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People have highly valued beeswax candles for centuries. When all lighting at night was by candles, the most affordable material was tallow. Tallow burned with a heavy soot and had an unpleasant odor. In contrast candles made beeswax were clean and fragrant. We have a lot more choices today yet beeswax remains the preferred natural alternative to petroleum based paraffin. Here’s how to make beeswax candles using a modern method that is extremely simple.
Traditionally, people have made beeswax candles either by repeatedly dipping a wick in the wax or by using molds. I’m about to teach you a much simpler method that uses sheets of beeswax.
The sheets are commonly about 10 x 16″ in size. They commonly have a slight waffle pattern embossed on the surface. These sheets of beeswax remains flexible at room temperature, which allows you to produce a candle without melting the wax and using a mold.
To make a beeswax candle with this technique, lay a sheet of the beeswax on a smooth, flat, clean surface. The height of the candle is determined by the width of the sheet. If you want to make a shorter candle, simply trim the sheet using a straight edge and a sharp knife.
Lay the wick along the height edge of the candle, trimming it so ittle extends beyond each end. Press the wick gently but firmly into the wax.
Now gently and carefully roll the sheet of wax around the wick. Use a firm but gentle pressure and take care to press evenly along the length of the candle. If you press too hard you risk distorting the candle.
In cold weather, the wax may be a little stiff. If this happens, you can use a hairdryer on a low setting to warm the wax. Be careful as you do this. It’s easy to apply too much heat, melt the wax and ruin the candle.
When you reach the end of the sheet, gently press the edge of the wax into the body of the candle to make a smooth seam. If you’d like a thicker candle, such as a pillar, continue rolling with another sheet of wax.
After you’ve experimented with this method for while, you’ll very likely want to try some of the more traditional ways of making beeswax candles. You can find full instructions in these methods, including tips for success, at: How to Make Beeswax Candles
although beeswax is one of my favorite waxes, it is not the only material you can use to make candles. You can read about other possible choices at: Candle Making Wax.
You can find out about all things having to do with the craft of candle making at:
http://www.CandleMakingConnection.com/
Now that you know how to make beeswax candles I hope you’ll consider learning other candle making techniques as well.
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