Making Candles For Candle Lantern

[STEVEM]

I know everyone is familiar with Candle Lanterns: http://candlelantern.com/ My wife and I have a few of the triple candle models that we use during the summer on the patio and at our picnic table.

The replacement candles are about 1" in diameter X 3-1/2" long and according to the package are formulated from special wax with a high melting point and use a special wick. I must admit, they do burn clean, do not seem to drip and do seem to last for the 9-hours as advertised. They also cost about $0.70 each.

I figure that I can use PVC pipe or conduit as a mould and make my own candles for maybe $0.10 each. The craft store sells several type of wax and wicks.

If anyone has made their own Candle Lantern candles, what kind of wax did you use? What size wick? Will something like Pam work as a mould release agent?

[Dances with Mice]

I'm not a candle maker, never done it. I have that lantern, I use it for emergencies when we lose power out here on the end of the grid. I also substitute Passover candles that I found in the ethnic food section of the grocery. They also burn a long time and don't drip.

But, in general, you want the highest melting point available. Is that temperature listed on the waxes at the craft store? If not, then go with 'pillar wax'.

I don't know how to size wicks. I'd bring one of the candles you have to the store and compare to find the closest match.

Mold release: I'd think that a quick soak in very hot water would soften the sides enough to release the candle.

[Obsidian]

I've used pam for mold release before, also murphy's oil soal

[skyhiker2]

I have no Idea what this has to do with hiking, but anyway.......

I have made candles before with regular parafin wax. There is an additve to make the candle burn longer you just have to work with it a little to find what works the best. The name of the the additive begins with a S. I can barely spell as is let alone a word I'm not sure of, but its stern--something. Any store that sells candle wax will sell it. I wanted to make candles because the scented ones that we were buying were 20$.. I felt I was getting ripped off. I thought the only thing I had to do was melt some wax in a pot. but there is just a little bit more to it. After succesfully making some very nice candles I decided that the large scented candles in a jar are worth 20 bucks..

[Rufous Sided Towhee]

Agree with skyhiker. Yes, you can make candles at home very inexpensively, but unless you can make them super long-burning, you won't be able to duplicate the candle-lantern brand ones. Also, you can get incredible candle deals at the Dollar Tree, but they use the cheap wax that burns up very fast.

Go for it, though! It would be cool to see some data on homemade ones and burn-time tests. I agree that the candle-lantern brand ones are way overpriced, I barely ever use my CL anymore due to that.

[zelph]

I've made candles using bees wax foundation purchased at Michaels craft store a couple of years ago.

Here is some info on how: NATURAL BEES WAX
Golden-brown colored, sweet-smelling, softer than paraffin.
WAX SHEETS
Roll these sheets around candle-wick to make an instant candle. 100% beeswax, in beeswax gold only (brood foundation). Sheets measure 8½ by 16¾ and have a hexagonal cell imprint. They can be cut to any size or shape. In candle or sheet form, they are sensitive to temperature extremes (too much heat will stick them together or even melt them, too much cold makes them very brittle).
To avoid prohibitive shipping costs, each shipment of wax sheets must include twelve or more. Box (12.5 LB) of medium brood foundation (natural beeswax sheets) contains about 90-98 sheets. Basic Instructions free with order — ask.
STEARIC ACID
Hardens wax, improves opacity and dye take-up. Use as little as 10% (of wax weight), as much as 40%. Essential for tapers.

Info came from this site: http://www.earthguild.com/products/candle/cndwax.htm

Do a google search on bees wax candles, lots of info

[mweinstone]

yeah! i know! sterene.cohgans makes em.there pink. dont make candle lantern candles. buy them. now . go find a bayberry bush and gather the wax covered berries and boil them and cool them and remove the wax from the surface and remelt it and make the best candles ever. strain when hot if you dont like watching the ocasional nat burning. these are the only plant source of wax. bees, bayberrys and petrolium. you choose. outside childrens hospital grow enough bayberrys on the triangle( bus stop) in the middle of a busy downtown philadelhia street to make hundreds. i do every so often from these. sand casting candles is fun for kids. dipping is romantic. molds are crafty and gay. but for my money, kitchen containers of all trashy sorts make the best. leave the lables on and use cans like boiled calves livers and goose pate. or snails. snails is a good one. girl comes over, cant start a conversation? show her your snail candle. works. bet.

[Dances with Mice]

these are the only plant source of wax. bees, bayberrys and petrolium.

Palm. No, not my palm. Palm tree. No, my palm's not on a tree. Palm wax. No, not my palm. Wax, from a palm tree.

Y'know, Ski, writing to you or SmokeyMtnSteve is like digging a hole with a hammer.

I love you both. But not with my palm. Palm tree wax.