Over the years I have learned more about candles than any sane person should know. I was manager of the Yankee Candle Company for a few years, and during that time I was extensively trained in how to properly burn any and all kinds of candles. A lot of people don’t understand the correct way to burn a candle, and perhaps the most correct way of all is the pillar candle.
A pillar candle is any candle that is intended to burn without a holder. Unlike jar candles, which are in glasses, or votive candles, which require a holder, pillar candles are alone. candles are made
To manufacture the candle statue, companies use machines called giant extruders. The best example of an extruder would be those machines that come in the Play-Doh game – you put a mass of clay in a bag, push a bar, and the clay is forced out of a small hole to resemble a viper. pipe Candle making extruders work in the same way – warm soft wax is pressed through a small hole, creating a long. wax tube The tube is cut into individual pieces, forming the core of the wax column.
When this core cools, the wax sinks into a pool of molten paraffin, which serves two important purposes. First, this creates a harder exterior for the candles which will prevent the wax from spilling down the sides of the pillar. it burns It also creates a medium depression in the shape of bowls on the head of the candle, which will help the wax still melt. After this step, a small hole is drilled through the column, and the thread is inserted from the bottom. After a quick polish, the statue is finished and ready to be sold.
When you first light your pillar candle, you’ll want to take scissors and trim the string to about 1/8 inch (as you would with any candle). Although the columns are designed to burn on the inside, it is a good idea to place your column on a plate or trivet if it has just been bumped and some part of the wax is overflowing. When you light it, make sure you burn it long enough so that it dissolves almost all the way to the edge of the candle – a good rule of thumb is for the candle to burn for every 1 inch of diameter for one hour. So if your candle is 4 inches across, you need to burn it for at least 4 hours to the wax pool at the edge of the column. This will ensure that your column burns evenly and you don’t re-ignite the melted wax.
As I said above, the pillars are lit in the middle of the candle, when they leave the outer layer of wax. A lot of people like the “burning from the inside” effect created by a pillar of candles, while others just see a lot of destroyed wax. I prefer to just burn the column inside itself, but if the excess wax bothers you, you can. problem solving through your ‘help’ column. The “hugging” process simply involves thumbs rolling the sides of the column inward and downward while the wax is hot. Just make sure you use even gentle pressure. After the column has been lit for some time, it will be wax. it is soft enough to allow you to mold the desired shape.
Finally, stop burning your column when it is about an inch high. Perhaps you would like to try to squeeze out the last little bit of burning time from your candle, but all you do is create a fire hazard and mess. If you follow these simple steps, your pillar candle will stay looking and smelling great for a long time! (Also, if you want to burn jar candles, be sure to check out my previous article called “How to Properly Burn Large Jar Candles.”
