Cooking Torch

[burnt_fingers]

This weekend my daughter went to a party at a candle and soap making store. I watched one of the staff behind the counter use a food torch (like the ones you see for creme brûlée) in place of a heat gun. I watched as she did a dozen or so candles and I have to say it was quicker and cleaner than using a heat gun. She said the secret is to keep the torch moving. She told me she like it better because of the speed and ease of use as well as it doesn't splattering the wax like a heat gun can. What do you all think about using a food torch in place of a heat gun?

[EricofAZ]

Great way to light a wick, or turn it brown/black. I think customers would be turned off if the wick was discolored. Also, the heat differential on the glass between the area where the glass is filled with wax and the area where the glass is filled with air can easily cause the upper part of the glass to expand faster than the lower part which = breakage. So I like a heat gun and I use it on the outside to warm the glass all the way around a bit to minimize this problem. Keep the heat gun under 600 degrees and just warm a bit longer, I think that to be safer.

[burnt_fingers]

Sorry I should have mentioned she only used a torch on metal molds. When it came to glass she used a heat gun.

[EricofAZ]

Ok, that takes care of the glass problem, but still leaves the open flame/wick problem to contend with. I don't like open flames for touching up candle tops and prefer to avoid them. Gas stoves with cooking pots designed to handle the open flame, or back yard barbeque are the exceptions (oh, and a nice fireplace that is designed for the job). It does sound, though, like that person has their technique down pat. I just hope it never goes wrong.

[Stella1952]

Food torch is overkill for a couple of candles. Used correctly it is a great tool. For a few candles, the mini-torches are perfect. The key here that people ignore is that you MUST KEEP THE HEAT TOOL MOVING.

[EricofAZ]

I agree that the heat has to keep moving. I was just looking at the flash point of IGI 4700 series wax and it is 190 degrees. The wax at that temp won't burn all by itself, but I think when you add an open flame, the possibility exists. Plus a lot of FO's have lower flash points.

I can see where a focused heat source may in some situations be better than a larger diffused heat source. Possibly the cracking of glass may be more likely with a heat gun improperly used than a small torch, but I still think open flame that might be 4000 degrees at the tip is a bit uncomfortable for me to do.

By the way, flash point is the temperature at which a liquid can form an ignitable vapor. It is not the same as the fire point. Just because you have a vapor doesn't mean it will light off ---- unless you apply a flame.

I'm not saying that the wax will light off if you use a food torch. It shouldn't if you keep the flame moving. Heck, it needs to be a stable burn with a wick flame. I'm just not sure I want to make a practice of putting a high temp focused flame to the wax. I think the food torch (butane?) burns much hotter than a candle wick flame.

[Stella1952]

The wax at that temp won't burn all by itself, but I think when you add an open flame, the possibility exists. Plus a lot of FO's have lower flash points.

Eric. We burn candles with what?

If you said "flames" you are correct!

The flashpoint of the FO changes when it is incorporated into a larger volume of material - in most cases over 90-95% of the candle is NOT FO. For a candle to flash or catch on fire, the wax must be liquid (at least over the entire top), temperature of the wax (nearly all of it!) has to be at or above the flashpoint (in excess of 600°F), the vapors have to be confined somewhat, there has to be a source of ignition and there has to be oxygen. Waving a torch over it is NOT going to cause the candle to ignite or explode into flames. It might ignite the WICK if one lingered too long in that area.

I'm just not sure I want to make a practice of putting a high temp focused flame to the wax.

You do not have to do anything you don't want to do, but remember: you are talking about a MOMENTARY exposure to the heat. This is NOT LIKE WELDING!!! You could use the torch to singe the hair off your arms without broiling the skin underneath or causing spontaneous human combustion by keeping it at a certain distance and keeping the heat moving. :rolleyes2

[robertgibbens]

Hmmmmm, might have to try the "singe-ing" thing on my arms. Sounds easier then shaving! ~

[Stella1952]

Believe it or not, my mom & gramma had more "fur" on their arms than suited them and both of them used to singe off the unwanted hair over a gas burner! Neither ever suffered any burns, but I would not exactly recommend this technique as a hair removal process! I tried this a couple of times when I was a young woman and decided to embrace the fur and leave it the heck alone. Thank goodness neither ever got hold of a mini-torch!!!

Edited November 9, 2011 by Stella1952

[David Fields]

Please no gasps, but I use a propane torch for smoothing tops, melting wax on sides of glass jars and metal molds. And for lots of other things. I go through three bottles of propane a year for the past ten or so years. Never had any serious problems. Works fast and easy. Never broke a jar or caught anything on fire. Heat guns worked too slowly for me. Stella is quite correct in her post about wax igniting. I don't suggest anyone change to propane torches (the kind used for sweating copper pipe), just that it works great for me.

[Stella1952]

Please no gasps, but I use a propane torch for smoothing tops, melting wax on sides of glass jars and metal molds. And for lots of other things.

I don't find this "gaspworthy" at all. It is a very common tool for many professional chandlers. I find the "blowing" from heat guns very annoying and imprecise. I think you're on to something, David.

[EricofAZ]

So it sounds like the consensus is that a higher temp focused torch is better than a lower temp diffused heat gun. Ok, I can get my head wrapped around that and do understand why it may "zap" the tops without heating up the glass as much as the heat gun would. I think I tried this a while back and darkened the wick. How do you get the tops near the wick done without browning the wick?

[Stella1952]

How do you get the tops near the wick done without browning the wick?

Be quick like a bunny.

[David Fields]

Stella is again correct. Be quick like a bunny. Tight flame and keep moving. you don't have to get close to the wick to melt the top. If the wick browns, you were not paying attention. When I have wax slopped against the inside of a jar, I heat the inside then the outside. The hot glass removes the tiny residue from the inside. My propane torch is also great for heating pour pots and metal molds to clean out residue wax.

[ksranch]

I've been wanting to get a torch - any suggestions on which one?? TIA