Hobby & Craft Forums

NEVER HEAT THE PAN WITH THE WAX IN DIRECTLY

You MUST use either a double-boiler (just as you might use a Bain-Marie when melting chocolate) or buy a specialist candle wax melter.

In our case that means a large saucepan with an old, scratched saucepan inside it. That method works for us as we had two suitable pans, and using a small milk saucepan (i.e. with a dip in the side for pouring) to hold the melting wax is MUCH easier than using a bowl.

By the way, the pans you use for candle-making will probably end up becoming dedicated to the purpose. Do not use your best saucepans, and non-stick is of no benefit. Second hand, scratched, dented pans are ideal.

A thermometer is unnecessary with a double boiler. The wax has either melted or it hasn't and it cannot get over 100C so will not spontaneously catch fire.

If you leave it unattended, the lower pan will quickly boil and splash water into your wax and spoil it. Shortly after that, it will boil dry and the wax will then be heated directly from the base of the lower pan. A few minutes later the fire brigade will be called by a neighbour who has seen the flames through the kitchen windows and, with any luck, you might be rescued and most of your home only smoke-damaged.

If the phone or doorbell ring when heating wax, TURN OFF THE HEAT. Then no harm will come to anything.


Mods: does this forum do "stickies"? I.e. a way to make a thread stay at the top?

Yes, great post and I've now made it sticky! It's great to have someone who can give advice on this sort of thing here- you're rapidly becoming our resident candle making guru lol!

Yes, how exciting, a new guru. Glad you found us.