - be sure to cover the wick completely with sealer (blue tack).

Melt your wax over a double boiler - see our previous blog
If you are after a crystal pattern from your palm wax, raise the water to boil, so the wax increases to about 95°C. Metal moulds work best as they heat quickly and allow the wax to form crystals at its own pace.

The shell forms quickly and becomes quite rigid appearing to have no contraction - break the surface regularly as the candle cools so there is a channel into the insides for topping up later.

The pour temperature is dependent on the moulds: metal can be poured high, as can silicon, but be mindful of manufacturer's recommendations on PVC etc.

Once the candle is cold, it can be topped up like any other candle, the base finished and the wick waxed.

Palm candles are an absolute wonder when they are removed from the mould - each shape impacts the lay of the crystals, so go experiment!
All Australian Candle Making Supplies and Kits has all the right products for making these beautiful candles.
For more details see the site for free on-line videos and 'how to' pages.

The importance of being double.

2011-03-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

One of our lovely customers, Lyndel, sent us this wonderful idea - make holes in old lids with a hammer and nail - these can then be put into the base of the water pot for the wax pot to sit on. This is one of the best tips I've heard in a while! thanks Lyndel.

Now see why....

Boiling point of water? 100° C
Why a double saucepan? The water maintains the temperature of the wax at a maximum of 100° C
Can I short cut in the microwave? No

It's best if the water surrounds the inner wax pot so it doesn't come into direct contact with the heat source.

All wax, fats, oils have a flash point (temperature) when they burst into flames. By keeping our candle wax over water, the wax will never be anywhere near this temperature.
Mostly a simmer which ranges from 80 - just below boil is the safest place to be.
The pour temperature is also dependent on the material of the mould - glass and metal are fine with the higher end, but with PVC you will need the low-range simmer around 80-85°C.

There are videos for beginners on our site www.candlemaking.com.au

All the best, Lynne
All Australian Candle Making Supplies and Kits

Can you hear bees?

2011-02-27T01:20:00.000-08:00

Bees in my garden, bees everywhere...yes the neighbour has some hives! That's excellent news for a candle maker, probably good news for my garden too.
So we've had our gum blossom's nectar returned to us as honey and beeswax YAHOO delicious and great beeswax.
I was so excited I put on the make-up and got this video done. I find the whole beeswax process fascinating. In this video I explain the process of foundation sheet to hive to beeswax and honey.
Beeswax is simply the most beautifully natural, renewable resource. Not only looks and smells great but burns extremely well too!
You could get hooked. Take a look and see what I mean.

from www.candlemaking.com.au

How much do I need?

2011-02-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

'I have the moulds, glasses, carton....but don't know how much wax or soap to buy?'
This is anther common question with a nice easy answer.

You can fill the mould or cup with water and tip it into a measuring jug. This roughly converts volume to weight.
It is close enough to indicate how much you should buy / melt.
Another way I like to do it is with rice. The moulds stay dry with rice, and if the mould is clean, the rice can just go back into its container.
For small moulds you may need to do it a few times and divide the toal volume by the number of fills, eg:

300 water in a measuring jug after filling a glass candle holder 4 times
approximately 300gm wax needed for 4 candles - 75gm per candle.

Tea Cups and left over candle wax

2011-02-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

Ever since we began this business, we have been asked whether old candles can be melted and used again. Yes, of course, if they burned well the first time they can be resurrected!

Divide them into 2 groups. If you want to make moulded candles, use only the really good ones.
The other candles, that burned poorly or melted all over the place, can be used in container candles.

This way, all you need to buy is wick. Moulds can be made or purchased. Containers? there are most likely some candle glasses, ceramics or tea cups around that you can use.

Magazines love to do the 'tea cup' candles. Everyone has hand-me-downs too good to throw out but useless for a good cuppa.

So 4 easy steps follow and you can see the video on http://www.candlemaking.com.au/Making-Soy-Candles-in-Containers-1

melt your wax in a double saucepan
pour into the container of your choice
set the wick and tab assembly in the wax once it has begun setting on the bottom - a skewer might help you position this
lie a pencil across the top to hold the wick in the centre as the wax sets

We have the most beautiful soy wax if you want to start from scratch. Add a little fragrance - chai maybe - we don't have Bushell's - and a touch of brown candle dye to help it look a little like tea.

Soy wax and other bits available on www.candlemaking.com.au
All the best!

Bust the bugs!

2011-01-29T22:42:00.000-08:00

with Citronella Container Candles...............bzzzzzz slap no more

With all this hot weather and the RAIN! bugs are numerous. Not sure about the rest of the world but I think all Australians need to know how to make a good citronella cloud to keep the bugs confused.

Citronella is known for its distinctive odour - it seems to make it difficult for pests to find a host, it hides us in an aromatic cloud! These may include mosquitoes, black flies, fleas and ticks. You would need to create a candle with a large melt pool to throw the scent sufficiently to keep the bugs away. That's why we have chosen large wicks for this project and low melt temperature wax.

