For centuries, the main fuel for candles was tallow. While tallow did burn, tallow doesn’t make a good candle. They create a lot of smoke when they burn and they smell badly. For these reasons, paraffin rapidly overtook tallow as a candle material choice once it was developed.

However, paraffin is a residual of the petroleum refining process. That’s why people have been interested in developing a “green” alternative to paraffin. Soy candle wax resulted from this search.

Soy beans have a high fat content and soybean oil is derived from them. However, soybean oil isn’t solid so when it’s original form it can’t be used for making candles. But that can be changed.

Whether a fat is liquid or solid at room temperature depends on how many hydrogen molecules it contains. Fat molecules contain hydrogen atoms and a fat is “saturated” if it can’t hold any more hydrogen. It’s possible to saturate an unsaturated fat by adding hydrogen. That makes the oil solid at room temperature.

Now that description admittedly simplifies the situation, and different manufactures treat the oil different ways, but the end result is a candle wax from a renewable resource.

One difficulty with pure soy wax is that it is relatively soft. this means it’s great for making container candles but not so great for making pillars that need to stand on their own. Candle makers can compensate for that problem by blending soy wax with paraffin and hardening additives. If you do that, the resultant wax can be used for many more types of candles.

But many people want to use 100% soy wax, in which case they will probably get the best results if they stick to container candles. I’m sure you’ve seen and probably even have used container candles. The most common ones are jars such as canning jars or apothecary jars filled with wax. Other styles of candles are removed from the mold when the wax hardens. With container candles, the candle remains in its “mold”.

Of course there is much more to learn about soy wax and how to use it. One the best sites I’ve found to get more information is:

Soy Candle Wax

And of course if you’re looking into soy candle wax you’ll probably be interested in how to make a candle with. You can learn about the insiders techniques at: How to Make Soy Candles.

Better yet, I suggest you take a look at the e-book Home Candle Making Made Easy.

That book reveals insider secrets on all aspects of candle making from selecting what type of wax to use for specific situations, what additives to use and when, the best way to scent candles, and so much more… Getting the information this book will guarantee your success.

Candle making is a wonderful hobby. Get Home Candle Making Made Easy today and get started.

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The internet have brought so much information to people, along with some negatives of course, but when it comes to candle making at home, you can easily check advice, and use the method that sounds best to you. With a large selection of candles that you can make, and a variety of colors, aromas and shapes for to choose from, there are a lot of options for the candlemaking at home.

For example, bees wax is sold in flat sheets of wax with a selection of colors, and each sheet can make two bees wax candles just by cutting the sheet in half. After cutting them, these sheets of wax are then rolled tightly around a wick of a suitable length and there you have a beeswax candle all ready to light.

But, if you are going to make gel candles so that you can customize them with embedded trinkets, then you need to heat the gel in a double boiler, or equivalent, to a high temperature. The same thing applies to making soy candles, or paraffin wax candles, the wax has to be melted first.

What this means is that these beeswax candles can be made by children or adults at home or anywhere, since there is no heating of the wax to worry about. For bees wax candles you do need to warm the candle wax a little to seal the edge of the wax sheet to itself, but this can easily be done just with the warmth from your fingers – no stove is needed. So beeswax candles are ideal for children who like to make a craft, perhaps for a birthday as they require few supplies, and few skills.

Should the project not be to your liking, the good thing about wax is that you can just heat it to melt it so you can start over. So if the bees wax sheet of wax gets broken, it can always be carefully melted by an adult, and poured into a glass container, with a wick added of course. Because of this there is little waste as far as making candles goes, because you can always just start over. You can also melt all the remaining pieces of candles left when they have burnt through, and with all these pieces, you will probably be able to make at least one more candle.

Whatever color of candles you prefer to make, making candles is a good activity to create at home on those cold winter evenings. To begin with, by heating up the wax, you will feel a little warmer, since it is not advisable for you to leave the melting wax unwatched. Besides the warmth from the stove, there are the different aromas you can choose, that may bring back memories of your youth, perhaps. Yes, to make candles at home on a long winter’s night, where you have something lovely to show for your efforts by the end of the evening, is a pleasant way of spending an evening.

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Candle making has a lot to recommend it as a hobby.  Few other hobbies are as accessible. The equipment requirements are modest. The basic techniques are simple enough that even a complete beginner can enjoy success right from the start. Yet there are enough advanced techniques to master that will keep you interested in the hobby for years to come.

Another benefit of the hobby is at the final product is so useful and enjoyable.  Not only do you get to enjoy the process of making the candles and enjoy their beauty, you can light them to make any occasion special.

