Would we like a box of wax?

[British Red]

A colleague of BBs knows we are into self reliance asked her if she wanted some candle wax? Well of course (the last person asked if she wanted an airgun!). So She brought the box home. Must have been 50 pounds of scented coloured candle wax in there!

I made some half pound wax candles in saved coffee jars

Stripey Candles by British Red, on Flickr

that didn't dent it so I made some pound weight candles

Large and small candles by British Red, on Flickr

That didn't dent it either!

Candle Wax by British Red, on Flickr

The ice cream tubs contain wicks - they should also give an idea of the size of the box of wax

Reckon I could be making candles for some time - given 12 pounds of wax has gone, I think we have at least three times that left - still, I'm only into it for the cost of the wick

 

[Buckshot]

You'll be good for winter then!
Well done BR

 

[British Red]

They are a bit pink though Mark

 

[sxmolloy]

Nice on BR.

Just one queston. How do you hold the wick in place whilst the wax sets around it?

I have some wicks at home which are already wax coated so will stand up on their own but as soon as they touch the hot wax in the jar they go all floppy.

Cheers

Stu

 

[British Red]

How do you hold the wick in place whilst the wax sets around it?

I'm sorry to hear you have a problem with floppiness stu

I lay a splint of wood over the neck of the jar and use a tiny bit of tape to hold the wick to the wood for thinner wicks.

For the big 6mm wicks I sandwich the wick between two small sticks and tape the sticks at each end then balance over the jar so the sustainer just touches the bottom of the jar. I can take a picture if that helps?

 

[tom.moran]

wow! I wish someone would give me a load of wax, i love making candles. Good work

 

[tom.moran]

for holding wicks, use a crocodile clip which is glued to a pencil

 

[British Red]

, i love making candles.

Its fun - this ready made wax stuff is easy enough - its more challenging when the wax comes like this

Brood wax by British Red, on Flickr

 

[sxmolloy]

Cheers Red. It's what I though to be honest but just needed clarification.

Thanks Tom, that's a good idea.

 

[tombear]

Cool, it's nice when folk bother to pass on unloved ex hobby kit. When she heard I was doing some candle making one of the lads scout mistresses sent him home with a couple of shoe boxes worth of moulds, wick and paraffin wax pellets. One of the herselfs colleagues sent her home with what must have been 3 or 4 hides worth of 2 mm chrome tan upholstery leather from when she was on a handbag making course in the mid 80s. And there's the ex reenactors seax I tarted up.

It somewhat restores my faith in humanity !

Atb

Tom

 

[cranmere]

Just one queston. How do you hold the wick in place whilst the wax sets around it?

I've done jars like that and used a bit of Blue Tack to hold the wick on the bottom of the jar, and a chopstick or similar across the top of the jar to hold it vertical.

 

[Toddy]

Funny enough I redd out those same type of coffee jars for that same purpose just yesterday

I have a friend who lives totally off grid, and others who burn candles....they save the scraps, I save the jars, and turn it all into 'yankee' candles for our friend for through winter

Add some christmas red to the mix BR, it's pretty overpowering colour wise and it'll turn all the odds and sods Red.

I buy the wicks from Midford's; they weave them in England and I know what I'm getting and not any old tatt.

My only issue with using scrap wax is that often it's overpoweringly scented :/ bit hit or miss there.

Hot glue gun sticks the wick to the bottom of the jar, and a bit of card with a hole punched in it to thread the other end of the wick through, keeps it tidy at the top of the jar. I find an old jug, kept just for wax, is the easiest way to pour cleanly.

If you free the inner lid from those jars, and cut two notches in from each side so that you can lift it off easily in future, the lid becomes a stable holder for a tealight, and the jar holds a stash more of them. The using tealight can be kept tidy in the lid and the whole thing puts together again as a candle store for car camping. I've got mine made up for the Moot The lid will balance quite safely upside down with the tealight in it on top of the jar. Keeps it at a good height, out of the mud or 'up' on the bench or table.

Timely thread

cheers,
M

 

[British Red]

Loving the tealight idea there Mary!

Yeah the smell of some of that wax is fairly strong - but it would be churlish to complain. I'm lucky to have that cooker out in the barn to do all the melt and pour stuff - it would fairly make my eyes water in a small space.

 

[Toddy]

Wish I had a cooker in a barn; I either do it with every window and the back door open, or fire up one of the little suitcase stoves to melt the wax outside on a dry, calm day. I suppose I could use that in the greenhouse...hadn't thought of that

The tealight thing works well, and it's a nice home made present for beewax tealights or ones I've made with real essential oils added. If you have one of the older jars the lid will take a 'cupcake' tealight and the jar will store four more

They work for soaps too with a bit of the plastic canvas grid cut to fit snugly inside the glass lid to act as the soap dish.

atb,
M

 

[redneck]

Brilliant stuff!! Lucky man.

 

[British Red]

Wish I had a cooker in a barn;
M

Its damned handy for seasoning cast iron!

Kind neighbour gave me the cooker, I had spare gas hose and a reg' so....

Shed Stove by British Red, on Flickr

Its a lovely little cooker - nothing wrong with at all - old but she's obsessively cleaned it - even the clock works. They are lovely kind people and its great for soap, candles, beekeeping, cast iron .....and a surreptitious home made pasty