As you will notice there are tons of how tutorials online about how to make candles. I know because I have looked at many of them while I was learning and even later on to see new ideas. What surprises me is a lot of them give you the basics. The problem with the basics, if you had read my other article on the warnings off a handmade candles you will understand this a little better is that they do not fully explain to you about proper wick size, types of wax, melt points, fragrance oils, etc. So in this article I am going to take you through making regular 8 ounce jar candles. We are going to do this the easiest way possible using the supplies from one candle company I know and trust.
I decided to do this article because of my article awhile back about how unsafe some homemade candles are they people are selling. I wrote that article to help people understand that sometimes a candle maker will put out an untested candle that might not have been properly made. If you missed it you can read it here: The Handmade Candle Warning
Please note: If you are going to start this process. Be aware you can not leave any of this unattended. Candle wax and fragrance oils are highly flammable.
Wholesale Supplies Plus you can view the products at their website: Wholesale Supplies Plus
These are the items we will be needing to start off with.
1. (4) 8 ounce Jelly Jars
2. Lids for Jars
3. Container Wax (IGI Wax 4786)
4. Wicks
5. Candle Safe Fragrance Oils
6. Glue Gun & High Temp Glue Sticks
7. Melting Pot
8. Thermometer
9. Wick Holders
10. Candle Dye
11. Box big enough to go over jar candles
NEVER use a gas stove. Wax is highly flammable. If you do not have an electric stove. Purchase a plug in type cook top.
First we are going to prepare the jars. You want to make sure your jars are warm. You can do this one of two ways. You can preheat the oven to 200F, turn it off then place jars upside down on a cookie sheet or you can leave them out in a warm room. Never poor hot wax into a cold jar. This can cause the glass to break or even explode.
When jars are warm. You are going to next take the glue gun put a little bit of hot glue and glue the wicks into the center of the inside of the jar. This will help you as a beginner to keep your wicks perfectly straight.
Weigh out one lb of wax. Cut into smaller pieces so that it will fit into your melting pot. When wax is in the melting pot attach your thermometer to the side making sure the bulb will be touching the melted wax so a proper temperature can be read.
The wax listed above has all the additives added to the wax to make this a little bit easier instead of having to learn right now how to mix your own wax with additives. Heat the wax slowly. When temperature of the wax reaches 180 degrees F. This is when you will add your candle safe fragrance oil. You want to mix your fragrance oil in very well. When you look at your wax you should not see any bubbles of oil in the wax, or any oil bubbles settling at the bottom or the top of the wax.
Once your fragrance oil is blended fully. You will then add the proper amount of candle dye. If you are buying liquid candle dyes then you will choose how many drops you want to achieve the color you want. Remember to start slowly and you can always test the colors by dipping a bread knife into the wax and waiting for it to cool and pealing it away to see the color.
Note: Never put the color before the fragrance oil because you will not be able to see if the fragrance oil has fully blended in with the wax.
One you have achieved the color you want. Then slowly poor the hot candle wax into the jar’s. Make sure you poor carefully so that you do not make a mess of the jars. Always leave about ½ in space from the top of the jar. If you overfill a candle when you close the candle the wick will be embedded into the candle. Not to mention if you need a re-pour and over fill you will not be able to fix it by doing a re-pour. Always keep a little bit of the wax behind in the melting pot in case you have to do a re-pour. A re-pour is necessary if the candle top does not come smooth.
Now you will place the wick holders in place to keep your wicks straight and tight instead of drooping inside the candle creating extra wick that can cause the candle to burn incorrectly or to have the wick move and fall against the glass. Which can cause the glass to heat up, crack, or worse shatter.
Once you have the wick holders in place. You want the candles to cool slowly. A slowly cooling candle will have a better out come of coming out perfect. This is where you will take your box and place it over top the jar’s you just filled. Leave the candles alone for about 2 hours. I know you will be tempted to peak but try to leave them alone.
Once your candles have cooled, removed the box. If your candles require a re-pour heat the wax back up in the melting pot and do a re-pour at 160 degrees. Remember not to fill the candles all the way to the top. You should always leave room. Think about how full a candle is that you have bought.
When your candles have finally cooled and set. Let them cure for 24 hours before lighting them. You will be glad you did.
I want you to keep in mind. I did not right this article to help people make candles to sell. If that was the case I left out a lot of details and supplies. Like warning labels for your candles, and full testing information. I will follow up this article un a few weeks covering the sales and safety aspects of how to sell candles. But if you choose to try and sale candles because you think you mastered jar candles by following these directions please think again. Keep in mind every different candle safe fragrance oil will need to be tested in the wax, with different types of wicks, because not all candles will end up burning the same because different fragrance oils are used. Fragrance oils are not all made the same therefore require there own testing each time you try a new fragrance oil.
Candle making is not a cheap hobby nor an easy hobby but it is a rewarding fun hobby and possibly a rewarding business if given the proper attention, knowledge and dedication.
