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Hello all,

I am trying to engrave/carver words into candles for a project that I am working on and i want to color in the words so that they stand out. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on how i can achieve this?

Thanks in advance

Michael

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either or... My son goes to a christian school and was wanting to make some candle displays that had bible verses in them. Some will defiantly be forever candles but would like to make some that could be burnt as well.

Edited by Michael
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Do careful research then, because a lot of the info out there on web will tell you about mixing paint with Johnson's Paste Wax - which actually works well and can get you a nice 'stained' look. BUT that wax is combustible! So, you aren't going to want to use it on anything that will be burnt. And, in my experience, the non flammable paints that are avaialble inhibit a proper burn. Hopefully someone else will comment if there is a good way to do this on a candle that will actually be burnt - everything I do it to is made so it does not burn for these reasons (forever candles).

Edited by ksranch
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My original idea was to carve the words into a premade/store bought candle and to some how color or highlight the words so that they stood out against the background. I have a candle that my wife and I bought that looks like someone made a "sheet" of wax and carved the words into it and then wrapped that around a pillar as to make the candle. If I can figure out how to do this (either idea) successfully then I will defiantly post it here so that others can do it as well. Any additional info anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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You can also print words on an applique, print out on your computer, affix to the side of the candle and then overdip to secure it.

If you carve into a candle you can apply candle paint colors to the incised area to make them stand out or you can darken the exterior (cinnamon works) surrounding the incised area to make the carving stand out.

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Is this the same dye that you would use to color a candle that you make or is it a different product?

Sorry if this is a newby question but I am a newby

Yes. Haven't tried it myself but if I were to give it a go, I think I'd mix some liquid dye with a tiny amt of coconut oil and apply that to the indented lettering. I'm thinking that the tiny amt of coconut oil would not affect the burn. Just to make sure my thinking was right, I squirted a little CO in a cup, added the dye - it did mix well.

As for making the lettering indentation in the candle, you might try something like a soddering tool....make a stencil of the lettering you want and go over it with the hot soddering iron to melt out the indentation that you want then apply the CO/dye with a very fine brush.......sounds do-able but to test the results, I'd pour some melted wax on a cookie sheet and then test it there before moving on to the actual candle.

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Let us know if you try something like that cause I had no luck... although I may have been too impatient.. but with me anything that had heat involved was problematic. It would 'burn' the stencil etc, mix with the melted wax, and end up with a mess, but again, I tend to be impatient. I currently hand carve lettering with wood carving tools but would love to find something faster!

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The quickest way to achieve the "carved" look is to make a mold insert. I print out designs from my computer (remember to reverse the type!), then put the paper under a transparency and "trace" it with liquid silicon leading (used for making fake stained glass wondows). Let it dry completely, tape together with plastic tape (not cellophane), then slip it inside the mold before pouring. When you demold the pillar, peel off the tape and carefully peel off the liner to see the "incised" design.

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The quickest way to achieve the "carved" look is to make a mold insert. I print out designs from my computer (remember to reverse the type!), then put the paper under a transparency and "trace" it with liquid silicon leading (used for making fake stained glass wondows). Let it dry completely, tape together with plastic tape (not cellophane), then slip it inside the mold before pouring. When you demold the pillar, peel off the tape and carefully peel off the liner to see the "incised" design.

Wow Stella - I must try this! For clarification, you make the insert the exact diameter of the mold? so, it sits firmley around the outside all the way around, right? For the transparency, do the 'pages' they sell 'with' the leading work?? Thanks for this - hand carving works, but is so time consuming!!

Edited by ksranch
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I bought some kistka pens on ebay and have not yet used them, but the idea of writing on a candle in a different color wax sounds like it will work well with the one you want to burn.

Eric - I've been looking at kistka pens too - would be very interested in hearing about your experience with them when you get a chance to use them!

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Yes. Haven't tried it myself but if I were to give it a go, I think I'd mix some liquid dye with a tiny amt of coconut oil and apply that to the indented lettering. I'm thinking that the tiny amt of coconut oil would not affect the burn. Just to make sure my thinking was right, I squirted a little CO in a cup, added the dye - it did mix well.

As for making the lettering indentation in the candle, you might try something like a soddering tool....make a stencil of the lettering you want and go over it with the hot soddering iron to melt out the indentation that you want then apply the CO/dye with a very fine brush.......sounds do-able but to test the results, I'd pour some melted wax on a cookie sheet and then test it there before moving on to the actual candle.

What ratio of CO/ dye do you use? and is the CO available in stores localy? Would it be in craft / hobby store or grocery?

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Wow Stella - I must try this! For clarification, you make the insert the exact diameter of the mold? so, it sits firmley around the outside all the way around, right? For the transparency, do the 'pages' they sell 'with' the leading work?? Thanks for this - hand carving works, but is so time consuming!!
No. I make the insert longer and overlap/tape. It makes a line that has to be finished off, but that's not bad. It should fit snugly inside the mold so that the wax can't flow between it and the mold. The liquid leading side goes to the inside, of course, so the wax will pick up the design. I am not aware of any "pages" sold with the liquid leading - I use computer printer transparencies. You have to test to make sure the particular transparency you are using will hold up to the temp of the wax... some shrinks and gets wavy. You don't HAVE to use liquid leading - any silicone rubber will do, but the liquid leading is the right consistency. This is just a "quick & dirty" method of moldmaking.

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Originally Posted by
Pam W
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Yes. Haven't tried it myself but if I were to give it a go,
I think I'd mix some liquid dye with a tiny amt of coconut oil
and apply that to the indented lettering. I'm thinking that the tiny amt of coconut oil would not affect the burn. Just to make sure my thinking was right, I squirted a little CO in a cup, added the dye - it did mix well.

As for making the lettering indentation in the candle, you might try something like a soddering tool....make a stencil of the lettering you want and go over it with the hot soddering iron to melt out the indentation that you want then apply the CO/dye with a very fine brush.......sounds do-able but to test the results, I'd pour some melted wax on a cookie sheet and then test it there before moving on to the actual candle.

What ratio of CO/ dye do you use? and is the CO available in stores localy? Would it be in craft / hobby store or grocery?

I think you would be better off using candle paint. Mixing candle dye with an oil would produce a colorant that would have trouble drying even though it would have better burn properties. Candle paint is available from many candle suppliers. Hobby stores may stock it, too. It's important to use a medium that will be compatible with candle use, should the person decide to actually burn the candle; but likewise important to use a colorant that dries and doesn't remain tacky. You'll have to do some experimenting to see what works best for the project you have in mind. Good luck & have fun!

Edited by Stella1952
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What ratio of CO/ dye do you use? and is the CO available in stores localy? Would it be in craft / hobby store or grocery?

Michael, I haven't tried applying the mixture to a candle...just suggesting. Before I made the suggestion, I did mix a few drops of CO with several drops of dye to make sure it blended well. The CO I used is what I use for B&B products and was purchased from local health food store but it is available at all the online B&B suppliers, Oregon trails, Brambleberry, etc.

How this will actually work will of course depend on the test burn - the painted areas might become runny when the heat of the MP hits it. I'll dig out an old pillar and give it a try - kinda bored today ;-}

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Painting the indentations with straight candle dye remained wet and did start to run when the melt pool heated up; the areas painted with mixture of CO & candle dye dried but soaked into the wax in an outward direction creating a bit of a shadow effect - so either way, it was messy.

The candle paints will most likely be your best method because they do dry well and do not run. I've purchased them from Michael's in the past.

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