Candle Making Supplies

Candles are fun at Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year,… and every other day of the year as far as I am concerned… plus: candles make great gifts. So, this Fall I want to learn how to make our own candles. I thought to prepare for this upcoming Fall craft project (a lot) by familiarizing myself with what craft tools I will need.

Here is an overview of candle making supplies under research, and what I found:

Candle Supplies

1. Metal Candle Molds

After digging around I realize we will need high-quality, professional molds such as these, as they give great results every time. And in this particular candle making mold package that I am eyeing, each mold includes 3 ft (76 cm) of wicking, a wick rod and retainer screw, mold sealer, and …. instructions!!!! Very good.

I have previously made candles with toilet paper rolls, and while I love the environmentalism in that, it is most suitable for the one-off candle project. But once you are going to make 10 or more (I am, as I am planning to give them away for XMAS…), I am stepping up to the plate of aspiring to create professional candle making results.

Cost: I am planning on ordering all my supplies online at Dickblick and qualify for the free delivery, so I am not including driving/shipping cost. Prices for candle molds seem to range from about $18 and up, which is a bit of an investment, but I think it is worth it. I am planning with just getting a couple of the simple shaped ones, as I think I will decorate the candles with other materials, and sometimes, I like plain and simple, just a nice color and smell and warmth…

2. Candle Dyes

I like lavender, orange, red and white, and I hope we can mix them to make some nice pastel and duo-tone candles.

These candle dyes come in a 3/4 oz blocks. You can use 1/8 of the block for approximately 2 pounds of wax.

Cost: This stuff is inexpensive at only $1.99.

3. Candle Thermometer

This Candle Thermometer is important for determining the correct temperature for pouring candles.

It’s measured in Fahrenheit and marked with correct pouring temperatures for a variety of candle techniques.

Sounds like professional results are coming up, right?! OK. Great. Let’s get it.

Cost for this candle making gadget: $7.99.

4. Premium Wax

The good stuff: this Premium Wax is specially designed for candle making. I gives superior mold release and requires no additives. Its melting point is 148°F (64°C).

This is obviously our most essential candle making supply. I am going to buy a couple of packs, even though it contains a whopping 4 lb of wax per pack.

Cost: $13.40 for the large 4 lb pack.

5. Standard Candle Wicking This standard candle wicking comes in a 100 yard skein.

Costs: $4.50 for 100 yards! That makes a lot of candles.

6. Wax Melter Kit A simple way to melt wax for batik, crayon painting, candle decorating, ceramic resist, jewelry, sculpture, and lapidary work. The kit includes a palette, removable cups, and a squeeze pen, all aluminum. The squeeze pen is useful for controlled thin to thick lines. Instructions are included. This wax Melter operates on household current, and draws roughly the same amount of power as a small soldering iron.

Cost: $48 for the melter kit plus $39 for a set of 10 squeezer pens. An investment, however, we can use this set for all kinds of crafts involving wax.

6. Candle Paint – Metallic Colors, Set of 6

This set contains one bottle each of: Gold, Silver, Copper, Metallic Red, Blue, and Green.

Decorate and paint candles for gifts, parties, and holidays with this water-based liquid wax.

This product dries dimensionally and burns cleanly. A fine-tip applicator allows for detailed 3-D effects straight from the bottle.

For more variety in style and texture, brush or daub wax. Colors can be mixed.

Cost: $16 for the set of 6 metallic colors

Note: there is also a set of regular colors, but I think I will begin with this set, and probably order the other set later.

7. Candle Scents

At some stage do I want to learn how to add my own essential oils to my candles. In the meantime, we may have to go with tried and proven scents such as this.

I like the smell of vanilla, so that’s what I chose. However they also have cinnamon, lavender, ‘the holidays’, bayberry and mulberry.

Each 3/4 oz (21 g) block, contains a concentrated scent of your choice for candle making.  We have to use one eighth of the block for approximately 2 lb (about 900 grams) of wax, so just one pack of this will last me for even a couple of 4 lb-packs of candle wax.

Cost: $2

Honeycomb Beeswax Candle Making Kit 8 sheets and 8 wicks.

No melting and no mess! Beeswax candles are beautiful, natural, and easy to make. These candles smell faintly of honey and have the special qualities of being smokeless and dripless. Activa’s Honeycomb wax comes in a box of six 8" × 16" (20 cm × 40 cm) sheets. Each box also includes 6 wicks and illustrated instructions for a wide variety of candles. Bright Assorted Colors — 8 sheets and 8 wicks. Christmas Assorted Colors — 8 sheets and 8 wicks.

I am also considering to experiment with beeswax. It is said to be easier. This set you don’t have to melt, so that is going to be handy for ‘fast and furious’ last minute extra candles. These are pretty bright colors, so they might make fun girl gifts.

Costs: $27 for 8 candles, and a fun time.

Stay tuned for upcoming candle making projects, gorgeous candle pictures and other candle making tips and how to tutorials.

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