The following article was taken from Candle Making in a Small Workroom by Frank Elsen and Pol Janssens of the ATOL Foundation in Leuven, Belgium. The full article first appeared in VRAGBAAK Vol. 14 No. 2, June 1986.
CANDLE MAKING I
Burning Materials and the Wick
1. Beeswax
Beeswax is the oldest and_bestknown material in candle making. The raw beeswax is melted in warm water, strained and cooled. In fresh water the hardened wax is again heated, melted, strained and cooled. The whole process is carried out for a third time. In this way, impurities are gradually removed from the wax: if left in the wax they will gather moisture and cause faulty burning of the candle. Every time the wax is reheated during this cleaning treatment, it turns a darker colour. In many countries, the lighter the wax, the more valuable it is considered, although light colour does not improve burning quality in any way. Light-coloured wax can be obtained simply by placing the wax out in the sun; after the last cleaning the warm, fluid wax is poured into a rotating water bath (see figures below): on the wet cylinder the wax gathers in the form of
small pellets. Once in the waterbath the pellets can be scooped out and placed in the sun to lighten. Older, darkened wax can be lightened by this same manner—but a reminder: this does not alter the burning quality one bit! Concerning the preparation and incorporation of the beeswax take care with the following: — Keep the wax and air within the workplace as dust-free as possible. Particles in the wax reduce
burning quality.
— The use of copper causes an irreversible dark colouration of the wax. Do not use copper appliances (for example brass pans, strainers, sieves or moulds). Wax is a useful extra income for the beekeeper, provided that there is local demand and possibilities for the beekeeper to negotiate and sell wax. Where there is demand for beeswax one should be careful that one is paying for the real thing. If inexpensive fat is added to beeswax, the beeswax becomes more flexible and not as crumbly. This can be tested by feeling the wax and taking a good look with an experienced eye. Sometimes warmed wax is whipped-up (just as eggwhite is beaten to make it stiff) and air is entrapped. The wax is then cooled. By this method the density of the beeswax is reduced, and a candle made from this beeswax will feel lightweight. 2.
\feryy Aa
Cross-section: 1- flutd-wax 2- water
Paraffin wax Most paraffin waxes have a melting point between 54°C and 58°C; but wax with a lower or higher melting point is also available. Microcrystallized wax is a special form of paraffin wax with a melting point between 60°C and 93°C. If added to ordinary paraffin wax, the wax layers adhere well to one another, and the wax becomes flexible and results in a firm candle. According to the mixture used, the quality of wax can vary greatly, varying from flexibility for
better hand moulding to the firmness needed when using candle moulds. Too much microcrystallized wax in a mixture causes brittleness in the candle. The solution is obvious; the candlemaker has to experiment. Paraffin waxes are by-products of petrol distillation and they are therefore widely available. Paraffin wax is available in 5 or 25Kg blocks, or powder form. If it is imported, paraffin wax can be very expensive. Stearin Stearin is a firm, non-poisonous, white-coloured wax. In candles it produces a positive, white colour, reduces transparency and gives a candle a glossy and hard finish. It is used with paraffin wax, usually at a proportion of 5-50%. Stearin is an organic product, sometimes made from vegetable fat (for example cottonseed oil) although more often from animal fat. 3.
Mixtures
4.
The burning ingredients described
above can be mixed in different ratios without much problem. If beeswax is very expensive and paraffin wax is cheaper, one could have a candle made of 30% beeswax and 70% paraffin wax. There are many mixtures possible, all giving a good result—it just calls for experimentation. Two important factors are: 1.
Melting point: 2 products with the same melting point can, when mixed together, give a product with a lower or higher melting point.
2. Adhesion: the force with which the layers attach to each other. This is important with dipped
candles, for example a mixture
consisting mostly of
wax adheres quicker to the last layer than a mixture with more paraffin in the ratio.
