PAgirl89 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Modern conveniences of an electric/gas stove or the use of a Presto kettle pot gives us temperature control, but I've been asked to demonstrate melting of wax and making candles on a wood stove or open camp fire for our local Pioneer Days festival held in October.I initially turned down the invite telling the organizer it would be not be safe to melt wax on a stove or open fire without the temperature control, but he is persistent in finding a way for me to demonstrate at the event.I received an email this morning from the organizer telling me they'd be roping off areas for demonstrators so the public would be kept at a safe distance. I still have reservations about it.What do ya'll think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Scary for sure, the open flame that is. I've heated my home from a wood stove for years when living in the NE and i can tell you that the surface is HOT, 500 F or more depending. Regulating the heat will be very tricky unless you have an extended surface that is not directly under the flame. Depending on the length of the demo, stoves (depending on the materials they are made of) can hot heat for a long time. You might be able the preheat the surface and then close off the air but using an actively burning fire does not seem like a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Somehow I don't think the 'pioneers' heated their wax over an open flame. They probably used pots like we do (but made of cast iron more likely) then placed these on top of a wood burning stove. A much different scenario than over an open flame and wood burning stoves were around in those pioneer days.If that flame comes into contact with the wax you will have a volcanic and explosive flame on your hands-- and throwing water on it will make it worse. You'd need the fire department to put that fire out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carol k Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I have seen that many times at reenactment camps. One guy was making fire starters. He had his pot (like our pour pots) at the very edge of the edge of a small fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAgirl89 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 That was my concern. The heat getting too high and not being able to control the temperature. Then when he mentioned about roping off the area to demonstrate, I'm thinking that may be okay for spectators but what about ME?! LOL And I normally wear old clothes, not loose fitting clothes when I make my candles or soaps, not full pioneer dress. I told him it was just a bad idea all the way around. Open flame and wax do not mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinas Candles Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Even if you entertain the idea the safety issues outweigh the overall good. Open flame !!!NO WAY!!! Wood stove only with a metal trivet or something else to keep it up off of the surface and give you air between the stove and pot. I cant think of any other way to not have the direct heat of the stove overheat the wax and cause combustion. Constant temp checking! Just not a comfortable feeling for me to do it. If they dont mind you making a double boiler than that would not be a bad idea but still with something in between the pot and stove. Just my 2 cents...Tina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 I would use a double boiler on the wood stove. That way you can somewhat control the heat. Over a fire, I would just boil water to sit a pot of wax in, after you remove it from the fire. Then just set the pour pot of wax in it to melt. I don't think they would have put wax directly over the fire, even back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 PAgirl-- have you tried contacting a civil war reenactment group in your area and maybe asking them how it was done? What I'm thinking is a combination of what a couple posters added here. Use a double boiler type set up but have one pot away from the fire (out of the flame area to the side).You will need to boiling pots of water and one pour pot for your wax.Use boiling pot #1 to boil the first batch of water, then transfer the boiling water pot to the side of the campfire. Place your pour pot with wax inside pot #1 to start warming your wax. Then place boiling pot #2 on the fire. When boiling pot #2 is ready, transfer it to the side of the fire to put your pour pot in. Then take the original boiling pot #1 and put back in the fire to reboil its water. Basically you keep reboiling water by alternating the two boiling pots so the wax has a chance to have continouse heat so it may melt.I think I would do no more than 1-2 lbs wax at a time and I would use paraffin to more authentic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twoscentsworth Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 candles then were made of tallow, not paraffin. It was heated in a cauldron over the fire and then string was dipped into the tallow over and over again to make the candle. here is a site that might help you http://missiontour.org/related/industry_candlemaking.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Here's another picture: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/6772 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) candles then were made of tallow, not paraffin. It was heated in a cauldron over the fire and then string was dipped into the tallow over and over again to make the candle.here is a site that might help you http://missiontour.org/related/industry_candlemaking.htmYes but for practical purposes I'm sure you can sub paraffin. Or you could use beeswax. But I think paraffin will melt the best under those circumstances. Edited June 12, 2011 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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