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Double Glassed Method Gel candles


Vicky_CO

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Pic 9

Double Glassed Method Gel candles

By Vicky_CO

Well I promised this and as you will see double glassing is really easy it just looks like it would be hard. I have chosen floral design for both of my candles.

Items needed:

Large container (it needs to be big enough to hold smaller container plus you candle design.)

Small container (This will house your actual candle)

Embeds items

Gel wax

Scissors for cutting gel

Melting pot

Thermometer

Heat Gun (not necessary but helpful)

Pic 1

I have chosen to use MP gel wax. Candle 2 could be made with LP but Candle 1 needs MP or HP gel wax because LP is not dense enough to hold up the inner container. Your pour temperatures will change depending on which gel wax you chose.

I am going to be making 2 candles

Candle 1: The inner glass container is suspended.

Candle 2: The inner glass container is placed on the bottom of the outer container.

First get your gel wax heating. I try for a pour temp between 200 and 215.

In Candle 1 make your scene.

Pic 2

In Candle 2 you need to place the inner container in the outer container. I have chosen to center mine. I fill the inner container with glass beads at this point to hold it in place once the gel is poured. Without added weight it will try to float up when you pour the gel wax. I then make my scene around the inner container.

Pic 3

When your wax is melted you can start pouring. Depending on your scene you may need to pour in layer to reduce bubbles. I also run my heat gun around the container to warm it up a bit for bubble reduction.

Candle 1 you only fill till the point where you want the bottom on your inner container to rest. I want mine to be about and 1 ½ from the top of my container.

Pic 4

Candle 2 you can fill to the top of the very edge of the inner candle but I like to leave my gel about 1/8 to 1/4 below the top of the inner container.

Pic 5

Let your candles cool at this point. I usually wait overnight.

Candle 2 is pretty much done touch up with a heat gun to remove surface bubbles you can either pour a candle in the center or just ad a votive or tea light. I prefer a tea light or votive.

Candle 1 If you are using an oven or heat gun to remove bubbles this needs to be done before the next step and the candle needs to cool again.

Candle 1 This is where a heat gun comes in really handy I heat the top layer of the candle to melting and place my inner container. This help to remove that bubble that always ends up under the inner container. You can also pour a thin layer then place your inner container.

Pic 6

I then finish the pour to about ¼ from the top of the inner container.

Pic 7

Let cool I do clean up and bubble removal at this point. Do not use the oven or heat lamp methods at this point to remove bubble or your inner container will not stay in place.

Pour or place a candle in the inner container and you are ready to go.

Pic 8

Pic 9

Now this is not “the be all to end all way” others may have ways that work for them so if this method doesn’t work for you don’t give up.

P.S. I did try the wood roses in Candle 1 at first, they didn’t hold up to the gel. When I made my small test one it did fine but the larger scenes take longer to cool and the rose fell apart.

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  • 3 weeks later...

They are glass tealight holders I use to get them at Michaels craft store. The little larger one is a glass votive holder that can be got just about every where I get mine at Walmart but if a good sales is going on I get them at Michaels.

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Thanks Vicky! I have another question and I apologize for asking so many of them! I have seen some double glassed candles where tealight candles were used in the inner container therefore making it a "forever" candle? Have you tried that? I was curious if that was done and no scent was in the tealight if it would heat up the surrounding gel enough that it could be scented. Something I need to try! Thanks for the tutorial, it does seem a lot easier now!

 

Chris

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You really need the inner container to be glass. If you look at the taller candle you will see I am using a tealight in that but the container that house the tealight is glass tealight holder. I do not recommend using a straight tealight in the acyclic holder or even the metal ones. 2 reasons if you use those it is not really a forever candle second the container do heat up and the tealight itself can move having the glass in between give the heat a buffer from the gel wax. 

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eitsfan,

If I understand your last question a little differently from the way Vicky is taking it, yes you can use a tea light in the inner container, NOT as the inner container.  All of my gel candles are double glassed, actually I sell them as Candle Holders.  I use a votive glass as my inner container and use a tea light in a clear acrylic holder as my lighting source.  I don't think the outer gel ever gets warm enough for any scent to be released though, at least not since the tea light in the votive glass is so deep in the candle holder itself.  I recommend that the buyer use scented tea lights.  This helps both the buyer and you the seller somewhat.  Since 95% of my business is at craft shows, I don't have to carry different scented candle holders, the buyer can purchase their choice of scented tea lights.  Granted there are not nearly the selection of scents available in tea lights that we as candle makers have at our disposal, but usually the customers can find something that they like.  I have even sold my candle holders for use at outdoor parties and weddings, where the buyer used citronella tea lights to keep the bugs away.

 

Although Vicky's recommendation to weigh down the votive glass in her directions for Candle #2 will work, Since all of my Candle Holders use a votive glass on the bottom of my outer container, I use a more permanent solution.  I use Clear Silicone Adhesive to "glue" my votive to the bottom of my outer container.  Even though it says Clear on the tube, it isn't totally transparent.  It has a frosted glass like transparency.   This is the same adhesive that Aquarium shops use to build Acrylic fish tanks.  It has a 24 hour curing time (just out in the open, no oven curing needed) and has a temperature threshold of 400 degrees, so it won't come unhinged if you put your gel candle creation in the oven to remove the bubbles, like I do.  This is available at your local Lowes, Home Depot or even Walmart for about $5 for a 9 or 10 oz tube for use in a caulk gun.  They usually have smaller tubes available in the Lowes and Home Depot stores, but these caulk size tubes are the best value.

