As you may have learned from the article about formulas
for container candles, these candles are not exactly the simplest ones to
make (unless of course you're using a pre-blend).
Apart from the fact that you will need to perform several tests before you
find a formula that satisfies you entirely, you will also have a hard time
preventing the freshly poured wax from pulling away from the container sides
as it cools down.
Supplies needed
As with all the projects you are going to do, prepare in advance all the
supplies you will need.
- 1 suitable container see the introductory article
- 450g (1 pound) of container wax,
- 1 wick whose size matches the container used (pinched to a wick tab),
- 1 glue gun,
- candle dye (let your creativity rule),
- 1 to 3 ounces (conversion) of fragrance oil (if you wish so),
- 1 wick holder, purchased or home-made,
- 1 wicking needle,
- something to preheat the container (oven or heat gun).
and, of course, the classical supplies like doubleboiler, pitchers...
Specifications
:
- Difficulty: rather difficult
- Time needed: about 1 hour (+ cooling)
Instructions
Take care to make notes in your notebook of the smallest
facts and gestures, such as the exact composition of your formula for the
containers, the temperature of the room in which you work (more important
that you think), for how much time and at what temperature you have
preheated your container, how much and what flavored oil you have added, the
temperature at which you have poured the wax, how much time and how you
allowed your container to cool down...
It's already frustrating enough to spoil a candle, but it's even more so
when you spoil it the second, third, or fourth time for the (perhaps) same
reasons simply because you haven't made a note of the important data.
- Like for all the projects you are going to do, prepare
in advance all the material you will need.
There's nothing more annoying than looking for a wicking needle which is
hiding precisely when you need it!
If you have an oven to use, place the container which you
are going to use (remove the rubber lid if it has one) and adjust the
thermostat of the oven to 100°C.
- Start melting your container blend in a double boiler
(in my case, as illustrated on the picture, I use a slow cooker to prepare a
large quantity of wax at once, after which I move the amount I need in a
recipient which goes on the double boiler for the next stages).
Do not prime the wick in the container blend (it's too
thick and fat), you'd better use plain paraffin (without additives) for
this.
Even more important than for Pillar candles, it is
fundamental to prime the wick of a Container candle, if for no other reason
than that the stiffness of a primed wick makes its placement and maintenance
in the recipient much easier.
Start melting your container blend and don't forget to prime the wick
- Now that the wick is primed and completely cooled down,
it's time to string the metallic clip which will allow us to glue the wick
on the bottom of the container.
Use pliers to string the wick tab on the wick
- Once the wick tab is at the right place, place on the
wick (in the extremity, but leave out at least 5mm of free wick so that you
can cut it short afterwards), use a plain pair of pliers to grip the neck of
the wick tab and thus unite it with the wick. Try to grip only the second half of the neck of the clip. If you grip all of
it, there are strong chances that the clip itself will bend (and a bended
clip is a real pain to straighten, not to mention that if it's not
completely plain it will be very difficult for you to make it stay even
glued on the bottom of the recipient). Once the clip is fixed, use a pair of sharp scissors to
cut short the exceeding wick.
A wick tab correctly pinched onto a wick will
withstand the stress caused by the wick holder and wax contraction
- If your container is preheating in the oven, it's time
to take it out.
Depending on the model of the glue gun you've got, it may
be necessary for you to preheat it for a few minutes before using it (mine
is a cheap model which I use only for this, because it must be connected 5
minutes in advance and I must not forget to unplug it after I'm done with it
because I'd surely find it permanently glued to the work plank).
Once the glue is ready to use, put a drop of it on the
wick tab (remember, you must work fast). A small drop will do, you don't
want the glue overflowing from under the clip when you press it on the
bottom of the container.
The wick tab is ready to be glued to the bottom of the
container
- If you wait too long, the drop of glue dries and no
longer adheres. The advantage of the warm glue is that, if this happens, you
can remove the solidified drop without any problems (from the wick tab as
well as from the recipient) without leaving any marks and then start again.
