Wick'n'Wax Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 At the moment (being on a budget), I'm melting by having a large pan of simmering water, with a smaller pan perched on the top with the wax in. The one with the wax in, is a milk pan with pouring lip, but its still spilling all over as I'm pouring.What do others use? I know in the USA you can get presto pots? but not sure of what is available cheapish in the UK, or anything homemade?My god, I'm sat here all excited about making candles. I'm like a kid..... Is this how it gets you lmao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prcandles Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Hi Some people use the glass coffee carafes for pouring pots, others use old, clean coffee cans with a spout for pouring bent in. Just about anything that can hold heat can be used for melting the wax. The other thing to do is just melt as much as you need until you can get something in the UK for larger quantities.HTHAnd yes that is how the addiction starts!Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherl Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Yard/garage sales and thrift type stores are good for locating the coffee pots. For a while I got the large cans from my sons school and pulled a spout with a pair of pliers and they worked good as well. I now have pour pots and when pouring things like tarts and votive.. still get some drip down the side. I now keep my other hand with a paper towel there to steady the pour and catch the drips.. my slippers are a mess from the ones I didn't catch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlesprite7 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 My god' date=' I'm sat here all excited about making candles. I'm like a kid..... Is this how it gets you lmao [/quote']Yes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugarysweet95 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I use pyrex jugs in a water bath over the stove!!!They can take massive amounts of heat and are practically indestructible!!!! (i once dropped a pyrex place on a stone floor and it bounced back up un harmed!!!) They're very easy to clean and no chance of rust or wax / dyes etc spoiling it. I use different sizes for when i want different amounts. You can get a few small drips when you pour, but i've yet to find anything that didnt. The paper towel is great for catching them and if you pour over a work surface you can (hopefully) protect your slippers!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 The problem with Pyrex is that it is glass. Glass is a poor conductor of heat and therefore the wax takes longer to melt than in metal.I bought 2 large stainless steel mixing bowls from Wilkinsons hardware for about £2 each. The bottom one filled with some water, the top with wax. Does the job well, that is until the equivalent of the Presto turkey fryer becomes available in the UK market.:rolleyes2Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wick'n'Wax Posted February 28, 2007 Author Share Posted February 28, 2007 The problem with Pyrex is that it is glass. Glass is a poor conductor of heat and therefore the wax takes longer to melt than in metal.I bought 2 large stainless steel mixing bowls from Wilkinsons hardware for about £2 each. The bottom one filled with some water, the top with wax. Does the job well, that is until the equivalent of the Presto turkey fryer becomes available in the UK market.:rolleyes2Ianooh thanks Ian, I'll look in Wilkos.Currently I'm using a saucepan with the water in, a smaller pan perched on top (very precariously!) and alternate between that an a clear pyrex bowl. Hubby is not best pleased I've used the bowl! I'm still having trouble cleaning the bowl though. I pour from the bowl, into a plastic jug and use that to pour with. I can't clean the bowl or the jug very well.I put boiling water in straight away, then try and clean it with paper towel, not working at all!The saucepan I'm just heating slightly whilst empty and using paper towel.Is there some miracle cleaning product I don't know about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I also use boiling water with a good squirt of washing up liquid. Fill to the top and let the wax float to the surface. Tip the wax layer out, give the container a good swirling, tip out the water and QUICKLY wipe with paper towels. Works for me but my wife queries the amount of funding for buying paper towels now.Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugarysweet95 Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 The problem with Pyrex is that it is glass. Glass is a poor conductor of heat and therefore the wax takes longer to melt than in metal.Yeah, it does take quite a while to melt, but i put the wax on to melt and then sort out all my moulds, fill em with chunks etc, maybe even have a cuppa tea and use it when it's ready!!!Don't need to stand over it and watch it melt like you do with metal pans, and it's soooo much easier to clean!!!!! (so i can nick my mum's jugs and not have to be scrubbing the wax off it for ages before she can use it again!!! lol!!!!!)Boiling water and lots of washing up liquid and a washing up brush work well for me, give it a good scrub, then i just use a tea towel to dry it. I always find the wax likes to stick a lot more to pans and unless it's just off the hob, it never just comes off with a paper towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugarysweet95 Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I bought 2 large stainless steel mixing bowls from Wilkinsons hardware for about £2 each. Just wandering how you pour with these mixing bowls? Do they have a spout? I find the larger saucepans never have spouts so it's very difficult to pour from!!! Pyrex jugs all have spouts so i can pour from the jug directly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian H Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 The Wilco's bowls have a broad rim. Initially I formed a flattened pourer area, not easy, using a hammer and mole grips, sort of works. In reality as long as I pour quickly and evenly there is almost no dripping when I pour over the none modified rim into a pouring jug.Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnjieBurdett Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 I use pyrex jugs too. Work fine for me and i get quite a precise pour from them with not many drips. I have the pyrex jug sitting on a small saucer in an old pan of boiling water. I find if I wipe out the pyrex jug with kitchen towel while it is still hot then there is no need for me to wash it - paranoid about wax down the sink!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljbristow Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Shoot, I just go to the Goodwill store ( second hand store) and look for pots about the size I want to use, usually for 50 cents to a 1.00. Yard sales probably would be another cheap source. I prefer alluminum as it is easier to shape a pouring spout with a pair of pliers. It is sometimes a little tricky to get the spout curved down a bit at the end as that is the trick to minimizing the drips.Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I use clean coffee cans resting on top of a small round footed rack inside a pot, with water in the pot. Not precarious . Then I use handle clamp (bought on eBay) to lift the can, and pour into a tin funnel into my jars. To clean cans or jars: invert can on paper towels in a low oven (150-200 Farenheit, sorry, don't know the Centigrade). Wipe can out with paper towerls. If necessary, use a little commercial mold cleaner designed for removing wax from metal molds (candle suppliers sell this). Then you can wash with soap and water. Low budget and effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katcameback Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I have been using an old counter top deep fryer and a metal pouring pot. I just keep water in the deep fryer and turn it on to the temp i want my wax to be, then let the pouring pot with wax sit on top. I bought my hubby a turkey fryer for Xmas, and he has already informed me that I'm not allowed to touch it for my candles, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnjieBurdett Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I posted earlier on saying that I used a pyrex jug in a pan of boiling water to melt and pour my wax from. Well, I thought about what Ian said about glass being a poor conductor of heat, and bought a metal melting jug today and WOW!! The amount of time I have wasted sitting waiting for wax to melt!! It melts soooo quickly in the metal jug, I was very pleasantly surprised. So thanks Ian, you've just saved me sh** loads on my gas bill *LOL*.Anjie,x. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.