You can experience the fun of candle making without even having to melt wax. A simple beginner project uses sheets of beeswax that are pliable enough to roll around a wick.

Another good project to get started in candle making is to make a container candle. To make a container candle, you find a suitable container, fix a wick in position, then pour in melted wax. When the wax hardens, your candle is ready.

Making a candle this way eliminates working with and removing molds. However, you do need to be little careful when picking your container. The container itself shouldn’t be flammable, and you should be able to count on it remain intact under the heat of the candle flame. Sturdy glass containers and metal tins are good choices.

If you want to find out more about how to make your own candles, you can get on the information you need at: Candle Making Connection.

While you’re on the site, be sure to sign up for a free mini course on candle making.

You definitely want to check out the page Candle Making Wax. After all wax is the primary ingredient of the candle. I think you’ll be surprised how many options you have.

If you want to get the best possible results as quickly as possible, then I definitely recommend that you consider getting Home Candle Making Made Easy. This comprehensive e-book is as close as you can come to have an expert candle maker by your side giving you advice.

I hope you give candle making a try. It’s a great hobby and one it’s easy to start. And think of how much fun it would be to use and enjoy your own candles.

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Paraffin Candle Wax

Paraffin is the workhorse of waxes. Most commercially made candles are made from paraffin wax.

Paraffin is a residual of the process of refining crude oil.

Different grades of paraffin candle wax are available. Most suppliers indicate which is their “general purpose” candle wax and that’s usually a good one for beginners to start with. The wax is widely available, relatively inexpensive, maintains its shape in tapers, mixes with dyes and fragrant oils well and burns relatively cleanly.

Soy Candle Wax

Soy candle wax is a recent invention. It was developed in the 1990’s as part of the search for a natural candle wax.  Soybean oil is liquid at room temperature. Hydrogenated soybean oil is fairly solid and burns well as a  candle wax. The main difficulty is that most formulations are fairly soft and don’t always work well in applications such as making tapers.

On the positive side, it is a great wax to use for container candles. It holds scent and fragrance well. It is extremely clean burning – significantly more so than paraffin.

Beeswax

Beeswax is a great, albeit expensive, candle making wax. Bees produce the wax to build honeycombs to hold the honey. When a beekeeper empties the honeycomb, the wax can be used to make candles.

Beeswax has a long burn time and burns even more cleanly than paraffin. It is a firmer wax than soy candle wax so you can use it for tapers. You can add scent to beeswax, but I prefer not to – it has a very subtle scent of its own.

Unfortunately, beeswax costs more than other waxes. It has always been so. In the past, beeswax was reserved for the very wealthy or for use in church. It’s more accessible these days, but it’s still somewhat of a splurge.

Where to Learn More

The waxes I’ve mentioned here are the ones most candle makers use most of the time. You’d do just fine if these were the only ones you knew about.

However it’s well worth at least becoming aware of some of the other choices available. One place to start is the page: Candle Making Wax. You’ll discover some interesting waxes I haven’t mentioned here, as well as some more details about paraffin and soy wax.

Of course wax alone does not a candle make. You can learn what equipment and supplies you’ll need at: Candle Making Equipment

I want to recommend an excellent site for you to find out everything you need to know to produce beautiful handcrafted candles: The Candle Making Connection. I’ve learned the hard way that you can save a lot of time and frustration if you visit sites like that and get some insider tips and advice before you start experimenting on your own.

Candle making is a very rewarding hobby and I hope this information helps you get started with.

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The usual way of making beeswax candles is either by dipping or using a mold. I’m about to teach you a much simpler method that uses sheets of beeswax.

The sheets are commonly about 10 x 16″ in size. They most often have a slight waffle pattern imprinted on the surface. These sheets of beeswax remains flexible at room temperature, which makes it possible to make a candle without melting the wax and using a mold.

To make a beeswax candle with this method, lay a sheet of the beeswax on a smooth, flat, clean surface. the candle be as high as a sheet of waxes wide. You can adjust the height of the candle by cutting the sheet to the desired width.

Lay the wick along the height edge of the candle, trimming it so ittle extends beyond each end. Gently press the wick into the edge of the wax, leaving a little bit extending beyond each end.

The next step is to roll the wax around the wick forming the candle. Use a firm but gentle pressure and take care to press evenly along the length of the candle. If you press too hard you risk distorting the candle.

In cold weather, the wax may be a little stiff. If this happens, you can use a hairdryer on a low setting to warm the wax. Be careful as you do this. It’s easy to apply too much heat, melt the wax and ruin the candle.

When you reach the end of the sheet, gently press the edge of the wax into the body of the candle to make a smooth seam. If you’d like a thicker candle, such as a pillar, continue rolling with another sheet of wax.