Quickly place the wick tab on the bottom of the recipient, making sure you
center it from the very beginning (it's very difficult to move it more than
2 millimeters once the glue adheres) and, with the top of the wick needle
which you wedge in one of the cavities of the tab, exert pressure for at
least 5 seconds.
Press the wick tab in place in the bottom of the
container
- Allow the glue some time (about two minutes) to
solidify, then straighten the wick by pulling it upwards, vertically, and
fix it with the aid of a wick holder. Make sure the wick is well tightened
and centered at the same time.
Keep the wick straight and centered in the container
with a wick holder
- As the temperature of the wax reaches 180°F, remove it
from the double boiler and add the candle dye of your choice. Stir
conscientiously so that you properly incorporate the colorant into the wax.
If you have chosen to scent your Container candle, also
add the fragrance oil and mix it energetically for at least 120 seconds.
Now is the time to color and (if you wish so) scent
the wax
- If you have preheated your container in the oven, check
to see if it's still warm enough. If it's not, or if you haven't preheated
it, it's time to pull out the thermal heat gun. Adjust the intensity of the
heat gun to 1 (a heat gun usually has two levels of intensity. You should
avoid the level of intensity 2: it would make everything splash onto the
ceiling) and go around the container without insisting too much.
Finish by briefly blowing inside the container, from a
certain distance (you don't want to melt the paraffin contained in the
wick).
If you have preheated your container, check that it is
still warm enough
- As explained in the article about
formulas for
Container candles, we'll do our best to prevent the contraction of the wax
during the cooling down. If the formula has an
important role to play in this, the temperature at which you're going to
pour the wax in the container also has a role which is not to be neglected.
As a matter of fact, the cooler the mix is when you pour it, the less it has
to cool down when it's in the recipient (pure logic).
Therefore we'll wait as long as possible before pouring. This is why
it's important for the recipient to be warm, so that we avoid jump lines.
Of course, if you wait for too long, you'll have to deal with a block of
wax. Keep an eye on the melting pot: when you notice that a thin layer
starts to form on the surface of the wax, it's a sign that it will soon
reach its fusion point and become solid again.
Cautiously pour the container blend into the container
- At this point you have to pour, very slowly and ideally
with the recipient inclined (as when beer is served), because at this
temperature the unavoidable air bubbles won't have enough time to climb up
towards the surface and will remain prisoners in the wax. If this ever
happens, it's not at all tragic: pull out the thermal heat gun again and
sweep the surface of the recipient, this time with persistence. You'll
notice the wax becoming liquid again and the air bubbles coming out towards
the surface.
Even if the container blends and the low temperature
pouring technique do their best to avoid a contraction of the wax when it
cools down, it is likely that you will see a shrink hole, all the more if
your container is a large one.
If this is the case, after the cavity is formed you should
poke some release holes in different spots along the wick with your wicking
needle.
Don't forget to poke release holes around the wick to
avoid air pockets
- In your double boiler, reheat a small quantity of the
mix you have used and bring it to a temperature of 170°F.
This time, don't allow it to cool down and pour an adequate amount in
the container in order to fill the release holes and level the shrink hole.
Don't go over the initial level unless you want to end up with an
unaesthetic line where the two levels overlap.
While the repour wax is still liquid, poke your slightly
heated wicking needle in all the release holes you've made beforehand, so
that the air bubbles, if any, can escape, and then put one or two hand
towels or another piece of cloth around your container so that it can cool
down as slowly as possible.
All this (formulation, low temperature pouring, slow cooling down) should
see to it that the wax of your Container remains glued to the walls of the
recipient, and does not become a paraffin block wriggling in a jar.
Repour a little hot wax to fill the shrink hole and
the release holes
That's it, you have just created your first Container
candle!
It may not have been that easy but wasn't it worth it??
Author: Chris, Owner of HowtomakeCandles.info
. Check out his website with loads of informational resources for candle
makers, and show your support!
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