 

Hope that helps.        

Edited by JAVAEBOY
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  • 4 years later...

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=LjE5XOqxI6Wx5wL-r5-YDQ&q=gel+candle+wax+suppliers&oq=gel+candle+wax+suppliers&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-hp.12..0i22i30l8.60459.63873..73047...1.0..0.183.812.1j5....3..0....1.......8..41j46i131i275j46i131j0j0i131j46.QlmenIaIEUI

 

I don't know a lot about gel wax, but the link above will give you several bulk suppliers. Where you live will make the biggest difference due to shipping costs. I am in Pennsylvania, and I see that Candlewic and also Candlesandsupplies both sell the gel wax. Looks like it can be bought in low, medium, and high density. Hopefully that means more to you than it does to me. I hope this is helpful to you !!!

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  • 1 year later...
On 5/26/2020 at 12:33 AM, Mika said:

I am starting to make these forever candles and wanted to know, when ppl are asking for refills, how is that done?

 

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to designs and I know there are people who like this concept, but for me, it's always seemed like too much expensive candle gel is being used without it actually being part of the candle that is used (burned), so I always stayed away from doing it.  I've made small flowers or other decorations out of hard wax and have embedded them into the gel so it all eventually burned, or pressed the wax shapes up against the glass and it's worked out nicely, looking very pretty once the flame gets lower into the container, back-lighting the wax decorations.  It seems the only way to refill the design noted here would be to actually refill the center glass.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have just joined and those pictures are truly beautiful im a mere novice when it comes to candle making i have good ideas however i need experience. Im very interested in this type of candle does the gel go hard in the outer layer ?

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On 6/17/2020 at 11:59 AM, Spectrum said:

I have just joined and those pictures are truly beautiful im a mere novice when it comes to candle making i have good ideas however i need experience. Im very interested in this type of candle does the gel go hard in the outer layer ?

 

As long as you don't use the lightweight gel, it would encase firmly.  If you wanted the entire design to be a candle, you can make the flowers or other design out of a high melt point

paraffin wax and work with those, although the method for pouring would be entirely different.

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  • 6 months later...

These are absolutely beautiful! 
 

I’m new here and have a few questions:

 

1) If you embed items in the outer glass, is it okay to use pine needles, silk flowers, and other craft embellishments since this part is not being burned? 
2) I saw the directions, but still don’t quit understand how to “suspend” the inside glass votive. Can someone explain?

3) If the inner glass sits on the bottom, can a glue dot be used?

4) Would you refill with a gel tealight or soy tealight? Does it matter?

5) If not using the double glass method, would you recommend high density or is medium gel okay? I’ve seen bulk gel at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, but the density is low. Is it okay to use sand and shells? Would starfish burn?

6) Recommended locations for bulk items like zinc wicks, glass jars, etc.

 

I’m very new and have SO many questions! If anyone has time to answer, I would greatly appreciate it. 

 

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  • 11 months later...
On 1/1/2021 at 6:57 PM, lauralou said:

These are absolutely beautiful! 
 

I’m new here and have a few questions:

 

1) If you embed items in the outer glass, is it okay to use pine needles, silk flowers, and other craft embellishments since this part is not being burned? 
2) I saw the directions, but still don’t quit understand how to “suspend” the inside glass votive. Can someone explain?

3) If the inner glass sits on the bottom, can a glue dot be used?

4) Would you refill with a gel tealight or soy tealight? Does it matter?

5) If not using the double glass method, would you recommend high density or is medium gel okay? I’ve seen bulk gel at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, but the density is low. Is it okay to use sand and shells? Would starfish burn?

6) Recommended locations for bulk items like zinc wicks, glass jars, etc.

 

I’m very new and have SO many questions! If anyone has time to answer, I would greatly appreciate it. 

 

I use medium density Penreco gel and buy 5 gallon buckets at a time. Amazon has it.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 1/1/2021 at 6:57 PM, lauralou said:

These are absolutely beautiful! 
 

I’m new here and have a few questions:

 

1) If you embed items in the outer glass, is it okay to use pine needles, silk flowers, and other craft embellishments since this part is not being burned? 
2) I saw the directions, but still don’t quit understand how to “suspend” the inside glass votive. Can someone explain?

3) If the inner glass sits on the bottom, can a glue dot be used?

4) Would you refill with a gel tealight or soy tealight? Does it matter?

5) If not using the double glass method, would you recommend high density or is medium gel okay? I’ve seen bulk gel at Hobby Lobby or Michaels, but the density is low. Is it okay to use sand and shells? Would starfish burn?

6) Recommended locations for bulk items like zinc wicks, glass jars, etc.

 

I’m very new and have SO many questions! If anyone has time to answer, I would greatly appreciate it. 

 

I still have not tried making one of these yet but will try to answer best I can:

1) Should be OK

2) Still haven't figured that out either!

3) I'm not sure how that adhere if it gets hot. Best to use an acrylic adhesive like E6000

4) This is why I haven't made any, the refilling part. I would suggest to the customer to buy a refill tealight of a scent they like

5) I use medium as high costs more and medium ain't cheap! : ) I have used sand and shells and starfish. Just don't place the shells or starfish too close to the wick

6) I got glass jars for Christmas from Amazon and I bought my wicks from https://candlewic.com/c/candle-making/wicks/

Hope this helps

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest candlefan

Hello, 

 

Does anyone know what do I need to prevent the gel wax from melting when the tealight candle is lit? Is there a specific type of inner glass I need to use? I tried the forever candles, but the gel melted.

 

Thank you.

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