After you’ve experimented with this method for while, you’ll very likely want to try some of the more traditional ways of making beeswax candles. You can find full instructions in these methods, including tips for success, at: How to Make Beeswax Candles

although beeswax is one of my favorite waxes, it is not the only material you can use to make candles. You can read about other possible choices at: Candle Making Wax.

You can further explore all things having to do with the craft of candle making at:

http://www.CandleMakingConnection.com/

Now that you know how to make beeswax candles I hope you’ll consider learning other candle making techniques as well.

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You can create small scented candles, practical candles for light, or decorative candles that work as a beautiful centerpiece. No matter what you do, remember that mistakes are never permanent. If you don’t like the finished result when you produce your candles, just melt them down and try again. That makes candle making one of the most forgiving hobbies out there.

You have a number of different options for where to get the supplies for your first candles. You can buy a basic candle making kit, look for the supplies you need to buy in a local craft retailer, or take a trip online to see what specialty stores have to offer. There are plusses and minuses to each one of these methods.

For instance, kits come with everything you need to make a candle, but the components are pre-picked for you, so this can be pretty limiting. You can choose to buy locally, but selection can be problematic, or you can buy online from a store that specializes in candle making supplies. However, you can’t see what you’re getting before it arrives, which means you’ll have to know what you want before you order – returns can be difficult.

It doesn’t matter how you decide to get your candles – the supplies are pretty minimal. Everyone who’s going to make a candle will require wax, some candle wicks and a way to melt it that’s not dangerous, as well as a way to protect their work surfaces and any surrounding areas from getting wax dripped onto them.

For pillars, votives, and other molded candles, molds will be required, and soft candles need jars. Dipped candles will require you to get a deep pot to accommodate the wick and something to suspend your wick from, as well as a place to hang cooling candles. Remember to get a thermometer, too, so your wax will always be at the correct temperature.

Remember that kids and pets should steer clear of candle making, and that grown ups need to take a few precautions as well. That way, there’s no danger from hot wax. Of course, it’s possible to use a lower temperature specialty wax as well.

Many people also like to choose colorants and a candle fragrance.These are chemical components and most are non-toxic, but they should not be ingested. Candle dyes can also stain, so make sure you handle them carefully and add them slowly to the wax to prevent unusual color problems.

That’s all you need for the basics, and they’re very inexpensive. Practice candles can even be made with old candle stubs, some wicking and a jelly jar! Once you’ve gotten used to the process, you can try multiple colors, mixing your own hues, unusual shapes and lots more creative options!

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You can create small scented candles, practical candles for light, or decorative candles that work as a beautiful centerpiece. No matter what you do, remember that mistakes are never permanent. If you don’t like the finished result when you produce your candles, just melt them down and try again. That makes candle making one of the most forgiving hobbies out there.

You can choose to purchase a candle making kit for your first candles, try the craft store for some basic supplies purchased separately, or order from a specialty candle making store online. Each method has its benefits and downsides.

For instance, kits come with everything you need to make a candle, but the components are pre-picked for you, so this can be pretty limiting. You can choose to buy locally, but selection can be problematic, or you can buy online from a store that specializes in candle making supplies. However, you can’t see what you’re getting before it arrives, which means you’ll have to know what you want before you order – returns can be difficult.

No matter how you get them, the supplies and tools you’ll need to make your first candles are relatively simple. You’ll require some candle wicks and wax, a method of melting the candles (double boilers and microwaves are both popular), and a method of protecting your work surface from wax like heavy plastic or newspaper.

Molds are necessary for molded candles like pillars and votives, while jars are prefered for soft candles, such as soy and gel waxes. If you’ll be trying old fashioned dipped candles, you’ll need something to suspend the wick from and a deep container for the wax that will accommodate your whole wick, plus somewhere to hang the candles as they cool. A thermometer is also helpful for candle making, since it helps you make sure your wax is at the right temperature.

Don’t do any candle making around your pets or your kids, and make sure you take safety precautions like wearing the proper clothing. This will keep you from having to deal with spilled hot wax and the burns that come from it. There are low temperature specialty waxes that aren’t as dangerous, however.

Most people also like to color and add a candle fragrance with a combination of dyes and perfumes. While these are chemicals, most of them are non toxic – just don’t eat them. Make sure you remember that candle dyes can stain, so handle them with care and add them to your melted wax slowly to prevent mottling.

That’s all you need for the basics, and they’re very inexpensive. Practice candles can even be made with old candle stubs, some wicking and a jelly jar! Once you’ve gotten used to the process, you can try multiple colors, mixing your own hues, unusual shapes and lots more creative options!

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