Candle making

[Neils]

After a pudding brand furnished me with a bunch of suitable receptacles I decided to have a go at making some candles with the brood wax I recovered this year:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8496/8291902681_b08b4a7109_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33552301@N05/8291902681/)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8222/8291901455_32d0682c82_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33552301@N05/8291901455/)

I'm reasonably pleased with the results, I'm sure I didn't need to use quite as much wax and we'll see how they get on with prolonged use. Not quite the wow factor as a jar of honey, but I'll take a couple round to some friends on Christmas Day and give them a proper run.

[Jon]

Nice candles Neil. Don't set the house on fire.
I have about 15lbs of wax but I am saving it for foundation.
My father has about 30lbs stored as well.
We have a guy in our association with a wax press and he swaps foundation for wax and will give you back foundation from your own wax if you have a big enough batch to make it worth his while. And no I don't have a personal wax gland - I mean the wax produced by my bees.
I haven't used Apistan for 4 years so I should be able to get some relatively clean foundation back, notwithstanding that Armageddon juice secreted by the oil seed rape.

[Neils]

Nice. I used the brood wax I recovered this year. Honeycomb wax I'm happy to put back and without foundation gets recycled fairly regularly. Now the brood wax us coming in it makes far more economic sense to turn it into candles.

[Bumble]

They look good Neil. Did you weight the wicks or is it a U shape?

I've been thinking about dabbling in candle making, which is the best supplier to use?

[Neils]

I bought a variety of wicks in the end, I'm a bloke and they don't have flashing lights so they all look pretty similar to me but they are apparently different thickness for different heights/thickness of candle.

Each wick is individual. I tied them to some wooden skewers, spaced them out and dipped them in the wax to both straighten them and stick them to the bottom of the glass so they didn't float when I poured the wax in.

[Poly Hive]

Just a heads up on wicking. A lot of the web wicking advice is based on paraffin wax candles and is not accurate for us. It pays to experiment to find the ideal wick for the diameter of candle you are making. When it is right it is unbeatable, fragrant, illuminating, and a joy to watch.

PH

[Bumble]

Bouncing this thread because it seems the right place for a question.

I want to have a bash at making some candles for a BKA honey show. I won't win, but there's no harm in having a go.

There's a lot of conflicting information about wick sizes, does anybody know if there's a chart anywhere that explains what size wick should be used for what diameter beeswax candles?

[wee willy]

I've made candles over the years but value added they have never been:(
Very likely my location :)
A couple of tips .
If using moulds, soak the wick in hot wax until all air is expelled.
Stand jug containing hot wax in a saucer of iced water , this after leaving wax to stand long enough for all precipitates to settle , the chilled water will set the wax ,thus trapping the particles.
Don't forget anything that sinks in wax will show on the surface of the cast article, be it a candle or an exhibit!
VM


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[Bumble]

I can't imagine mine will be much good, but thanks for the hints.

[wee willy]

I can't imagine mine will be much good, but thanks for the hints.

You'll be pleasantly surprised. Go for it :)
WW


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[HJBee]

Here is my 1st attempt at home made candles, suitably assisted by the course attended back in Feb this year. Xmas presents for family & friends.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/12/usetu3um.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/12/yqady2ud.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/12/a8ady6e3.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/12/sa3a4ydy.jpg

[beejazz]

Aww, they're cute!

[Blackcavebees]

Good job! Something I would like to have a go at in future

[Rosie]

Good job! Something I would like to have a go at in future

Wot - snogging!

[The Drone Ranger]

I saw Headlights in the darkness

[Trog]

Those silicone moulds are brilliant, aren't they? I bought two new ones this year. Makes the house smell lovely, too, when melting the wax.

[HJBee]

Yes Trog, it's been smelling great - gets a bit addictive too!

[susbees]

One of my regrets in life has been losing the ability of smell anything at all. It's a disability so few take any time to understand.

Ah well, hope the presents are appreciated more because of the time and thought that's gone into them :)

[snimmo243]

Does anyone have any suggestions for recovering wax, I'm planning on building a solar extractor but in the meantime I'd like to give the candles a go but I don't think sticking a wick into a big pile of manky wax counts

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[Trog]

Yes Trog, it's been smelling great - gets a bit addictive too!