There are specific videos and instructions on the site regarding melting safely and wicking so I will keep these instructions to a minimum.

Suitable containers: ceramics, tin buckets, glass, pottery

Collect your materials as in photo.

1 melt low melt temperature wax in a double saucepan along with your colour (your old collection of used candles could be used here)

2 dip a length of outdoor wick into the melting wax and allow to cool on newspaper

3 thread the wick through the large tab to the desired length, secure it by pushing down the pointed edges

4 when the wax is melted, add 20-30ml citronella candle fragrance (or citronella essential oil for natural waxes) for every kilogram of wax

5 pour the melted wax mixture into the container

6 as the edges of the wax begin to set, lower the tab end into the wax and push it into the 'muddy' wax on the bottom with a bamboo skewer. If you have been patient, there should be enough wax to hold it in place. Otherwise wait a little longer.

7 place a bamboo skewer either side of the wick and use a peg to hold it in the centre of the candle.

The candle will set over night and may need a top up to make a nice flat surface.

I do hope this project gets you back outdoors for these great Summer evenings, much nicer when the bugs don't bite!!

SALE ON NOW!

2010-08-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

We have just launched a super special on transparent glycerine melt and pour soap. There is excess stock from end of year counting. Take advantage of this and give it a go!
Melt the soap in a double saucepan or in the microwave (as on the instructions) and pour.
You can embed dried flowers, silk flowers, plastic embeds - just pour the mould 1/3 and allow to cool just enough to sit the embed on top, then finish the pour.
Changing colours for the second pour gives greater contrast.

I love colouring the transparent soap (this photo uses our NEW natural colour) then pouring another melt and pour around - any of the melt and pours are fine. If you use a tall tube, it's easy to carve lovely slices of soap that have a gem-like quality!

See the special on the site

Natural Colours

2010-07-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Natural colour has now been added to our range. It is sold in 10ml bottles with a dropper. The depth of colour varies depending on the base product you are using. They can be used in both soap bases and natural candle wax.

The colours are tumeric 'yellow', annatto 'orange', spinach 'green' and paprika 'red'.

SOAP: When you put some in the soap base, it will shows its true colour.
We are currently checking the movment of the colours - will they bleed across barriers.

NATURAL CANDLE WAX: Drop the colour into candle wax and allow it to warm for best mixing. You will need to cool it before seeing the final colour. (A small test amount can be cooled in a cup of water).
See the site for ordering www.candlemaking.com.au

Cold winter nights...

2010-07-08T02:26:00.000-07:00

Cold nights like these, isn't it lovely to have the glow of a candle warming the room? not in temperature but presence. Maybe this is the time you have been waiting for. Long weekends, too cold to go out, so you might like to start making candles now! I have written material here before about the easiest candles to get started. So maybe now is the time to do it!
I would suggest making a container candle to start with. This means the wax is poured in and sets....not too difficult at all.

Could you find a big tin - an empty Milo™ tin, fruit juice tin etc you get the picture
Could you put wax in it?
Can you bring water to a simmer?
OK, so stand the tin in the water and allow it to melt.
Cover your work area so drips and drops are caught.
Pour wax into your container
Wait for the bottom 2mm to set then it is easy to stand the wick and peg the top to hold in place.

I hope you like the video and find it useful. It shows our beautiful natural soy wax candles - it burns slowly and also looks good, adhering to the glass walls and cooling with a nice flat surface.
Best way for a first candle (or any time really - this is my favourite!)

Logo

2010-07-04T02:27:00.000-07:00

I had a large corporation ask for a special candle in their colours. And! make a logo on the front. So I had a silicon mould made for the logo at my very special mould maker, with such fine detail, it has completely recreated the logo and title. The logo had to be moved when still 'plastic' so it could cool on the curved surface of the candle mould. All very tricky. What ever the challenge there is always a way around it!

Continuous Wicking

2010-07-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

Candle making is great fun. But threading that wick through the hole is NOT! Call me slow - I had heard about this some time back but not tried it until recently.
When you wick a candle, leave a metre or 2 hanging out the hole instead of trimming it.
Now pour your candle as usual, and wait for it to cool completely.
As the candle is removed from the mould just watch the wick move through, getting ready for another one without the threading! it's such a bonus and makes the job so much faster and enjoyable. Give it a go!

How do I choose a wick?

2010-06-09T16:58:00.000-07:00

...which could also help people asking why the candle drowns or why does the candle melt all over the table?

Getting the right wick is critical. The candle needs to burn with a small edge around it. Do candles have a memory for this edge?? NO!!! how could it?

