The Basics Involved In Candle Making
There are many different candle making techniques that you can use depending on the type of candle you wish to make. However the most important or critical step is getting the temperature of everything correct. This includes the pouring temperature of the wax, the room’s temperature and even the temperature of the container or mold you are using.
Pouring wax requires a specific wax temperature and this will differ depending on the type of wax you are using. Candles can be made from gel, paraffin and natural waxes. Each wax will have its own recommended temperature for pouring and this is provided by the manufacturer. The waxes that are natural do not need high pouring temperatures and other types of material should be poured using a high temperature.
The temperature of the room you are making candles is also important. If the room is very cold then you may need to heat the wax to a higher temperature and if the room is very warm then the temperature does not need to be so high. You may find that you make the exact same candles at different times of the year and they will come out differently. This can be due to the different room temperature. The humidity of the room will also play a part in this.
Mold may need to be pre-heated or chilled. Most time the mold should be preheated to remove any moisture. If you are using very hot wax then you will not need to preheat the mold as much. Preheating should be done using a heat gun or heat lamp as they produce dry heat and will not add moisture.
There are many dyes that can be used to create beautiful colored candles. Generally all colors are comprised of the three primary colors, red, yellow and blue. These colors are mixed to create secondary colors and the secondary and a primary colors can be combined to create any color you want. The most difficult part with making colored candles is having a consistent color throughout the wax. Color uniformity tends to be much easier to achieve when making large batches as you can measure out larger quantities much easier.
There are many different types of dyes that include liquid dye, color blocks and powdered dyes. Liquid dyes can give you the best consistent color and are easy to use and mix into the melted wax.
Color blocks are easier to measure for large batches of candles and powdered dyes are great if you are on a budget as you only need a small amount of powder to create a great color. There are even eco friendly dies produced for vegetarian candles.