Believe it or not ! I finally came to experiment a second time around the creation of Taper candles with the recipe provided in the Complete Candlemaker Book & Kit.
I followed the same recipe, but this time , kept the heat of the melted wax at 170 degrees F instead of 190 degrees F. That was my initial mistake.
You may say, when viewing the photos below that they are “miniature” tapers and you are absolutely right. My dipping vat was not tall enough to allow regular size tapers. But you get the idea.
Ready for a trip back in time? No rush, as wax has to melt slowly and time is needed for same to cool between dips. What a thrill it must be to see our candles take shape! Can’t wait, so let’s get going.
Step 1. SET-UP THE DOUBLE BOILER
If you do not have a melting wax pot like the one shown in the photo, choose the pot you will be using as a bottom for your double-boiler setup. Place your chosen dipping vat in the pan and put it on the stove top. Place wax in the dipping vat about as deep as the tapers you are making are long.
Step 2. MELT THE WAX
Slowly add water to the double-boiler bottom, making sure not to tip the dipping vat. Ideally the water should come up at least one-half the height of the dipping vat, more if you can do so without tipping it over or causing it to float.
Place the double-boiler setup on a burner over medium heat; you do not want the water to boil wildly, but want it just hot enough to melt the wax and bring it to the right temperature.
When some of the wax begins to melt, place a candy thermometer in the liquid wax.
We need to make an opening for the wick at the center top of our rubber peel-back beehive mold.
To make the hole, a tapestry needle on which you would have thread the wick or an awl, or even an icepick can do the job.
You might need pliers to pull the wick through the top. Let 3/4 inch of the wick sticking out the top of the mold.
Easier said than done !
First of all, I never succeeded to thread the wick into the hole of the needle I had chosen from my sewing kit. I must admit it wasn’t a tapestry needle but a smaller holed one. Guess I created myself misery. Consequently reverted to a small metal pick found in the toolbox in the garage.
In order to complete the two candlemaking projects in The Complete Candlemaker Book & Kit, you will find below a list of some materials not included in the kit but that you may need:
