A new chocolate making project is now available on the site.
This project shows the basics of chocolate house making and breaks this huge project into smaller simple tasks. A massive 4 page article heavily illustrated with step by step instructions.
A new candle making project has been added about how to make lightweight firestarters. These are great for camping.
Our digital magazine for chocolate and snack makers is now available for download. This issue if bigger than ever and has many great projects.
Free download - see incrEDIBLES!
This intermediate project is great for teacher gifts. Project demonstrates chocolate mold painting techniques, hollow molding, and thin piece solid molding. Illustrated step by step instructions.
See: 3D Apple Chocolate Project
A multi technique candle project that resembles a red, white, and blue firecracker. Fully illustrated.
This simple project makes great tasting chocolate covered cookie dough balls. Project demonstrates dipping and topping. Illustrated step by step instructions.
One question I get a lot is “How can I safely embed dried fruit (or insert your choice of flammable material here) in my candles?”
There is only one answer - THERE IS NO SAFE WAY TO EMBED FLAMMABLE OBJECTS OF ANY TYPE IN AN ORDINARY CANDLE! This is especially true in regards to flammable objects which are porous, since they may actually soak up the wax and become oversized wicks.
The common reply to the above answer is “But I see them in stores all the time, so there must be a way to make them safe.”
If you see someone selling something - that doesn’t mean it is safe. For example, several large auto manufacturers have marketed and sold cars that sometimes exploded on rear end impact due to their design. Just because thousands were sold, doesn’t mean it is a safe design.
If you look carefully at these types of candles, you will usually notice that they are imported. And my guess would be you would have a rather difficult time trying to sue them should their unsafe product burn your house down.
Some potential embeds are borderline risks - such as hard candy. Although it may burn, it will not act as a wick. This makes it far less of a potential fire hazard, yet still not 100% safe.
Smart, responsible candle makers avoid making unsafe candles. One rule of thumb I use when making candles is: If I can light the embed with a ciggarette lighter, then I won’t embed it. The exception to this are Hurricane Shell candles.
A hurricane shell is basically a hollow candle (often containing embeds). The actual burning is done with a small candle in a glass holder placed inside providing both a physical barrier (the glass), and a spatial barrier (air space) between the flammable embeds and the flame.
More information on making Hurricane Shells can be found at:
Chunk Hurricane Candle Project
and
Autumn Leaves Hurricane Candle Project
A new two part candlemaking project on how to make a realistic faux food steak and potato has been added to the site.
Steak And Potato Candle Project Part 1
Steak And Potato Candle Project Part 2
A new Chocolate making project has been added with illustrated instructions for making malted milk clusters with dark or milk chocolate.
Bob Sherman is the author of several candle making books as well as hundreds of articles and projects on candle making, chocolate making, leather carving, plaster craft, and soap making.