Dipped Taper Candles?

[Siren12]

Do any of you make your own hand dipped taper candles? i kind of want to try it but don't really know where to start. The last time I did it was at some kids event/ field trip when I was young, and then i only did the top coats. I use GB 444 soy right now for my jars and i feel like that will be too soft, or I don't know what kind of wick to even start with either. 

[TallTayl]

I do. Beeswax and bayberry. A couple thousand a year. Frames are really the easiest way i found. I use those from candlewic.

[Chefmom]

When I first started with dipping tapers I used paraffin because I had a bunch of it and it's cheaper than beeswax to play around with.  It's a royal pain to dip.  It doesn't build up nice layers and gets rumply looking. 

 

In my opinion beeswax is the optimum dipping wax.  It dips beautifully once you find the right temperature and get into the zen motion of dipping.  It takes practice but it's quite meditative.  The real downfall is you need a lot of wax.  A LOT.  Just to keep the container full while you dip, and extra melted and ready to top off to keep the depth in the dipping container. 

 

As for wicks, square braids are my go to with beeswax tapers, it will take a bit of experimentation depending on what size you want to make your tapers. I don't make as many as Tall Tayl, so I made my own dipping hooks from old metal clothes hangers.

[Siren12]

awesome! I cant wait to get to try it out, i think that they would be a nice addition during the holidays. 

if everything goes right my husband and i are about to move and i will have an entire candle room to try out tapers along with making my jars that i currently sell. I want to get supplies for these right now but really shouldn't since I'll get stuck carrying all the wax down 3 flights of stairs ;-( 

I was thinking that the Bees was was the way to go, any good suggestions for suppliers or forms of how the bees wax comes? is a block better than pellets etc or they basically the same? 

do you use local bees wax? is that hard to find/ clean?

[Jcandleattic]

On 9/13/2016 at 6:28 PM, Chefmom said:

When I first started with dipping tapers I used paraffin because I had a bunch of it and it's cheaper than beeswax to play around with.  It's a royal pain to dip.  It doesn't build up nice layers and gets rumply looking. 

My experience has been the opposite. I get super smooth paraffin tapers when dipping. No lumping and it's actually super easy to dip, just takes a long time because of how many layers are needed for a nice thick taper. I do use microcrystaline though, which does help the layers adhere to each other, and get the smooth finish. 

 

Sometimes I use a frame, but usually not, because I don't do them for production, only dipping when I want some or I get a request. 

When making for Halloween though, sometimes I will dye the wick a 'blood red' color too, so when the taper is burning, it will "bleed" red as it drips down the pure white candle. Makes an awesome effect.