Vegetable Shortening Candle

[johnnytheboy]

I was surfing about the web when i came over this idea which i quite like for my laavu I'm building, but what is vegetable shortening?


http://pinterest.com/pin/18225573462715757/

 

[welchyd1]

Looks like fat!

 

[jiffi]

Looks to me like when you heat up veggie oil and let it cool again!

 

[TurboGirl]

I think its American for marg type stuff I saw that one on pinterest too, very interesting, aparently it works with tins of fish in oil too I'm here on it, share your pinterest url so I can stalk you, Johnny!

 

[welchyd1]

I think its American for marg type stuff I saw that one on pinterest too, very interesting, aparently it works with tins of fish in oil too

Eeeew imagine the stench in your lavvu though.

 

[British Red]

Try vegetable suet Johnny - available in all supermarkets (Atora brand)

 

[Dave]

Thats clever. But a 45 day burn time? Seems a bit optimistic?

Ive got some survival shop tallow candles, 9 hour burn time. Tallow is used in the production of shortening.

I think the ones they sell are made from oleo steari, a natural vegetable fat? I dont know if you can buy tallow candles made from beef or mutton fat processed from suet, which is how they used to be made.

 

[Elen Sentier]

margerine or modern version of

 

[swright81076]

Mmmm tallow.... I have fond memories of the first time I tasted a real tallow candle....
I have the same fondness for dental abscesses and piles.

touched by nature

 

[Big Stu 12]

we use Tallow at work for lubrication/cutting compound in the fettling shop of a foundry, may well have to borrow a block...

 

[johnnytheboy]

Thanks BR, I might just make my own candle with some old jars and this Atora stuff, just to try to make the laavu that wee bit different! I want to make the laavu out of all recycled materials!

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crisco-CR-V...WQLQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1357169771&sr=8-3

Same brand same tin, might get this and put the burn time to the test if I get the claimed 45 days I'll post a picture of me eating a hat.

Edit:

Jesus, just looked this up but Crisco was DESIGNED by proctor and gamble as replacement for Animal Fat's used in candle making when electricity became more common they started selling it as a food...

http://www.howtomakecandles.info/cm_article.asp?ID=ADDIT0004

Also I can see from a few places this isn't 45 day's straight it's for 8 hours a day on one of the larger tins (still impressive) but still that's a impressive burn time.

 

[toilet digger]

interesting thread. anybody have any suggestions for wick material? could a natural fibre string be used?

 

[British Red]

Cotton string would work

 

[Toddy]

Buy decent stuff, made in England too Midfords use a old fashioned candle wick braiding machine

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Midfords/_i.html?_nkw=wick&submit=Search&_sid=115748996

http://midfords.co.uk/

I make up coffee jar candles using scrap wax, but the crucial bit is what size of pool of melted wax will the wick support without guttering itself out. Midford's stuff is excellent

Any wax, oil, or fat will work to give light, just some smell better than others.
TomBear makes the cleanest burning tallow candles I've ever seen beautiful clear bright light too.

Lots of vegetable margarine/shortening contains additives, lot of water in margarine, and the atora stuff contains gluten and pectin too, so you'll not just be burning fat, iimmc.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[John Fenna]

The veg suet I had from our healthfood shop was almost pure palm oil - healthy for consumption perhaps ... but at the cost of the rainforest!

 

[Claudiasboris]

Palm oil's not even healthy, it's one of the few veg oils that have the negative effect that animal fats have on the body. It's nasty stuff that's bad for everyone!


Claudiasboris