Basic Pillar Candle Making
Candle Making Tutorial

Candle Making Tutorial
Basic Pillars
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These instructions are for beginners who have never made a Pillar candle before. At first glance this project might seem daunting to new candle makers, but you will see that it is actually very simple to make a pillar candle – it just takes a lot of words to explain how to do it.

Following these instructions, you can have a lovely new pillar candle to enjoy in just a few hours. And probably of better quality that you could buy in a store!

So gather your supplies, set up your work area, and follow these simple instructions for making your own Pillar Candles.

What You Will Need - Supplies

·

·

·

· wick or wick

· (optional)

· or old Sauce Pan to create a double boiler

· or with pour spout

· , chopsticks, or something else to stir the wax

·

·

· A large needle or

· (optional)

· (optional)

NOTE: These instructions are written using a , which takes about 1 lb of and 20” of per candle.

Also a good idea to have around:

· Paper towels

· Windex (Window cleaner)

· Aluminum Foil

· Newspaper, butcher paper, or scrap paper to cover work surfaces

· Fire Extinguisher (just in case)

How to Set Up Your Work Area

1. Put down newspaper or butcher paper on tables and countertops to catch spills and for easy cleanup.
2. Have paper towels and Windex on hand for cleaning stovetops.
3. Wrap stove burner bowls in tin foil to catch drips of , and for easy cleanup afterwards.

Prep Your Mold

Inspect your to ensure that there is no residual on the inside surfaces or seams of your . If there is, remove it.

Spray the inside of your with . To do this, either follow the directions on the can, or hold the nozzle 8 to 10 inches from your and release the spray in short bursts. I little goes a long way with .

Wicking your Mold

The first step in making your pillar candle is to wick your . You will need your and your to do this.

Take a 20” length of , and tie a slip knot at one end. (Here is an invaluable guide for how to tie a slip knot from a knitting website.)

1. Thread the unknotted end of the through the , and pull it through until the is resting against the knot.
2. Poke a hole in the center of the with a large needle or . Thread the unknotted end of the through the , and pull it through until the is resting against the .
3. Thread the unknotted end of the through the wick hole in the bottom of the , and pull up through the center of the to the top of the mold. Keep pulling until gasket end of the is snuggly pressed against the bottom of the . The point here is to create a seal between the rubber gasket and the mold, so that liquid will not seep out through the bottom of your mold.
4. Take the and thread the through it. Pull the taut, so that cannot seep out, but not so tight that the is stretched out of shape or distorted.
5. Now draw the into the notch at one end of the . Wrap the once around the , then underneath the threaded along the length of the , as shown, to create a solid knot.

Once you are finished wicking your , it is time to melt your . (When you get experienced at wicking your mold, and can do it quickly, you might want to wait until your is set to melting before wicking your molds. It’s a matter of timing and personal preference.)

Melting your Pillar Candle Wax

You will need either a or deep sauce pan, and you will also need a . These two items create a double boiler to melt down your wax.

A simple double boiler using an old sauce pan and a meting pot with a spout.

Fill the bottom part of your double boiler (the or the deep sauce pan) with about two inches of cool water, and place on the burner set to high temperature.

Place pieces of to be melted into the , set the in the water, and attend to it as the liquefies. (When the water begins to boil, turn the heat down to medium low or low.)

If you have a large block of and need instructions on how to safely break it into smaller pieces, please visit our section on How To Break Up Wax Blocks

When the is entirely liquid (i.e., when there are no solid chunks any longer in the pot) you have successfully melted the .

Our melts at about . The will continue to grow hotter as it remains in the double boiler. The of the should get to .

(Some advanced candle makers will cook the at for 30 minutes to eliminate air trapped in the crystalline structure. To some degree this can reduce the appearance flaws that would naturally appear after the is made into a candle. It is up to you whether you would like to perform this added step.)

Adding Dye

After the is entirely melted and at about , add your , if you are using any. Each of our colors 1 lb of . Use more or less for lighter or darker colored candles. Drop a (or part of a ) into the melted , and until the is entirely dissolved into the liquid .

Adding Fragrance

Adding is the last thing you do before you pour the candle. This is because the potency of the can be reduced if subjected to high heat for too long.

After the is entirely melted, and after you have added (if you are using ), add your , if you are using any. The standard ratio for our is one ounce of per 1 lb of . Use more or less for lighter or heavier scented candles. Add the candle to the melted (and colored, if you are making colored candles) in the melting pot, and thoroughly to get even distribution of the .

