[in the hills]

Any TAS'ers make their own candles??


My closest neighbour is nearly 80. He loves candles to light his cottage in Winter and I've spent the morning with him, melting down all his saved candle scraps and attempting to make new candles in the empty tea light containers and in teacups.


He is thinking of making candles as gifts. He thinks that the wax is expensive and it did seem to be so when he showed me some adverts that he had found.


Any tips on where to buy and how to make? 

[HappyHippy]

4candles.co.uk is the source of all my bits and pieces - wick, sustainers. safety warning labels, dyes etc but there is a huge range available on ebay too 

Container candles are easiest to start with, as long as you use the right size of wick to match the container  Or sheets of rolled beeswax with a 'primed' wick added - super quick and easy  Loads of advice on the 4 candles site and google.

Did you see the Tudor Farm programme the other night ?
They were making rush lights using just the rushes and melted sheep fat  I have LOADS of rushes and a bit of spare lard in the freezer .... with some added soap/candle fragrance it might just work 
HTH

[in the hills]

Thanks HH.


Just had a quick look.


800g ..... might be a silly question but I'll ask anyway. How many, say teacup candles, would that make do you think? Neighbour was trying to work out how expensive a hobby it might be. He thought it might be cheaper to buy cheap candles and melt them down.


Bless him .... worried he might burn the cottage down.

[HappyHippy]

I don't have any tea lights to hand, but I've just weighed a Yankee votive candle and it's 44g - tea lights would be about half that, so 800g is going to give you at least 40 tea lights I'd reckon 

If you're going to melt the wax, add in scent and colours it's REALLY worth doing it in a double pan (I use an old metal dog bowl suspended over a pan of water to melt my wax) and buy a cheap jam thermometer just to make sure the wax doesn't get too hot and ignite.

It really is easy though and fun once you get the hang of it.
HTH

[in the hills]

Oh thanks HH.   Don't know much about candles.    I will let my neighbour know.


Just found a bit in a book explaining how to use melted down scraps to make new candles using muffin cases as a mould. Wax was poured in, in layers of different colours. Each colour allowed to set in the fridge before the next layer was added. Seems simple enough. He has ordered some wick. Will try to find out some old candles for now. He wants my daughter to go and help him with some tomorrow. Hope I'm still that interested in everything when I'm 79! 


Will watch the Tudor programme tonight on replay .... don't watch much TV but sounds worth watching.
Neighbour is veggie so not much chance of animal fat candles.
Mmmmm ..... I have lots of rushes too  .