[suziequeue]

I am assuming that I can recycle candles just by melting down the wax from old candles and pouring the wax back into moulds with wick threaded through??


My sister-in-law gave me all the left over Christmas candles so I am keen to recycle them for Christmas this year

[Mammyshaz]

What you describe is what we do SQ.

Got OH more wax, scented oil and wicks for Xmas so he can redo old glass candle containers. We cheat and place the pan of water on the log burner to melt the wax    cheap candles melted using free heat 
It's not advised to melt straight on heat so we place the glass candle container in the pan of water.

The boys have had fun melting separate colours and adding in stripes so we also have jazzy candles in the kitchen.

Have fun with your candlemaking  and post piccies of your results 

[in the hills]

My neighbour is 80 and a great recycler.

Sat with my daughter and they made loads of candles from his saved bits of wax. They used teacups and muffin cases as moulds. Think he sent for the wicks off the net and also scented some with oils.

We have a stash as well now ... they shared their makes.... they work just fine.

Have fun 

[suziequeue]

Great. Thanks for your encouraging responses. Next time we get the stove going in the workshop I'll set it up. 

[Lesley Silvester]

Don't forget to post some piccies.

[Somewhere_by_the_river]

...and try some Easter ones in egg shells

[suziequeue]

Oh that's a nice idea.  I might try decorating a few of the paler eggs and doing that. Brilliant!! Ooooh I think I need a Dremel tool for this project!!


I have got some long thin candle moulds and threaded them with wick so I am going to make some conventional ones this weekend and if that goes well I am going to try the Cream Legbar eggs next weekend 

[suziequeue]

Right - poured melted wax into moulds and it all came out the other end!! So I blocked up the end with some partially hardened wax and stuck the end in a bowl of cold water.


What is the normal routine for stuffing the end of the candle mould so the wax doesn't come out?

[suziequeue]

Ahhhh - right - I stuck a piece of sellotape over the end!!!!!

[Lesley Silvester]

 

[Mammyshaz]

Hi suzieque, we stick bluetack over any extra holes on moulds    doesn't matter what u use to block it  as long as it holds long enough for the wax to set at the hole

[suziequeue]

OK - so the initial plan hasn't worked.

The mould is too long and thin to get the candles back out again. I  have tried immersing the mould in hot water to melt the outer layer of wax a bit in the hope that it would  slide out but I tugged and tugged to no avail.

I don't want to pull too hard in case I pull the wick through the candle.

The moulds are plastic so I can't twizzel them over a hot flame.

I can see now that the con is. It only takes a thousand gullible mugs like me to buy them and try them and then unable to return them because they have ben used.

Hey ho….. you live and learn.

I will look into dipping now unless anybody can suggest a way to get these flipping' candles out of the moulds.

[shygirl]

it sounds like the mould we used - I couldn't get my candle out no matter what the thought it may have been because it was sticky beeswax.
silicone is the way to go IMO.

the egg shell one is a great idea - aslong as the shell doesn't burn as they truly stink. goose egg would be ace.
I tried melting paraffin wax once but it was awfully hard to clean up. beeswax is much nicer.

[in the hills]

Does it have to be a long thin mould?

Muffin cases were really easy ... just fell off once set. Old teacups. Small glass receptacles, anything really.

[suziequeue]

I went for the long thin mould because those are the kind of candles my sister-in-law likes and the idea was that I was going to use all her leftover candles from last Christmas, recycle them and give them to her this Christmas.


I think I'll have a change of plan. I have seen some nice moulds which I might try and am looking into dipping aswell so watch this space