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Easy Water Candle Making Project

By Bob Sherman

This fun candle making project explains the steps for making simple water candles. These do not require a mold, and it will show how to make an inexpensive jig to do the actual dipping. The effect is completely random and no two are alike.

These are based around a pre made candle which may be a taper, utility candle, or narrow pillar candle. It may be store bought if you are not up to making it yourself.

PLEASE NOTE!! - Candle making can be dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Please read these Safety Rules before attempting any candle making projects. If you are new to candle making our free Introduction To Candle Making Course will explain the basics and allow you to make these safely.

Making these may be a bit messy, so protect the floor and surrounding work surfaces.

WAX FORMULA

A basic pillar candle formula works well for these:.

1 pound of 140 Melt Point paraffin wax
1 level teaspoon of Vybar 103
Dye to suit

Making The Dipping Jig

The jig is very simple and only takes a few minutes to make:

Use the nail or awl to punch a pair of small holes approximately two inches apart on opposite sides of the plate rim. If you put them too close the jig will be wobbly when handling it.
Bend a length of wire in half and insert the ends through one pair of holes. Use the pliers to crimp the ends around the rim, or twist around itself to form a solid connection. Repeat this for the opposite side.

Step By Step Instructions

This process is very simple, however it may take one or two tries to get the hang of it:

Choose a core candle that is 20% or less of your pie plate diameter for best results. The illustration at right shows a core candle that was so large it left little room for the wax.
Melt and color your wax, following basic safe procedures. The wax temperature is not critical at this stage, however it will need to be in the 170 degree F. range to dissolve the dye easily.
Pour a thin layer of wax into the jig - 1/4 inch is perfect. Position your core candle in the center and allow it to cool.
When dipping, the hotter the wax is, the further it will flow before fully hardening. I suggest experimenting with temperatures ranging from 170 to 190 degrees F. The speed of plunging into the water will also affect this.
Pour some wax into the jig, then immediately lift the jig by the wires and plunge it into the water. For variety the plate may be rotated while plunging to twist the wax.
Remove it from the water and shake out any water that remains in the jig.
Use your strainer to remove any wax floating in the water. This can be dried out and reused at a later date.
Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 until the desired effect is attained or the jig is full of hardened wax and can no longer hold more wax. Repeated dipping may be made with different colors of wax for variety if desired.
Once the wax is cooled, carefully remove the candle from the jig.

Candle Making Supplies

The following candle making supplies and other materials were used to make this candle. Clicking on the item name will bring you to that item's page with a full description and ordering information.

Item	Amount Used
140 Melt Point Paraffin Wax	Several ounces for each.
Vybar 103	One teaspoon per pound of wax.
Candles	One for each. These may be store bought or make them yourself.
Dye	Some of each color you plan to use.
Melting / Pouring Pot	Note that larger hurricane molds may hold as much as 8 pounds of wax. so several melting pots may need to be used.
Thermometer	One
Small Pie Plate	One. This may be a disposable one as shown, or a nicer one if you plan to make many. A diameter of approximately 4 inches works well for these.
Water Bucket	A bucket filled with water.
Stiff Wire	Two lengths of 20 inches or so.
Nail or Punch	For punching holes in the pie tin.
Needle Nose Pliers	For bending the wire.
Strainer	For skimming of drippings from the water bucket.
Baking Pan, Wooden Spoon, Measuring Spoons	Purchase at a house wares store or a dollar store.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common candle making practices as of the time of this writing - March 2006. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.

Author: Bob Sherman

Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.

This article is provided free of charge for use. Candles may be made and sold using this design royalty free.

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