New Dipping Vat just arrived!!

[Chefmom]

So.....my brand new dipping vat has arrived, and it took roughly 36 seconds to cut my finger in the process of getting it out of the sea of peanuts!!!!

I have been playing with short tapers made in a wide mouth quart canning jar and they are burning quite well. I made 100% beeswax and a beeswax/paraffin blend. I decided in a moment of giddy insanity to make hand dipped tapers for Christmas presents this year and purchased the 15-inch vat. Next is a turkey fryer so I can do this whole set up on my back patio instead of trying to dip with a giant pot on my stove, while standing on a step stool of course!!!

However, I'm searching here there and everywhere for the answer to a simple question. Just how much wax do I need to fill that pup up? I want to do 10-inch classic tapers so it will need to be pretty full and I will need several extra pounds to keep the wax level up.

I have looked online and see generic instructions, and I have a book that states to just use two pounds of wax, fill the vat with hot water and float the wax on top. However, I have ANOTHER book that says NOT to do hand dipped this way. <<deep sigh>>

Anyone have a guess??

And in case anyone else gets the bright idea to fill a wide mouth quart jar with wax and play with dipped tapers DO NOT allow the wax to set up inside the jar........it takes about 2 days of patient melting in water on a very low temperature to get the wax out and not break the jar.

[blacktieaffair]

You'd think since I do tapers, I could answer that question but I can't LOL.

I had a dipping vat made for me, it's heavy as all get out and about 1/4 inch thick ( my ex bf had it made by a guy that does custom welding)

I know that it was 16 inches tall, leaving enough room to dip and not hit the bottom, and it is approx. 4 inches across ( because my hands aren't very steady and I'd used to hit the sides of the vats on the upward motion)

I just honestly kept adding wax til it got about an inch from the top ( I had the vat in a water bath inside a huge stock pot)

I'm still debating on which is harder... hand dipped tapers ( cause of the time, energy, and steadiness required) , or using the molds ( I have the dangest time with securing the wicks and keeping them out of the way because the 6 cavitiy molds or more, the holes are so close together ).

I usually do about 100 or so during a three day period that way I usually don't have to make them but once or twice a year. Not my favorite thing to do !

Edited August 28, 2012 by blacktieaffair

[JanetsCandles]

I use the dipping vat that Peak has, and it takes about 10 pounds of wax to fill it up completely before dipping. Keep in mind that the wax level will drop as you dip, so it's very important to have an extra amount on hand. I tend to go through about 20 lbs dipping a single color of my hand dipped candles.

As for filling your vat, no, do NOT use water in the vat. All that serves to do is melt off the bottom of your tapers as you dip them, especially with a 10" length.

What I end up doing is dipping a rack, setting it on a holder I made myself, grab the next vat, same thing, until it cycles all the way through the tapers to get them the size I need. It's very time consuming, and I haven't been able to do them lately because of a shoulder injury that won't let me lift that much weight on a repetitive motion. Takes me something like 3 hours (with a few breaks) to do 1 color, 64 tapers at a time.

[Chefmom]

Thanks guys! I've done some measuring and calculating with "Finger-Math" and yea, 10 pounds looks like the magic number. I'm even thinking of taking an old stock pot and making a massive double boiler so I can heat up enough wax. I only have 3 or 4 pounds of beeswax on hand, so I guess my next purchase is a case of beeswax so I can get started.

................aaaahhhhh the art of the process........

[JanetsCandles]

I use a stock pot for a double boiler for the vat, we have 2 presto pots that I'm using to keep it all full. Hope you get a system working for you, and post pictures when you get a set that you like!

[beekeeper_sd]

Good luck. I got a used dipping vat about three years ago and haven't even used it yet. My husband even built a rotating hanging rack from an old bicycle tire so I could dip seven frames of candles at a time. (Sigh) Hope things go well for you and don't forget to post some pics of your finished products! P.S. I was also going to do beeswax.

[Chefmom]

Good luck. I got a used dipping vat about three years ago and haven't even used it yet. My husband even built a rotating hanging rack from an old bicycle tire so I could dip seven frames of candles at a time. (Sigh) Hope things go well for you and don't forget to post some pics of your finished products! P.S. I was also going to do beeswax.

OOooooo, I have an old bike with two very usable wheels!! That's a great idea!! I have a concrete patio that I want to set up a turkey fryer with the deep stock pot and for hanging I have a heavy duty wooden clothes dryer that is 5 feet tall and 4 feet long, but I really like the bike tire idea. I'm hoping to be able to rig up something so I can sit. I have feet issues and so I can only stand in one place for a short time.

My husband's uniforms for work come on metal hangers so I have a good stack of heavy wire to make dipping hooks I just have to find his heavy duty wire cutters. I spent an hour looking through his garage with no luck. I have my own tools but I don't have anything heavy enough for that thick wire. <<deep sigh>> I just have to wait until he gets home on Friday!! Or just go to Lowes and buy my own!!