The candle will melt through the wall and create a new melt area if you leave it longer than the first burn. It sounds too good to be true and it is!

the size of the flame is dictated by the diameter / fatness of the wick

cotton doesn't 'want' to burn
the fuel is the melted wax

Some suggestions for sizing:

the easier your wax melts - the smaller the wick should be. A small flame will quickly get the melting happenning.

if your wax has a high melt temperature - the wick needs to be larger for a larger flame and more heat.

if you burn for long periods, over 4 hours, then you may need to use a smaller wick as the flame will warm the candle, making melting easier.

if you burn for short periods, maybe just at dinner time, then you could use a larger wick to increase the melt area.

On the site we have recommendations to help your first purchase, but I always suggest that you burn your candles and decide for yourself if it suits you.
Container candles are much simpler - you can use ready assembled wick and stabiliser tabs that simply stand in wax once it has begun to set. Because you want the lot to melt with no edge, having a melty wax is preferable and the amount of fragrance can be increased too.

Pure Beeswax

2010-06-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

Following on the theme of candle making made easy, here is a video using beeswax foundation sheets.

Maybe as a child you rolled some beeswax candles, as an adult it is a decorator's dream.
You can roll a candle any size, just right for your candle holder. No more searching shops for the right candle when you can do it yourself.

The one I present on this video uses 2 colours so there is contrast, but just as easily it could be done as a single as a dinner taper.

I often recommend this simple candle kit. There is no melting, and it can be done on any flat surface (you know your friends will want to do it too, it's fun and easy!!).

It's also really good to hand out to children when you visit the family, it will keep them busy for hours.
I have suggested to school groups that the children decorate small glass jars with glass paints or labels, then simply roll a candle that fits inside. TWO projects in one!

If you would like to know about beeswax foundation sheets read on:

pure beeswax sheets 20cm x 40cm in 6 different colours
they feature a honeycomb pattern stamped into them

this 6 sided pattern replicates the pattern of the hive and forms the foundation of their honeycomb

the bees build out from the foundation sheet then fill the tubes with honey, then the bees cap off the honey

apiartists (bee keepers) cut the cappings off which is the purest beeswax

then the honey is spun out from the tubes

the honeycomb is put back into the hives to be filled by the bees again

this cycles through a few times then all the beeswax is melted down and a new foundation sheet begins the cycle again

I wish you all the creative best!

Too easy - candle sand, the perfect last minute candle.

2010-06-07T02:32:00.000-07:00

When the visitors are on the way and the table is set, but atmosphere? Missing!
If it's anything like our place then so much is left until the last minute and then time has run out.

And I am the candle maker, so this is a great tip from me - find your nicest dishes, bowls, saki cups, as a matter of fact any glass or ceramic.
The pantry hordes so many lovely platters that don't get used so take this as the perfect opportunity for a unique candle.

Thinking back to when you were a child, maybe you remember making coloured sand patterns in bottles and jars? so this is much the same.
Tall vases can hold a lot of wax which could be layered for a striped effect. But smaller vessels simply using plain or white (natural) wax is fast and easy.

Now here's the instructions:
pour the wax beads around the wick & hahaha you're done!
If you want the colour shake the beds in a plastic bag or container with a bit of food colour and some drops of essential oil.
I have used palm wax for this project because it is the smallest bead around and it is totally natural too.

This is all on the video attached. I do hope you can use this information and enjoy the short adventure of it.

soap making the easy way

2010-05-17T04:31:00.001-07:00

Good to my word, here is the most simple soap project ever. Working with a base is safe and guaranteed to work. There's no nasty caustic soda and thermometers and protective gear oh NO! None of that. Just as it says, we do it with 'melt and pour' soap. It's very rewarding to get a great result first up, with a no fail soap. This soap is soft and lush, with a hint of fragrance and honey, such luxury!
I suggest the microwave be used at 80% first minute then reduced to about 50% checking at short intervals until the melting is almost complete - the rest will melt while you stir in the beeswax, essential oil and honey.
You could try other variations, using herbs and spices for example.
Then it's ready to pour - select your moulds. They can be commercially produced as those on our site or any containers from the kitchen.
If you need any help give me a call, see contact details soapmaking.com.au

Why would you?

2010-05-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

Satisfaction is in the doing. The 'I made it' feeling with a grin all over your face! Even though I have made soap and candles my business, I gain great satisfaction from making a new batch, preparing some new ideas for exhibitions and testing new products.
My family kinda think 'nuts' when I show them a new candle, 'so what's new mum?' and I have to explain that this was play time and it is still fun to make a candle and burn it through the evening.
So, I would love to teach you how to make a candle, and also some sweet little soaps. I promise you it's addictive.
personally I would recommend you start with the simplest moulding and move through the levels of difficulty:
melt and pour soap
container soy wax candle
small pillar candle using ready to use wax mix or natural soy (be sure it is for pillars)

With this list you are led through melting, pouring, wicking in the simplest order possible. I will provide you with info on a 'need to know' basis and not clutter the airwaves with too much too fast.
are you ready to make a soap? watch for the next post...