Fortunately, once the cappings run out, we have to stop making candles as otherwise, yes, it would be too easy just to keep going! I did buy some dyed beeswax this year (because ours is far too nice to colour) in order to make the Christmas candles for our table, plus a spiral mould, but only because I find it difficult to buy good red candles each year.

[HJBee]

I am still putting new wax in my hives and no honey as yet, so I had to buy it this time. Looking forward to using my own hopefully next year.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Does anyone have any suggestions for recovering wax ...

I use a double boiler. The lower pot filled with boiling water kept warm or simmering, and the top pot lined with muslin, and filled with the old wax and bits of comb. As the wax melts, add some more bits of wax until you have a good pot of melted wax. Have your moulds ready. As moulds I use butter, yogurt, cream or cheese tubs. I prefer the smaller tubs because smaller wax blocks are easier to remelt for later use. Also have ready a place where you can put down the muslin lining filled with slumgum. I use an old plate covered with something flexible like a strong plastic sheet.

Once all the wax has melted lift out the muslin filled with slumgum and pop it onto the plate. Now fill the pots with lovely wax. As my bees have worked hard for all their wax I now squeeze out the muslin as well using two sticks or two knives or whatever. Once cold, I just break these flat pieces of wax off the plastic liner. They'll be very dark but perfectly ok. Use the cold waxy muslin cloth as a firelighter.

Leave the wax in their moulds to cool overnight. The easiest way I get the wax out of their moulds is to cut the edge of the pot and tear it open. Check the bottom of the wax pieces. There might still be a thin layer of powdery yuk on it which you need to trim off.

Instead of muslin some people use old tights filled with wax.

Kitta

[The Drone Ranger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNcrmz5AGA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VbXcmh46vc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFJPXszRw8M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Idl9pk28s

The fat bee man way of recovering wax :)

[gavin]

Don't know that I'd be recommending bringing it to the boil in a pot like that.

http://www.clipartsfree.net/vector/small/kaboom_Clipart_Free.png

H-J, they're beautiful. Crackers.

[The Drone Ranger]

No Gavin he is a bit Cavalier but the No2 propolis bit was interesting wonder who buys that stuff

[Mellifera Crofter]

...but the No2 propolis bit was interesting wonder who buys that stuff

Yes - I didn't realise the powdery stuff at the bottom of the wax block contains a lot of propolis. Kitta

[Mellifera Crofter]

I've just watched a video on the other forum posted by Finman. It starts with a man chipping away at a huge block of wax - so, unless one works on the Fat Bee Man's scale, I think small blocks are best. Here are a few of my blocks. The slithers in the front are from wax I've retrieved from squeezing out the muslin cloth at the end:

1932

[prakel]

As moulds I use butter, yogurt, cream or cheese tubs. I prefer the smaller tubs because smaller wax blocks are easier to remelt for later use.

Very good advice. If we're using the wax for ourselves rather than bulk selling or trading it in it makes most sense to store it in the size of block that we can most efficiently reuse.

[HJBee]

Made candles using my own wax for the first time today (rather than bought wax), outcome was better than I imagined!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/11/be99b69ac4153b79f87a08cb727d75a2.jpg

[Mellifera Crofter]

Congratulations, Helen - I think that first prize is well-deserved.
Kitta

[HJBee]

Thanks Kitta, it could have done with additional filtering ( you can see flecks if you look closely) but I ran out of time. Has encouraged me to do more for the Highland show next year (if I've enough wax left). HJ

[Poly Hive]

The charts are most likely off... As above.. try.. if wrong the candle either burns down the middle (too thin) or goes too fast... "too thick" from memory (unreliable warning) a quarter inch less is good but for goodness sake TEST

PH

[HJBee]

Hi PH, not really understanding the jist of your post? Are you talking wick size, if so most moulds are sold with reference to correct size to use for optimum burn. Key is ensuring they are centrally place to prevent uneven burning and runs etc.

