Beeswax Candles

I have a candle mold from Jas. Townsend I like to make beeswax candles from. The problem I'm having is the candle flame gets extremely low most of the time. Almost like the melted wax is smothering the flame. I have to dump off the molten wax. Am I using too small of a wick? Would doubling the wick work? I get the wick material at Hobby Lobby and I'm beginning to think it's more for paraffin style wax. Any ideas are welcome.

Pure beeswax will burn at a higher temperature than will paraffin wax. You need to either mix some paraffin wax with the beeswax when making the candles, or just use paraffin wax for them. The wick will draw up the liquified wax so that it is heated by the flame, and turned into gas. But, having a lower burn temperature helps this final process- "gassification".

Beeswax candles were favored by early settlers because the material was readily available, and they were not looking for a bright light to read by. people went to bed at dark, and arose before daylight for the most part.

The lights were there simply as navigation aids in camp. The Beeswax candle can last half again as long as a paraffin wax candle will. So, they were cheap, and lasted longer. For poor settlers, that was the most important thing about candles. If they wanted brighter light, they put a reflector of some Mica, or sheet metal, behind the flame. Ash from wood fires, held by damp rags, were used to polish these surfaces daily.

Respectfully, I must disagree with Mr. V.

I make beeswax candles all the time. I prefer them for the very reason that they do not burn as hot as paraffin.

I make my own wicks as well. I've found that thick and short is best. I saturate the wick in beeswax before twisting it up.

Josh

Beeswax candles were favored by early settlers because the material was readily available

Click to expand...

Beeswax candles were preferred because they held up better in hot weather and burned cleaner with a pleasant aroma. However they were not "readily" available and were only for the well to do. Tallow was the main ingredient for candles in colonial America. Tallow makes good burning candles but are delicate in the summer time. It was common to store tallow candles in a wood box in the root celler or a shallow pit dug into the dirt floor (of frontier homes)to keep them cool.You will get the most light from beeswax by blending it with parafin or tallow. Beeswax makes good "decorator" candles because of its subdued flame. Another note on beeswax candles of colonial times. They were apparently most commonly made from rolled sheets of wax rather than molded.Perhaps they burn better in that form vs. molded?

Ghettogun said:

They were apparently most commonly made from rolled sheets of wax rather than molded.Perhaps they burn better in that form vs. molded?

Click to expand...

Interesting point Ghetto,
Couple years back I set up to "dip" candles and turned out a few 100, mostly parrafin w/hardener but 30-40 or so with bees wax and they burned well,(still have enough for a few years).
I wonder if it's the "Layers" from the dipping that made'm work good.
I tried a set of molds I got somewhere but succeded in making more of a mess than candles.
The Dipping was a slow process until you figure out cooling time and they start to get a 1/2" or so then it goes pretty fast.

Put a kettle of cold water next to you and dip in wax, in water, in wax etc. Cools them down between layers.

Ronnie

Trkdriver99 said:

Put a kettle of cold water next to you and dip in wax, in water, in wax etc. Cools them down between layers.

Ronnie

Click to expand...

That, Sir, is an excellent idea.

I tried dipping but gave up because it wasn't going fast enough, so I formed 'em. (The wimmin folk loved 'em at Christmas all the same!)

I'll have to get more beeswax and try this again.

Josh

if you use a thicker braided type wick, not only will you get a bigger/ brighter flame, but it will also consume the wax at a rate that there will be none running down the sides of the candle. i hand dip and use pure bees wax, works great & smells good too! just keep the wax as close to 150 degreesas possible, and the dry time between dips will be very short. good luck! :thumbsup:

THAT'S what I was looking for! I may twist two of the wicks I have for a test run on the beeswax. For work, I usually order a couple tons of the stuff and some eventually hits the floor and I can't use it for work's purpose. So, of course, I scoop it up and put in a box for later use :wink: Always looking for uses.....

Where's an ecnomical place to buy beeswax in bulk? I'd like to buy a few pounds to do a string wax making demo/giveaway at my traditional archery club (melt it with toilet ring wax and it makes a great string wax for bowstrings). Unfortunately places like Hobby Lobby want $15/lb for it.

Ifn you know a local bee keeper they can most assuredly help you out. If not get on the internet and look up bee keeper supplies etc. They have good prices on bulk wax and can supply varied grades of wax.

You can also find it pretty reasonable on eBay from time to time. The last I bought there was about $8 per 5# cake.

Rick

Sorry, I missed your post. I get the "capping wax". It doesn't have the bee mite pesticides on it. This I can use for sealing canteens, spoons, etc. (and for work). The best place for just regular beeswax, as mentioned, is a beekeeper.

I didn't realize HL was at $15/lb.!! Wow.

I'm not sure how helpful, or not, this is going to be, but I noticed that churches who burn beeswax candles have a "brass collar" around the top of the candle. (I'm sure there is a correct term, but I don't know it.) These seem to be quite tall so that they create & trap a pool of hot liquid while being in turn heated by the flame to pre-melt beeswax at the top. Could liquefying & heating the liquid this way help with the burning in some way perhaps?

Just a guess, but they must be mixed with something or thicker wick. My 100% beeswax candles burn better when I pour off the molten wax, but this may be the wick can't handle this much molten wax. I just thought a thicker wick would handle the "extra" molten wax. Had to ask.....