Candle Making Equipment

Like every other craft, candlemaking require some equipment. Fortunately, the candle making equipment required to get started is quite affordable. You can experiment making several different types of candles and gradually add equipment has your interest grows.

Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Melting Pot

The simplest and safest way to melt wax is in a double boiler. Most waxes have a melting point under 200°. The flashpoint, that is the temperature at which the wax will burst into flame, is usually over 300°. Since water boils at 212° using a double boiler insures that the wax temperature stays in a safe range.

Metal pot with a handle and spout used to pour wax is called a pouring pot. You can improvise a double boiler simply by placing the pour pot in a larger pan filled about halfway with water.

This is the way most hobbyist candle makers begin. However, there are dedicated wax melting pots that can handle 50, 75 or even 100 pounds of wax at the time. Many of these use circulating hot water in a metal jacket surrounding the melting pot to maintain a constant, safe temperature.

 
Thermometer

Although some beginners try to get by without a thermometer, I think that is foolish. Use of of the monitor not only ensures safety, it improves the quality of the finished candle.

If you pour wax too hot, it tends to shrink as it cools and you may have to re-pour several times. On the other hand, if the wax is too cool when you pour it, you are more likely to have trapped air bubbles and blemishes both in the candle itself and on the surface.

In addition, pouring at the wrong temperature will make it more difficult to get a candle out of the mold.

Wick

There is as much art as science in selecting the proper wick. The general rule is that the larger the diameter candle, the larger the wick should be. Some wicks are braided. Others have a filament down the center to make them more rigid.

Since wicking is relatively inexpensive, it's a good idea to have several types of wick available so you have several options when producing the candle. As you gain more experience you wick selection will become better and better.

To help this process, it's good idea to keep a notebook recording which wick you used in which candle. Even things such as the coloring or fragrance added will affect your wick selection.

Molds or Containers

With a mold, melted wax is poured into a form, allow to cool and harden and then removed.

If you use a container, the candle is never removed - you burn it in the container in which it was formed.

Molds are generally plastic or metal. Plastic molds are usually less expensive, but metal molds are more durable. I suggest starting with aluminum molds in a simple shape such as a square or cylinder.

Containers should be heat resistant for the obvious reasons. Heat resistant glass or metal containers work well. Never use wood, baskets, coconut shells or any other flammable material. I also recommend against using non-heat resistant glass such as ordinary drinking glasses or wineglasses.

Kitchen Scale

You don't have to use a scale, but it will give you more consistent results. The recommended amounts of a fragrance or die is usually so much per pound of wax. You could "guesstimate" but you'll have a hard time re-creating the exact same result again in the future.

If you use a scale and keep notes you can re-create a successful candle any time you choose.

Safety goggles and Hammer

A hammer? For candlemaking?

Well yes, but these are necessary only if you buy paraffin wax in large blocks. If you do, you'll need to break the wax into smaller pieces that you can add to your melting pot. The easiest way to do that is to strike it with a hammer, but that can cause shards of wax to break off. That's why you need the eye protection of safety goggles.

As the neatness tip, put the large block of wax in an empty cardboard carton before you start hitting it with a hammer. This will keep the smaller wax pieces from scattering all over the room and make them easier to collect.

You can avoid all of this if you buy wax in flakes or pearls, which is the way many people start out.

Work Surface Covering

Making candles can get messy, particularly when you're starting out. You probably have had to clean candle wax off a surface at some point in time, so you realize that it can be a problem.

In addition to the wax itself, the dyes and fragrances you'll probably be using have problems of their own.

If a few flakes of dye are enough to stain a pound of wax , you can imagine what it might do to your clothing or kitchen table.

Fragrances can be very irritating and many of the essential oils used in candlemaking would damage the finishes on furniture if spilled .

For all these reasons, it's a good idea to cover your work surface.

Most of us start out working in a kitchen. Kitchen surfaces are generally durable and we're going to use the stove to melt the wax. Our work surface will probably be a countertop or the kitchen table.

Several layers of newspaper is a reason protective layer (be sure to keep it away from the stovetop though). I like to use inexpensive plasticized tablecloths. These are neater than newspaper and liquids won't soak through the plasticized surface.

Fire Extinguisher

I hope he never have to use this, but let's face it - when you're making candles you're working with flammable materials so fire is a definite possibility. It's a good idea to have a fire extinguisher readily available. At the very least, have a heavy pot lid handy that you could use to smother the fire in a pot.

In Summary

As you can see, candlemaking does not require an extensive collection of equipment. You can make wonderful candles with relatively little candlemaking equipment: a simple pour pot, a thermometer and a mold.

Most candle makers collection of equipment grows predominantly as they want to increase the number of candles they make at one time.

Learn to make beautiful candles at home. Check out:

Home Candle Making Made Easy