Ahhhh! This isn't so easy!

[Tilden]

I bought my wife a bunch of stuff to put together a "candle making kit" for Christmas. I figured in short time we'd be having fun making candles (and eventually saving me money) instead of buying the expensive candles in the stores. After all, how hard can it be to melt wax and pour it in a jar? Well, many hours later we are still trying to get a single candle that looks good.

She likes container candles. I called Yankee Candle and asked them what they used for wax. They said it was food quality paraffin wax. So as part of her kit I picked up a slab of paraffin spotted mottling wax (AB-145) and one of regular paraffin (#140) wax.

I don't think it is possible to pour a candle with that stuff (145) and have the wax stay stuck to the glass. It shrinks so much that once it is fully cooled it rattles and you can spin it inside the jar. It looks beautiful while it is still warm and stuck to the jar wall. But once it cools off it looks dull whn pulled away from the jar.

We have now been reading and getting more info on candle making and there is a lot more to it than I first imagined. This forum seems to have a lot of info so we'll be busy reading before trying to make any more candles. I wish the person at the candle supply store would have told me more about what I needed to make the candles. She made it sound like you just heat wax and pour and you have wonderful candles when it cools off...

I'm guessing we need to put some additives in the paraffin mottling wax (AB-145 wax) to use it in clear containers. Never thought we'd need chemistry to make some candles! But we are having fun trying to make the candles.

[Circle]

My suggestion is to read as much as you can from this forum, then buy your supplies to suit whichever candle you choose to make, container or pillar.

[Starr]

It sounds like you made a very sweet and thoughtful gift choice for your wife. I think with some reading and maybe a little more buying, you'll be on your way to getting something that you'll both be proud of.

[Judy, USMC]

I bought my wife a bunch of stuff to put together a "candle making kit" for Christmas. I figured in short time we'd be having fun making candles

Sounds like you give presents like my husband does. My name is on the box but it's for the whole family to enjoy. :rolleyes2

[rustic]

Take your time and read about candle making as much as you can. There are lots of different types of wax out there and you really need to find the one that you are comfortable with using. I use KY's Soy125 for my jar candles, I like to use it because I don't have to add anything to it and I love the candles that it makes. Which ever one you end up choosing you will have to test, test, test. That's what it is all about, testing with different wicks, fragrance oils, colors everything effects how your candles burn..having patience and not giving up is the name of the game with candle making. I am really surprised that Yankee would tell you what they use, I think you will find better info on this site than asking a big manufacturer what they use. Some of my customers have mentioned that Yankee isn't that great anymore that they only get a good scent throw the first couple of burns and then no fragrance as the candle burns down.

[Blest2BAmerican]

I'm not familiar with that wax. It might not even be a wax that is meant for container candles, though some container wax does pull away from the edges.

You might try one of the candle kits that is available at one of the candle companies that supplies candlemakers with quality products. A couple of businesses that I can think of that sell these kits are www.bittercreek.com and www.peakcandlesupply.com They have put together kits that have compatible wicks, wax, fragrance oils, etc along with instructions that will allow you to make successful candles.

Happy candlemaking. BTW, it's very additive and you may end up spending more in the long run once you get started.

[topofmurrayhill]

This paraffin is similar to what Yankee uses in their container candles:

http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product.aspx?q=c69,p689&title=Mottling-Wax-for-Container-Candles

I would recommend you try it in small containers first, like 8 oz glasses. The large apothecary jars that Yankee makes are harder to design and generally require two wicks.

[jwn6w]

Yankee candles are horrible. I have been buying them for years. I always buy after Christmas for the next year. I burned the ones I bought after Christmas last year and the large jars have wax all on the sides that is not burning and the votives are burning down the middle and I have them in the proper votive holders. I have been really upset with their quality and I am going to take all of these crappy candles back to the store and show them. How they can charge the prices they do and expect people to keep coming back is beyond me.

[lsbennis]

@jwn6w....but they keep coming back and seem to have no problem spending that much money on a candle that sucks!

[charmcandleco]

They are just buying the name. A lot of people now days are just really shallow. It does not matter about the price or quality if it has a big name label.

[radellaf]

Was enough left over in a medium size Yankee jar for me to melt it and make a 6oz hex jar candle out of it. (LX14, flame on the small side but hasn't drowned and only a thin hang on one side). I do like the bubbly rustic look their candles have. It's not just mottling - somehow it makes a bunch of little air bubbles.