Reusing Candle Wax Quality

[Suntower]

Hi,

Thanks for the site. I make candles out of old tea lights and they work OK, but... the candle wax doesn't actually -work- very well compared with 'commercial' candles. What I mean is that the re-used candles tend to burn very quickly and in a deep sinkhole in the center---IOW the wax on the sides around the wick don't burn very evenly. (Come to think of it, that's how tea lights work in the first place, so maybe this is natural for cheap-o candles.)

Is there something one can -add- to the re-used wax to make them burn more evenly from side to side? For example, those 'Safety Candles' are great in this respect. How are they made?

TIA,

---JC

[Starr]

Are you taking old tea lights to make new tea lights or something else/larger?

What kinds of wicks are you using?

It's going to be kind of hard to say what you can use in the wax without knowing what's already in it. Since you're recycling someone else's wax, I'm assuming you don't know what additives might've already been used. I would say try a smaller diameter and/or another wick.

Are you selling these or are they just for you?

[Suntower]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

1. I'm making all sizes from them... some 2" diameter.

2. I'm using 'medium lead free zinc core'. It's whatever they had at 'Michael's'.

3. They are just for me to save a few $$$. (The big candles @ the store are quite pricey these days!)

Ideas?

Thanks!

---JC

Are you taking old tea lights to make new tea lights or something else/larger?

What kinds of wicks are you using?

It's going to be kind of hard to say what you can use in the wax without knowing what's already in it. Since you're recycling someone else's wax, I'm assuming you don't know what additives might've already been used. I would say try a smaller diameter and/or another wick.

Are you selling these or are they just for you?

[Starr]

Hmm. I would think that your standard 2 inch diameter candle shouldn't give you too many problems. Unfortunately, I can't say with any certainty what's IN the wax or the specific characteristics of the wicks to give you any useful information. You may want to see if there's a candle supplier in your area and get a few supplies from them. Also, I know that Michael's does sell some candle making kits (or they did a while back) that you might enjoy playing around with. If you can snag one of those nice 40-50% off coupons they put out frequently, you may not even have to spend much to do it.

That's how I started with my MP soap addiction. I thought it might be kinda fun, so I bought a little $20 kit to play around with for myself, it was a good kit. You might make out well with something like that for candles instead.

Don't throw out your bits of extra wax though. If you take some wood dust/shavings or shredded newspaper, and melt it into that, you can make some firestarters for summer BBQ's. Don't worry about the scent, it burns off long before you put food on the grill.

[Suntower]

Could I try adding 'stearin'? (I just found out what that is about 5 minutes ago. ) The blurb I read says that this makes candles burn more evenly. That's what I'm looking for. What about mixing with beeswax?

Obviously I'm a total newby at this stuff so any advice would be welcome. I'm not really doing this as a 'hobby' so much as trying to not waste wax.

Thanks,

---JC

Hmm. I would think that your standard 2 inch diameter candle shouldn't give you too many problems. Unfortunately, I can't say with any certainty what's IN the wax or the specific characteristics of the wicks to give you any useful information. You may want to see if there's a candle supplier in your area and get a few supplies from them. Also, I know that Michael's does sell some candle making kits (or they did a while back) that you might enjoy playing around with. If you can snag one of those nice 40-50% off coupons they put out frequently, you may not even have to spend much to do it.

That's how I started with my MP soap addiction. I thought it might be kinda fun, so I bought a little $20 kit to play around with for myself, it was a good kit. You might make out well with something like that for candles instead.

Don't throw out your bits of extra wax though. If you take some wood dust/shavings or shredded newspaper, and melt it into that, you can make some firestarters for summer BBQ's. Don't worry about the scent, it burns off long before you put food on the grill.

[Vicky_CO]

Your saving of money is now turn in to an expense welcome to the world of making candles. Hop over to Peaks and get you a kit. LOL Just teasing you a bit but I am right you are thinking of adding all these things to your cheap wax to make a candle so you are adding up your dollars and are about ready to make your very first very expensive candle.

Truthfully with a kit you can make some pretty cheap candles for yourself and you will have everything you need to do it.

http://www.peakcandle.com/products/Scented-Container-Candle-Starter-Kit__K1003.aspx

That cost $60 okay that will make 8 candle for less than $10 a piece to start with and if you reuse your tins you have enough stuff there to make at least 10 plus more tins. That drops your cost down to less than $5 a candle.

[Starr]

Suntower, you could theoretically add anything you want to that wax, but I can't promise you what it will do without knowing exactly what's in the wax already. You could certainly give it a try, but Vicky_CO is right in that messing around with additives could ultimately get very expensive.

[Suntower]

Suntower, you could theoretically add anything you want to that wax, but I can't promise you what it will do without knowing exactly what's in the wax already. You could certainly give it a try, but Vicky_CO is right in that messing around with additives could ultimately get very expensive.

LOL. Well, she suggests that I could get the cost down to $5 per candle.

I've been making these for....................... $0.

So... if there's no guaranteed way to add a little somethin'-somethin' to make them burn better and still have them be cheap, Cheap, CHEAP, I'll just keep doin' it like I been doin' it.

For us, it's really been about 'waste not want not'... we're one of those insane-o chronic recyclers you read about.

Thanks!

---JC

[Starr]

Unfortunately, candle making is not necessarily a super-cheap hobby. Depending on how in depth you get, it can be quite expensive. A candle making kit can be bought inexpensively if you're willing to shop for it. If you're looking for a super quick, super cheap fix, I'm not sure that anyone here can give you that with the materials that you're using. I do wish you the best of luck and hope that you enjoy the crafting that you're doing. Saving money is always very rewarding!

Starr