My boys and I are making a big (6" across) candle for my wife for Christmas. We want to embed various things in it that the boys picked out. We’ve made candles without embedded stuff many times, so we’ve got that part down. Questions:
Is there a secret to getting stuff to be along the surface (the sides) of the candle? If we just dump it in the mold, and pour wax in, most of it will be in the middle and won’t be seen. I’ve been thinking maybe I could pour it in stages, arranging stuff, and pouring a layer, then arranging again and pouring, etc. But I’m concerned it’ll look layered, and possibly split apart. Also, I don’t know if pouring an additional layer will end up melting the previously dried ones. And I don’t know how long to let it cool before pouring an additional layer.
Should I be concerned about fragile stuff (specifically I’m thinking about leaves here)? When I pour hot wax on them, will they shrivel or burn or change color or anything? I’ve considered “painting” them with several coats of wax before putting them in the candle, but I don’t know if this is necessary.
Any thoughts or suggestions (on this or anything else candle-making related)?
Make candle without inclusions. Allow to cool. Keep a small amount of wax hot. While the candle is still “tacky” and plastic in nature, press the objects desired into the sides of the candle, and cover with a very thin layer of the hot wax, so that they will be “in” the candle but visible through a translucent layer of wax.
Run a few practice candles with things you don’t mind losing before you make the “keepers” – the timing on removing from the mold in order to make the inclusions is tricky – too soon, and the candle sags; too late, and the inclusions won’t embed well.
1st method: Use wooden kitchen skewers to hold the objects against the side of the mold. Either angle the skewers so the ends stick out the top of the mold, or make them the proper length to go across to the other side of the mold, and tie (tightly) fishing line to them. After you pour the wax into the mold, wait until it has partially set up, and then remove the skewers, trying not to disturb the wax too much. Then add more wax to fill in the holes left behind.
Disadvantage is that it takes some practice to learn the right removal time, where the wax is set up enough to hold the objects in place, but not so hardened that removing the skewers messes up the candle. And sometimes the wax filling in those holes is visible.
2nd method: take some of the same identical wax that you will be using for the candle, and roll it into little skewer-like shapes (usually has to be thicker than wooden skewers, more like knitting needles or pencils). Put these across to the other side of the mold to hold the objects in place. Then fill the mold with wax. Do it carefully, and they will hold the object in position long enough before they start to melt into the other wax.
A possible disadvantage is that sometimes these ‘rods’ of wax can still be seen in the finished candle. Especially true on some colors. Sometimes using a flat piece of wax against the opposite side, and bracing the rod against that works better – it isn’t as visible as the end of a rod showing on the outside of a candle.
A 3rd method – (cheating, really): use actual cut off knitting needles, or a bare length of heavy copper electrical wire, etc. as the rods to hold your objects in place, and just leave these in the finished candle. Then tell the recipient that “they are part of the artistic design”.
Or, depending on the size, you could make a container that’s as big as you want your final candle to be, then put a smaller container in the middle, put your objects in, pour in wax, wait to harden, take out container in middle, fill hole with wax.
If the things you are doing are leaves, couldn’t you just lacquer them on the outside? Or you could get super creative and “glue” them on the outside with a couple of layers of wax.
Have you seen the semi-transparent gel candles with fruit shapes etc. embedded in them?
Create something similar with a 4" dia candle centered in a 6" form leaving a 1" annular cylinder.
Start adding the gel and the trinkets slowly till filled to top of center candle.
Now you can see the artifacts or trinkets as the candle burns down.
You will have to rundown or locate the suppliers of the materials.