Pouring the Candles

Right after you add the to the melting pot, it is time to make the first pour of into the .

You need a to pour pillar candles. You can also use a or a chopstick for added pouring control to reduce dribbles.

The should still be at about . However, if it has cooled a little, that is fine too. Some folks like to pour their pillar candles after the has cooled to around .

Pour the into the , and fill the up to half an inch from the top of the . Be sure to save some for the 2nd pour.

Relief Holes

After you have poured the into the , let it sit undisturbed until a thick skin of forms over the surface of the candle.

When this skin has formed, use a or chopstick to relief holes in the candle.

Make these holes near the , and through the candle until you reach about ½ inch from the base of the candle. You can make one hole, or several holes. The purpose of these relief holes is to allow the to shrink without forming solid bubbles of trapped air inside the finished candle, which might pull the off center, distort the shape of the finished candle, and interfere with proper burning of the candle.

As the candle cools further, you will see the within the relief holes shrinking further. Continue to through your relief holes as needed during the hardening process of your candle to allow air in to take the place of the shrinking . As the cools and shrinks, you will be able to see your relief holes turn to sink holes.

When the candle has hardened and cooled to room temperature, it is time to make the 2nd pour of , to fill the relief holes and the indentations, caused by shrinkage of the , in the center of the candle.

2nd Pour

The “second pour” is made after the in the has cooled completely. The reason for making a second pour (pouring more into the mold after the first pour has cooled) is that the from the first pour will have shrunk into sink-holes, which you will plainly be able to see around the relief holes you made in the previous step. This is normal, as expands when melted and contracts when it cools.

To make the 2nd pour for the pillar candle, re-heat the you saved from the first pour in the double boiler. Reheat this to about 5 to 10 degrees F hotter than the temperature of your first pour . (If the of your first pour was , then heat the 2nd pour to before pouring.)

When it is the proper temperature, pour the into your relief holes, and continue pouring until the reaches a level just below that of your first pour. Pouring higher than the first pour can cause surface flaws on your finished candle. (But if you make a mistake and pour higher than your first pour, don’t sweat it.)

Setting the Pillar

Now let your pillar candle sit undisturbed until it cools completely. This may take a few hours. You will know that your candle is completely cool when the surface of the is cool to the touch, not warm. You will also, most likely, notice the candle separating from the edge of the . This is a good sign.

Remove The Candle From the Mold

When your candle has cooled completely, you may remove it from the . Attempting to remove the candle before it is completely cooled will result in frustration and, possibly, a marred candle. Look for a little separation of the from the edges of the . This is a good indicator that your candle is cool enough to remove. Another indication is that the metal is cool to the touch (not warm).

To remove the candle from the , first, pull on the slip knot on the bottom of the beneath the . The knot should pull out of the . Slip the and the off of the .

Next, untie the at the top of the candle from the , and slide the off of the .

Now that your candle is free at both ends, turn the upside down and gently tug on the at the top of the candle.

HINT: If the candle does not come out of the , you may want to allow it to cool longer. Some people like to put the in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. If the candle still will not come out of the , submerge the entire and candle in a bucket of warm water. The water will seep in and release the candle from the .

Trim the Wick

When your candle is out of the , cut the at the bottom of the candle off, so that it is flush with the bottom surface of the candle. Trim the at the top of the candle to ¼”.

Voila!

That is it! You are done! You now have a lovely pillar candle to enjoy! Homemade pillar candles are often times of better quality that can be bought in stores, and are great gifts for friends and family. Continue making your own unique pillar candles, and experiment with new shapes, sizes, and effects. And let us know how it goes!

Finish Notes:

· For instructions on removing the mold seams from your pillar candles, see our reference section on Removing Seams from Candles

· The candles made with these instructions have a natural mottled effect, quite a popular finish for candles. If you desire a solid finish (with no mottling), see our advanced pillar instructions, which include instructions on how to use certain chemicals which prevent mottling.

· For instructions on leveling your candles (in the event that they came out tilted for some reason) please see our reference section on Candle Leveling

Caution:

· Never pour liquid wax down a drain. It will solidify in the pipes and cause a serious clog.

· Pillar candles should be burned in approved

· Never leave a burning candle unattended.