[Poly Hive]

Sorry for the delay but many of the "charts" actually refer to paraffin wax and so are out when it comes to our wax. The best thing is to make three candles with three wick sizes, say 1", !1/4" and 1 1/2" amd see which (if any) burn properly. Then adjust accordingly for a production run. The correct wick size makes all the odds to the burning process. I can remember, though they may be more accurate now, that the suggestions for wicks from one of the major candle players was plain wrong in some instances.

PH

[HJBee]

The ones pictures burn really well & evenly based on the wick size recommended by Thornes for the mould. I started candle making after attending the SBA run course - would recommend it.

[Wmfd]

Planning to make some moulded candles this year, and have bought two of the flexible moulds from Thorne.

One is small, tea light sized, the other a larger pillar candle.

Any tips on things to do, e.g. do I need to use release spray, how long they take to cool etc?

David

[HJBee]

Biggest mistakes I made at first was pulling them out of the mould too soon. It does depend on the density of the candle but I recommend a minimum of an hour. I don't use sprays etc, they come out fine. Do you know how to keep the wick central and prevent marks in the base etc? I'm doing some tomorrow and will take a picture & post so you can see my set up?

[Wmfd]

Biggest mistakes I made at first was pulling them out of the mould too soon. It does depend on the density of the candle but I recommend a minimum of an hour. I don't use sprays etc, they come out fine. Do you know how to keep the wick central and prevent marks in the base etc? I'm doing some tomorrow and will take a picture & post so you can see my set up?

Thanks HJBee, er no, I don't know how to keep the wick central or avoid marks in the base so some pictures would be great, thanks. Sounds easier if no faffing with sprays.

I was planning to do some one evening, but at an hour to cool I think it might take a bit longer than that to work through the wax I've got.

[HJBee]

Wmfd, these are a few shots I hope help. The wooden skewer is the main tool. You snap it and bind it with elastic bands at each end. Using the pointy end of a skewer separate the 2 pieces to thread the wick (when it's been dipped and threaded into the mould. Then you place it as central as possible at tension. I then also lift this away from the base of the mould with another piece of skewer, along the mould edge so it doesn't touch the cooling wax. Then pour!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/23cc99ac647e58a2805809caaa960c58.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/eaf8faff45b6b36abdeeb412edc65567.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/23/26c9444a7781eec585a61870fdd961a4.jpg

[Wmfd]

Thanks HJBee, looks ideal, I've got some refining to do then I'll give you an update once I've had a go.

David

[Wmfd]

It took a while and we need to improve our wax refining (hence the dark flecks on some of the wax) but I'm really pleased with the outcome. Thanks HJBee, the kebab stick holders worked like a dream although we used bulldog clips to hold them together.

2158

David

(Oh yes, and we need to trim the wicks!)

[HJBee]

Great stuff, beware, it's addictive!!

[Poly Hive]

I scaled this "machine" up from a "Mountain Grey" one I found in a shed at Craibstone. With a medium filter it produces pretty clean wax, and if it is then run through again with a layer of double surgical lint as the filter the wax is ready for candles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7lOIXqJ-Xg

PH

[prakel]

PH, thanks for posting, been looking for that video for ages but couldn't remember where I'd seen it. Nice bit of kit, from your post am I right to assume that you had it made to order?

[Poly Hive]

I did. Made by a sheet metal company in Arbroath who also made my honey tank. The melter cost if I recall rightly £110 about 1990 or so.

PH

[wee willy]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/01/7226c0282c48b3ab3c0f08061d36deb6.jpg


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[wee willy]

Mine was gifted by a retiring beekeeper about 20 years ago ![emoji4]


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[prakel]

Mine was gifted by a retiring beekeeper about 20 years ago ![emoji4]

Got the Thornes copy of that one, a nice efficient piece of kit too but shame it's the electric version. I seem to remember that the gas one was considerably more expensive at the time!

There was an old direct heat model on ebay a while back, classed as a 'honey tank' in among a joblot of rusty tanks and extractors. Just too far to travel and too much kit to pay for a collect-it company to move. Would have been a bargain for someone local though...